Fremont gearing up for competitive district elections in wake of city scandal

One of Fremont’s multiple council races this November features a councilmember who won a historic election in 2020 facing off against a challenger who says a city “rocked by scandal” needs to remake its government.

In District 6, incumbent Councilmember Teresa Cox will try to fend off challenger Raymond Liu.

RELATED: Specter of scandals, calls for change hang over competitive Fremont mayor’s race

Cox was the first African-American woman elected to the Fremont council in 2020. She is also the first African American woman in the country to hold a degree in nuclear engineering, and served as a trade adviser working on international trade and business under the former President Barack Obama administration. In 2008, she became the first African-American elected to the Ohlone Community College Board of Trustees.

Cox is touting her public safety record and endorsements.

“As the current Fremont councilmember, and as I run for re-election, I championed for public safety by leading the clean-up efforts of 30 RV encampments around Hirsch and Horner Schools, and 5 at Irvington Community Park. I’m honored to receive the endorsements from the Fremont Police Association and Fremont firefighters,” she wrote in her candidate statement.

Challenger Liu, an engineer, said in his candidate statement that he is “running for Fremont City Council to restore integrity and accountability to our local government.” He previously ran and lost the 2022 primary race for State Senate District 10.

“Our city has been rocked by scandals, most notably the former city manager’s fraud conviction due to misuse of public funds, highlighting a deep-rooted culture of corruption that has taken place,” Liu wrote.

Liu partly refers to former city manager Mark Danaj pleading guilty this year to fraud for using a city credit card to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses, including travel, medical services, food delivery and Apple products. Danaj, who has to pay back a $317,000 severance check and is barred by a judge from ever serving in public office again, was required to report to Santa Rita Jail on June 4 to serve a 90-day sentence and is now out on probation.

“Additionally, the rising homeless population is a stark indictment of the current council’s failed policies and lack of effective leadership. Fremont deserves better. I am committed to transparency, ethical governance, and implementing practical solutions to address homelessness.”

The city in 2020 switched to district elections from the previous at-large system, expanding the council from five members to seven. This year’s District 1 race is between incumbent Councilwoman Teresa Keng and attorney Ranvir Sandhu.

Keng first took office in 2018, beating out two competitors with 45.65% of the vote, a wide majority in the three-candidate race. She served a two-year term and was re-elected again in 2020 for a four-year term, running unopposed. She owns and operates Milk and Honey Cafe, a Taiwanese restaurant on Fremont Boulevard.

“My priorities are to continue to ensure public safety, build strong partnerships between City Hall and our schools, reduce traffic, increase pedestrian safety, fix our roads, and to support entrepreneurs and local businesses at all levels,” she wrote in her candidate statement. “As a mother and a small business owner in our district, I have the vision and the heart to serve. Let’s keep building a brighter Fremont together!”

Her challenger, Sandhu, is an estate planning attorney who provides legal assistance with living trusts, wills and corporate business law. He attended Ardenwood Elementary when it first opened in 1985, he wrote in his candidate statement. And he has lived in Fremont since 1977, when his Indian parents emigrated from England to the U.S., he wrote.

“I can help accomplish a lot with my strong communication and negotiation skills as a licensed California attorney with vast experience working across the table of executives, directors, other attorneys, numerous clients, and more,” he wrote. “I know I have the necessary skills and experience required to help make a huge impact with regards to the future direction of the city of Fremont and our district.”

In the open District 5 race, Fremont Unified School District Board President Yajing Zhang is taking on tech startup administrator Chandra Wagh.

Zhang was elected board president in 2020 for a four-year term, and will this year vacate her position on the board. She says her priorities include public safety, supporting small businesses, expanding affordable housing and improving the area’s education system, according to her website. She holds a masters degree in Science and attended a PhD program at UCLA.

“Drawing on my experience as President of Fremont Unified School District Board of Education, I have a proven record of balancing budgets, negotiating win-win agreements, and partnering with the city to deliver educational and workforce programs,” she wrote. “As a successful business woman, I excel at strategic planning and delivering results. As a proud parent of public school students, I deeply understand the needs and aspirations of Fremont families.”

Challenger Wagh brings experience working in tech startups and corporations such as Cisco and Workday. He holds a masters  in computer science and emigrated to Fremont from India in 1999. He also supports the construction of a sound barrier beside neighborhoods along I-680.

“I want to address Fremont’s challenges, including public safety, the increasing homeless population, traffic congestion, and declining student opportunities,” Wagh wrote in his candidate statement. “I also want to enhance our parks and promote mixed-use development.”