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FACT-CHECKING Santosh Rao and Tracy Kosolcharoen's misleading claims. Here are the facts.
Cupertino Together is a community organization committed to moving the city forward with a positive vision, steady leadership, and collaborative partnerships to create an enduring foundation for Cupertino’s present and future. We are starting with three strong candidates for Cupertino City Council.
Seema, J.R., and John will deliver real results for residents.
- A real downtown finally built at Vallco
- A fiscally stronger city
- Simplified permits for homeowners and small businesses
- Smart housing choices that protect our neighborhoods and our schools
- Vibrant retail and restaurants
- Trusted and stable governance
Meet the Council Candidates
J.R. is a sitting councilmember running for reelection. J.R.'s family has called Cupertino home since before the city was incorporated, and he has spent a lifetime making sure it stays a place where every generation can put down roots. An attorney and current councilmember, he brings deep roots, legal expertise, and principled leadership to every decision — running for re-election on an unshakable conviction that we must leave things better than we found them.
Seema is a current Cupertino Planning Commissioner. Her story spans multiple continents and cultures. Moving from India, she built a twenty-year career as a marketing executive, and spent the last decade delivering safer streets, thoughtful housing growth, and a more connected Cupertino. Now she's running for City Council to do even more — responsible housing for all life stages, innovative economic growth, and a safe, livable, vibrant city.
John fled Vietnam as a child refugee and built the American dream through hard work, kindness, and a deep belief that strong communities lift everyone up. With 25 years navigating complex policy across government, business, and community, he is running for City Council to rebuild trust in city leadership and bring Vallco to life as a thriving hub for housing, jobs, and community.
Vote for all three...for the majority!
Five Great Reasons to Elect Seema, John, and J.R.
1. Finish Vallco to Finally Get a Downtown
10 years of litigation and delays have resulted in very little progress. Residents deserve a vibrant downtown.
- Finally deliver the entertainment, dining, and retail that residents have waited a decade for.
- Focus new housing in the Heart of the City near jobs, transit, and amenities.
- Create the vibrant downtown destination that Cupertino deserves.
2. Restore Cupertino's Fiscal Strength
Losing Apple's sales tax cost Cupertino ~$30M/year. We must diversify our tax revenues, not rely on just one big company.
- Attract midsized businesses to the city as Seema proposed to the City Council back in January 2025.
- Complete Vallco to get $10 million in property taxes flowing each year plus sales and other taxes.
- Reduce reliance on expensive consultants by hiring full-time city staff instead.
3. Permits That Don't Punish You
Permits for home improvements, ADUs, and small business updates shouldn't require months of delay.
- Streamline permits for simple home repairs and upgrades, as Seema proposed in Feb 2024.
- Cut the permitting red tape driving small businesses out of Cupertino.
- Continue to simplify and speed up home renovation, ADU, and duplex approval processes.
4. Housing for Young Families
CUSD lost 5,000 students since 2015, with 4,000 more projected. Fewer families means fewer schools, an aging city, and lower property values.
- Prioritize starter homes that young families can actually afford and expand housing options for seniors and young professionals.
- Allow more types of ADUs and duplexes–including for sale ones.
- Focus denser housing on major streets near retail to protect our neighborhoods and support our small businesses.
5. Restore Good Governance
Cupertino needs stability after two damning Grand Jury reports, 9 City Managers in 8 years, and significant staff turnover.
- Rebuild staff trust through open dialogue and data-driven decisions.
- Strengthen protections from councilmanic interference and misuse of remote attendance.
- Rebuild partnerships with regional agencies and leaders by leveraging John and J.R.’s networks.
Our priorities are an extension of our values.
Deliver a Vallco Downtown
Attract Young Families
Fix the City's Fiscal Mess
Revitalize Small Businesses
Cut Permitting Red Tape