Mayor, Vice Mayor to Seek Reelection

Starting tomorrow, candidates in this year's Nov. 8 election can file to run for office. 

The county election covers muncipal, school and special districts, and the main issue for South City voters will be the two seats on the city council that come up for election.

While it's not yet known whether they will face any challengers, South San Francisco Mayor Kevin Mullin and Vice Mayor Richard Garbarino have announced they will both opt to run for reelection.

Mullin is the president of a multimedia production and communications firm in South San Francisco, KM2 Communications, and has served as mayor for the past year. He was elected to city council in 2007.

“I’ve enjoyed the work immensely, and we’ve had a productive term,” Mullin said when asked what was behind his decision to seek reelection. “I am looking forward to continuing to serve as we have much more to accomplish.”

“I am most proud of the way our community has pulled together in the wake of the homicides experienced last year, with the formation of the Community Coalition on Safe Neighborhoods,” Mullin added.

Garbarino, who has served on the board since 2002, maintains several professional positions across the city and at San Francisco State University. He cited his desire to “finish what [he] started” as his motivation to run for reelection.

“We have a lot of interesting projects coming up,” Garbarino said. “We’re right in the middle of what I would call a fiscal disaster, not in this city per se, but the state and the country aren’t doing very well. I think we need to retain the leadership that we have on this council.”

Garbarino made it a point to mention difficult times that may lie ahead for the city of South San Francisco. He believes that maintaining leadership will be key to surviving impending challenges.

“We’re five individuals that work quite well together but think individually, and we have consistency and experience,” Garbarino said. “That’s what it takes to guide us through what we think are going to be some very difficult years ahead of us. We’re facing some really difficult decisions in the coming months and years.”

The candidate filing period will open July 18 and run through August 12.