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The Mountain View City Council race is starting to heat up with more contenders stepping forward to vie for a trio of open seats this November.
The three candidates who win the most votes on Nov. 3 will replace outgoing City Council members Alison Hicks, Ellen Kamei and Lucas Ramirez. The three current council members will term out in January after serving two consecutive terms. They are not eligible to seek reelection until 2028.
Mountain View residents IdaRose Sylvester, an entrepreneur and local activist, Paul Donahue, an engineer, and Alexander Amoroso, a U.S. Army officer, are the latest to announce their intentions to run for City Council in what is shaping up to be a crowded race.
Earlier this year, Mountain View residents Robert Cox, a retired Intel project lead, Silja Paymer, a Los Altos High School teacher, and Erik Poicon, a longtime community organizer, were the first to throw their hats in the ring.
Cox, Paymer, Donahue and Amoroso are newcomers to the race while Sylvester and Poicon ran unsuccessfully for City Council two years ago. At the time, there were nine contenders looking to fill four seats. Ultimately, Emily Ann Ramos, Chris Clark, John McAlister and Pat Showalter were elected to the dais.
This year, candidates have until Aug. 7 to enter the race, which is when the formal nomination period closes. Write-in candidates have until Oct. 20, according to the city.
IdaRose Sylvester
IdaRose Sylvester, an entrepreneur and educator, has a long track record of community involvement in Mountain View. Sylvester currently serves on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and before that, was on Mountain View’s Human Relations Commission and Environmental Sustainability Task Force. Sylvester also has been a longtime community activist and key organizer of recent local demonstrations, rallies and vigils opposing the Trump administration.
Sylvester lists her top campaign priorities as housing, including affordable housing, and environmental sustainability with a focus on climate protections and biodiversity. She also described economic vitality for local businesses and the city government as a key issue. While Sylvester views Mountain View as a dynamic and vibrant city, she anticipates some challenges ahead, particularly around budgetary constraints.
“It’s going to take the City Council and our community working together closely to make sure that our values are maintained and our priorities are maintained,” Sylvester said, adding that she has experience bringing people together in difficult times.
Paul Donahue
Paul Donahue, a microprocessor engineer, is no stranger to local politics after serving for nearly two decades on various city committees. Donahue currently serves on Mountain View’s Environmental Planning Commission, an advisory group that makes recommendations to the City Council on land use issues, including housing development proposals. He also has previously served on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, Downtown Committee and Board of Library Trustees.
Donahue said these experiences have shaped his top campaign priorities. He identified housing and the environment as big issues for the city. With respect to housing, Donahue said he wants to make sure Mountain View implements its housing element, which lays out how the city will meet a state-mandated requirement to plan for more than 11,000 new homes by 2031. He also is a proponent for parks and open space and access to recreational facilities, he said.
Seeing small businesses thrive is another important campaign priority, Donahue said, noting that his parents had been small business owners in Illinois. He would like to see Mountain View execute its economic vitality strategy to encourage more small businesses to gain a foothold in the city.
Alexander Amoroso
Alexander Amoroso, a U.S. Army officer, is a new face in local politics but said he has the leadership chops and public service record to make a meaningful impact in Mountain View.
“I live to serve,” Amoroso told the Voice.
Amoroso has identified job creation, environmental stewardship and conservation, and expanding access to education as his top three campaign priorities. As an adjutant general officer, Amoroso said he has a lot of experience in human resource management. He sees the city as a bridge to connect people to opportunities and programs.
Amoroso also is active in local organizations that have a humanitarian and environmental focus, including the Mountain View Rotary Club and Friends of Stevens Creek Trail. He also volunteers for Hope’s Corner and The United Effort Organization, which provide meals and other forms of assistance for people who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness.
Learned something new!
An Adjutant General (AG) officer is a U.S. Army human resources specialist responsible for personnel management, morale, and administrative support, essentially serving as a senior HR executive for commanders. They ensure unit readiness by managing personnel life cycles, including promotions, assignments, training, and records