Human relations commissioner IdaRose Sylvester announces bid for Mountain View City Council

IdaRose Sylvester, a business entrepreneur and community leader, is the latest candidate to announce her intention to run for Mountain View City Council, and believes that she has the leadership experience and track record to get things done.

“When there are big problems, I simply work hard to find a solution and I’ve been very successful (doing) that,” Sylvester said.

With four seats up grabs, there are nine contenders hitting the campaign trail ahead of the November election.

Sylvester credits her longtime involvement in the community as a key motivation for entering the race. Sylvester has played an active role on two advisory bodies, the Environmental Sustainability Task Force and Human Relations Commission. She also serves on the board of several local nonprofits, including Community Services Agency and Community Health Awareness Council.

“I love working in my community,” Sylvester said, describing Mountain View as an innovative and ambitious city that has a “small town heart.” The residents are committed to solving big issues and helping people out, she said.

Sylvester she wants to further these efforts and has identified building a sustainable future as her top campaign priority.

For Sylvester, this entails forward-thinking climate policies. She has been an advocate for all-electric building codes and also serves as a board member of Carbon Free Mountain View. On the environmental task force, Sylvester pushed for the creation of an Office of Sustainability, which has been key to implementing the city’s climate goals, she said.

“On a big level, our city is really facing a climate crisis (and) we have an important role in playing to mitigate it,” she said.

Along with climate resiliency, Sylvester has identified “housing for all” as part of her campaign for building a sustainable future. This is centered on affordable housing, particularly for working-class families and seniors but also includes housing for the missing middle, she said.

On the issue of homelessness, Sylvester has expressed strong support for safe parking sites for vehicle dwellers. Five years ago, Sylvester urged the council to implement compassionate and practical solutions to help vehicle dwellers stay in the city at a time of contentious public debate.

As a Human Relations Commission member, Sylvester also played a big role in managing community-police relations in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, making it possible for community members to express their views in public forums. “I am known for lifting up and balancing the voices of all people in our community,” she said.

In building a sustainable future, Sylvester said the city must address the need for roads, parks and utility systems, and expressed concerns about the city’s projected budget deficit and a looming economic slowdown.

“Many of the things that we need in the city are going to require us to be creative in our fundraising and how we spend money,” she said.

Sylvester believes her experiences as a business entrepreneur can help in this regard, and identified economic vitality as one of her campaign priorities. She founded Silicon Valley Link, a marketing firm, more than 15 years ago, and said she has been helping other businesses succeed.

“I wear two distinct hats. One is this community leader and the other is an entrepreneur who focuses and cares a lot about small businesses,” Sylvester said.

The two roles also work together. During the pandemic, Sylvester launched Appetite for Good, a nonprofit that connected local restaurants with residents experiencing food insecurity.

Involving the community is also a big priority for Sylvester who wants to help more people become engaged with local governance structures so that their voices can be heard too.

“Being able to connect more people in our community to how the government works is something that I’m really passionate about (and) is something we can explore far more,” she said.

Other candidates who have announced their intentions to run for Mountain View City Council include incumbents Mayor Pat Showalter and City Council member Emily Ann Ramos as well as former City Council members John McAlister and Chris Clark, Mountain View Whisman trustee Devon Conley, former Mountain View Whisman trustee José Gutiérrez, Human Relations commissioner Erik Poicon and Nicholas Hargis, a congressional aide for U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo.