In a Facebook post this morning, educator and former school board member Patricia Martinez-Roach declared her candidacy for the District 2 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors seat vacated by George Shirakawa’s resignation on Friday.
In last year’s June primary, Martinez-Roach ran for ran for the San Jose City Council District 8 seat held by held by Rose Hererra and was supported by Supervisor Dave Cortese, the South Bay Labor Council and the San Jose Police Officer’s Association. She was edged out by Jimmy Nguyen, who lost to Herrera in the November 6, 2012 runoff.
In the November general election, Martinez-Roach also lost her seat on the East Side Union High School District board, trailing Magdalena Carrasco and Lan Nguyen in a close race. There could be a rematch of sorts, as sources tell San Jose Inside that Carrasco is also considering a run for the supervisor seat, which would require her to move into District 2.
Martinez-Roach holds a master’s degree in Administration of Administration and Higher Education from San Jose State University. She has been a school teacher for 34 years in the Franklin-McKinley school district. In addition to her 13 years on the board of the East Side Union High School District, she served nine years on the Alum Rock School District board.
Her full statement read as follows:
I am announcing today that I will be a candidate for the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors vacancy. District 2 has been my home since 1966 when I attended William C. Overfelt High School. I received my MaEd/Adm and elementary teaching credentials from San Jose State University. I am a proud public schoolteacher in Franklin-McKinley School District for the past 39 years (soon to retire). When I became involved as a young and single mom in politics, little did I know that I would become the firs Mexican-American woman to serve on the Alum Rock Union School District Board of Trustees. I am proud to have served East Side Union School and Metro ROP/CCOC boards. I have always been driven to help those in need and was appointed to many been City of San Jose commissions. My community involvement is vast and rooted in the principle of giving back instead of thinking that I’m entitled. I have worked for all that I have and I am proud of my accomplishments against all odds.
Running for public office is never easy and I know there will be tough days ahead. I also know that good conquers evil and I pray for guidance and strength to see me through yet another campaign. I do so, knowing that George Shirakawa ‘s work and dedication to his district and community could never be replaced-only continued…with your help and support.
Patricia Martinez-Roach speaks at the Labor Temple in June 2012, surrounded by unsuccessful council candidates Brian O’Neill and Steve Klein and labor leader Cindy Chavez.
It appears that Patricia Roach missed the memo that voters and residents of San Jose & Santa Clara county DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY OF SHAME THAT SHAMEFUL SHIRAKAWA LEAVES BEHIND. The fact that she even says that is ridiculous and shows she is totally out of touch with the needs of the community.
No amount of past deeds redeems Shirakawa from his thieving and sanctimonious ways. He abused the trust of his constituents and then made a mockery of his office by his claims of himself as the VICTIM.
Notice, the supervisor described it as critical that residents “feel” they have a legitimate representative. Give him a point for candor, for our elected officials typically conceal the fact that their political existence is sustained by catering to the feelings of an increasingly stupid electorate. He could have said they “have a right” to a legitimate representative, but as a politician who’d like us all to forget that he previously endorsed the just-departed idiot in question, it is quite apparent that Mr. Yeager is in the business of managing the public’s perception, not sharpening it.
That aside, if there is to be an election my nomination for candidate goes to Anna Ayala, yes, the so-called ‘Chili finger lady.’ Now, I realize this might seem outrageous, but permit me to address the most obvious objections.
1. She’s a liar and a thief.
Absolutely true, but because everyone knows that going in—something that wasn’t the case with George Shirakawa, the public would know better than to trust her and, more importantly, neither her colleagues nor the Mercury News wouldn’t dare risk covering up her misdeeds.
2. She’s an idiot.
Agreed. Were she a fully-functioning life form she might actually get away with something and wouldn’t be so often photographed in those hideous jumpsuits. But again, because everyone knows she’s an idiot, there’d be little chance of any of her half-assed ideas becoming law, thus reducing, by a whopping 20%, the our vulnerability to the board’s legislative asininity.
3. District 2 constituents will be deprived of effective representation.
No argument there, but those constituents have been deprived so long that, provided they continue to see a fat, Hispanic face, few would know the difference. In fact, once word gets out that District 2 is being under-served politically, it just might spark a business boom as entrepreneurs jump at the chance to be somewhere safe from government “help.”
4. Ms. Ayala is undeserving of the position.
Nonsense. Providing jobs for the useless and needy has become a priority (per the state’s high speed rail authority), and who is more useless and needy than Anna Ayala? Give this woman a job and a steady income and she just might stop giving her community the finger. Agreed, she’s a hideous human being, but it’s not like anyone else would hire her. And what better qualification for public office is there than one’s unsuitability for the private sector?
5. Her election would turn Santa Clara County into a laughingstock.
Probably. But I can’t think of government at any level that shouldn’t be considered a laughingstock. Besides, when it comes to a government embarrassing itself, you can always count on San Francisco to quickly one-up anything that happens down here. We’re news for two, maybe three days, tops.
Elect a well-connected candidate and condemn the public to the shenanigans of yet another clandestine operative. Elect Anna and we get less government, which would leave us all a little less screwed.
Knock it off finfan. You made me snort milk out my nose!
Finfan my hat is off to you. I laughed hard and out loud at the entire post. If only it weren’t so true.
Dear Ms. Roach:
Do you remember when I was appointed to the ESUHSD Board of Trustees as a student member? It was the 98-99 school year. I brought a pretty solid background to the position and had many stellar ideas for improving the communication between the district, schools, and students. Following the disastrous implementation of “common dress” at Andrew Hill by Bruce Shimizu and Rich Frias I was thirsty for change and appropriate representation by those who were elected to do so.
In a meeting between myself, the other student board member, and a high level Coto crony I presented what I thought was a stellar set of ideas—two in particular you staunchly opposed. In a later Board meeting you made a presentation of those ideas as if you came up with them yourself. It was the first time I experienced being ripped off and lied to by an adult but I was also able to discern that it was an elected official who had ripped me off—and that, Ms. Roach is what angered me the most.
Many years later it was revealed that you (along with the disgraced Shirikawa, Jr. and your equally non-brilliant colleague Craig Mann) had misused your ESUHSD-issed credit cards. Remember how cute it was that you all said you were just following the rules—rules that didn’t exist, rules that had to be put in place, rules that had if they been adhered to by elected officials because those elected officials understood those credit cards were not their own personal credit cards (something anyone with an ounce of decency clearly understands) would not have contributed to the immense turmoil within ESUHSD those years.
I was a voter in every election you ran in for ESUHSD and trust me: I didn’t forget getting ripped off TWICE. Last November, the voters didn’t just want change within the ESUHSD; voters wanted someone who could and would represent them rather than just make a living at being on the Board. In the time you sat on ESUHSD’s Board, you accomplished next to nothing. It was a job title for you. How can you honestly say to the voters of District 2 (of which I am a voter) you didn’t hear the calls for change; that you were not representing the students, parents, and community of the ESUHSD so they voted to have new ideas; that your service didn’t match up to what the needs of ESUHSD are right now? The hubris that is your decision to run for District 2 Supervisor is astounding though I can’t say I am the least bit surprised. You’ll do anything for a job that you can say you’re doing while all you actually do is rip others off.
I won’t forget getting ripped off once, twice, and it certainly won’t happen a third time so long as I’m able to cast a vote against you for District 2 Supervisor.
Hopefully the rest of District 2 voters will agree with you! Personal experience speaks volumes so thanks for sharing your experience with the ESUHSD board (Martinez-Roach, Mann, Shirakawa et al)
Whats the matter boys can’t take a womans success? Youre so miserable in your lives you have to spend your life posting cochinadas (EH) and all the locos who are rejected.
SHE got more than 48,000 (si) votos, bato. How many have you had (one)
Wow, you are loco esse, teinnes es mota much?
I’m too lazy to even look but…. Aw hell with it.
ROSE HERRERA
47.87% 7,242
JIMMY NGUYEN
28.27% 4,278
PATRICIA MARTINEZ-ROACH
23.86% 3,610
roberto needs to cayete, 48,000 votes? There was barely 10,000 voters total.
(yes, I too know spenglish, learned from American Me) I love shooting down hute pute madre’s like you with facts all day long.
callate tu Roberto Cortese….learn to spell ese
East Side race tontito…research before you open your boca which is full of dddooooodddooo
In the words of the great Jules Winnfield;
“ENGLISH, DO YOU SPEAK IT MOTHER******?”
If I wasn’t in Santa Monica this week for my company, I would be taking off some PTO to campaign against this Cucaracha.
And I know you’re not some guy named Robert. You’re the queen cucaracha, I’ve seen your crappy writing style before. Bits and pieces of angst ridden spenglish, touting “Oh poor east siders, vote for me, see? I’m mexican too! I know what it’s like to be oppressed!”
You’re such a tool. Better stock up on tissue tonight.