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Sam Jimenez, a local veteran and business owner who grew up in East Palo Alto, submitted papers to run for one of two open seats on the City council that will go before voters in the November election.
Jimenez owns the Redwood City-based plumbing company Bayshore Plumbers, which he inherited from his uncle. A homegrown father, a Green Beret veteran and son of an immigrant from Michoacán, Jimenez understands the hard work that defines East Palo Alto residents, he wrote in his candidate statement.
“I am running to bring practical, transparent and accountable leadership to City Hall and help build an East Palo Alto where families can live, work, invest, and thrive,” he wrote.
Though new to the local government sphere, Jimenez was inspired to run after five plumbers at his company were honored by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District for helping save a woman in a burning home and extinguishing a fire near their work assignment in June, he said in an interview.
By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the plumbing crew had saved an elderly woman, cleared space for first responders to arrive and returned back to work.
At the time his employees were honored, Jimenez expressed deep appreciation for their heroic actions that highlighted the hard work of the Latino community. In multiple conversations with local leaders, who urged him to apply for the Menlo Park fire board, Jimenez realized he wanted to help his own community, he said.
In a city with a large immigrant population, Jimenez hopes to provide support for small businesses, encourage career training and connect young people with less traditional pathways to well-paying careers, he said.
“I want East Palo Alto to attract responsible investment and development that benefits the people who already call this city home,” he wrote in his statement. “Growth should create local jobs, support small businesses, improve our infrastructure and expand opportunity without displacing our families.”
Aside from housing and job development, Jimenez hopes to facilitate improved infrastructure and traffic safety, he said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Jimenez, Holifa Windom, Gail Wilkerson Dixon, Deborah Lewis-Virges and incumbent Vice Mayor Ruben Abrica have also pulled papers to run for seats on the five-member council, according to the city website. Current Council member Martha Barragan announced that she will not be running again.
