Published September 12, 2018 on GilroyLife.Com

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Marie Blankley

I am a lifelong Gilroy resident.  I love this city and want Gilroy to thrive for all of us. I’m a Certified Public Accountant, and I operate my own business here. I’m a wife and mother of two. I’m not a politician. I’m authentic, trustworthy and principled, proven by the fact that I’m endorsed by people and groups from all sides of issues. I support what’s fair to all and I’m not afraid to stand up to pressure.  I believe all levels of government should be transparent.

Gilroy needs a council member who understands fiscal responsibility and accountability, who can navigate us through the impending financial threats we’re facing, along with most cities, that leave us unable to repair our streets or hire personnel to keep up with growth. We need someone who understands how planned growth leads to a vibrant community and contributes to our quality of life. I am that someone, and I’m dedicated equally to every resident of Gilroy.

My Gilroy roots are in farming.  My name was Marie Patane before I got married. I graduated from Gilroy High School, Santa Clara University, and Golden Gate University with a Master degree. I served on the Planning Commission from 1992-1999, when all five phases of the Gilroy Outlets and the Eagle Ridge development came to Gilroy. Despite significant controversy at the time, I believe both developments are examples of planned growth that feed our economy and help us thrive.

As your city councilwoman, I act as a fiduciary of the taxpayer, entrusted to oversee the spending of taxpayer dollars while driving revenue to avoid tax increases. I support economic development to drive revenue and bring jobs to Gilroy. As a CPA, I understand that companies will invest where they see adequate transportation, customer base, and workforce to succeed. We need to remove obstacles that discourage businesses from investing here. I support improving the downtown, including Gilroy’s Center for the Arts and finding parking solutions.

I’m no politician, but I’m driven and determined to make Gilroy thrive. You can trust that I’ll work as your city councilwoman to protect this beautiful city from financial threats and to bring us all the quality of life we pay for and deserve. For more information, visit MarieBlankley.com.