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Pleasanton’s Planning Commission Chair Matt Gaidos has announced that he will be running for the open City Council position for District 4 during this November’s general election.
Gaidos told the Weekly that as a Pleasanton native who has been heavily involved in the city’s government for several years, he will do what is best for the city if he is elected to the council.
“Pleasanton is where my wife and I were raised, where we continue to choose to live, and where we are raising our 4 school-aged children,” Gaidos said. “My experience and lifelong ties to the local community makes me the best choice to be a council member.”
He is currently running against his fellow Planning Commissioner Vivek Mohan, who is the only other District 4 candidate as of time of publication.
Gaidos has been involved in the city’s government for a number of years. He has served on the city’s Planning Commission since 2022 and before that he had served on the city’s Housing Commission for five years, according to his July 29 campaign press release.
Apart from his experience on the city’s commissions, Gaidos has also spent the last 16 years working as a prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, which is why public safety will be one of his campaign’s top priorities.
The deputy district attorney said that because of his “tough-on-crime reputation as a prosecutor and attorney,” he believes Pleasanton needs someone like him to help strengthen the connection between law enforcement and the prosecuting agencies.
“I will leverage my experience to reinforce a bridge between Pleasanton’s police and prosecuting agencies so that criminals are held accountable,” Gaidos said. “Pleasanton is a safe community, and it will require a comprehensive effort by law enforcement, the courts and residents to keep it that way.”
One of his other top campaign priorities will be prioritizing community input for future developments as the city faces state housing and development mandates. He said the city needs someone like him who will support such projects, while also maintaining the city’s “character and quality of Pleasanton’s landscape and historic downtown.”
“As a member of the planning commission, I was heavily involved in the planning process to meet those state mandates,” according to his campaign website. “I am deeply familiar with the tension between meeting housing requirements and maintaining our commitment to open space.”
Gaidos said he has previously promoted new housing for seniors and families and he has delivered solutions to house teachers and public safety employees during the city’s recent state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation rezoning cycle. One example of these solutions he mentioned in his website was working with the school district to use unutilized properties for housing.
He also said that during his time on the Housing Commission, he helped grant funds from the city’s housing fund to support Sunflower Hill, a nonprofit organization based in the Tri-Valley that aims to create affordable housing and opportunities for people with disabilities and special needs.
As the city continues to work through its challenges with addressing forever chemicals — more commonly referred to as PFAS — in the city’s drinking water, Gaidos said ensuring clean drinking water will be another one of his top priorities.
He also said as the city currently faces budget challenges, he has the experience with the financial infrastructure of government agencies to address these issues. He said his position will be a fiscally conservative one when it comes to spending taxpayer money.
“Like many Bay Area cities, Pleasanton is facing a daunting budget shortfall that will require pragmatic and creative ways to secure fiscal health,” he said. “I’m prepared to join that conversation and be a part of a solution that Pleasanton residents will support.”
More information about Gaidos’ campaign can be found at www.vote4gaidos.com.
