John McKay - Incumbent District D
Morgan Hill City Council

From 2018:

AFTER THE VOTES WERE TALLIED I REPRESENTed YOU TO THE VERY BEST OF MY ABILITIES

As a longtime Morgan Hill resident, I’d already set to work by serving as an active member of the Planning Commission, Downtown Association, and other community organizations. With your vote, I again will do even more.

A vote for me ensures the town we love today will be the town we love tomorrow.

Today in 2022:

The commitments I made in 2018 hold true to this day. I will continue to work for the interests of our community and plan for the future while making our community everything it can be today.

The last four years included some of the toughest times we have ever had to face as a community. These years also proved to us we can work together to not just survive during challenging times but excel as a community.

We spent two years living under the protocols of the Covid-19 pandemic, dealt with protests of police brutality after the George Floyd murder, and had the fourth largest forest fire threaten us and our peace of mind. In addition we have been dealing with three years of severe drought and looming water insecurity, the loss of local control over residential development, and growing traffic that restricts our free movement around our town. I’m proud to say we’ve worked together to overcome many of these issues and will continue to work together on the rest, they may take time. There were many standout individuals but we must be most proud of how we worked together time after time to help those in need - which sometimes shifted so it could’ve been any one of us.

The concerns for core issues that impact our community, and so many others, don’t vary that much year to year and so much of it is simply tied to dealing with change. As a community we’ve done so much right that others want to be here, to live here, and we need to be ready for the growth based challenges ahead.

Typical issues to address in our region are “Residential Growth” with concerns about too much or not enough commercial/industrial growth, “Economic Development” which drives revenues to pay for city services, “Transportation” which includes the traffic in town and how we move around the region for business and pleasure, and “Public Safety” which simply means you feel safe from from the misdeeds of others and knowing someone will come to help you in your worst time of need. These issues are fairly consistent across all communities so it’s no surprise I identified them in 2018 and do again today.

All of the challenges and goals will be taking place as the state of politics has elevated the concern that we are losing our small town atmosphere and becoming divisive. We must earnestly work together to overcome this critical issue.

Please read on in my “Key Issues” to see what I said four years ago, review where we are now, and what I want to do in the next four years.

KEY ISSUES (some things never change)

RESIDENTIAL GROWTH
Having served as a City Planning Commissioner, I know how important it is to control not just the rate of growth, but also the quality and location of all growth. Read More

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
When we welcome businesses and create local jobs, we bring in more revenue to help fund critical projects throughout the community. Read More

TRANSPORTATION
From city streets clogged with commuters from the south to the impact of high-speed rail, transportation issues are critical to our quality of life. Read More

PUBLIC SAFETY
Our vital Police and Fire departments create a safety blanket that we need to feel comfortable and safe in our community. Read More

ABOUT JOHN MCKAY

From 2018:

Eighteen years ago, our family set roots in Morgan Hill because we saw the community we wanted to live in and have come to love. Over time I observed things I didn’t like, so I got involved. The last seven years have been dedicated to making a difference through serving on the Planning Commission, Downtown Association, and other organizations.

I am running for City Council because I deeply care about this community and feel my years of experience and listening make me the best candidate to represent the citizens of District D.

Today in 2022:

I’ve been serving as the council representative for District D for almost four years now. So much is the same but so much has changed too.

The basic needs of the community haven’t changed much so the work must continue, most needs will never be “fully satisfied” as we grow as a city and the world around us changes along with the rules of governing.

I was fortunate to be nominated and elected to the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Division of the League of California Cities (now just “CalCities”). This has allowed me to work closely with other councilmembers and mayors to address our legislators and attempt to further influence legislation that could be beneficial or detrimental to our community.

I’ve been busy working with the local Rotary Club of Morgan Hill to help develop and implement programs that impact a broad spectrum of members of our community. From helping make sure the Big Slide in the Nob Hill Trail Park and the Peace Bridge at the Third Street Creek Park were installed to making sure many in need during Covid-19 got food to helping with over fifty Covid-19 vaccination clinics.

I will continue to represent our community to the best of my abilities everywhere I go. I will fight for our community so often overlooked as we sit in the shadow of the powerhouse Silicon Valley has become - we are a part of Silicon Valley, the quiet side that still deserves the attention of proper transportation, job growth opportunities and safety that other Silicon Valley communities have.

I love this community and I will be there for it as it has been here for me all these years.

Thank you.