Berkeley City Council District 4 residents deserve a council member focused on solving the problems they deal with every day. We love Berkeley and have lived here in District 4 for many years, raising our families and supporting our schools and this city. We believe it can be the kind of community again that drew us here. The current dysfunction in the city, both on the Council and in the administration, can be addressed and changed. City services that are responsive, a more safe and welcoming downtown, and improved streets and sidewalks are all within our reach. We trust Rubén Hernández Story to tackle these challenges.
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As an immigrant raised by a single mother in public housing, Rubén saw firsthand the impact government has on people’s everyday lives. That’s why he has dedicated his entire career to public service after being the first in his family to graduate college. Rubén’s work for elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels has already helped to advance legislation on important issues like gun violence prevention, criminal justice reform, a West Berkeley Green New Deal and expanded transit and electric vehicle charging. Ruben and his fiancee have established roots in District 4, and he is committed to bringing that same experience and success to Berkeley City Council on behalf of all of us.
Rubén understands that being an effective council member takes more than big ideas or the “right” ideology. It also requires a collaborative and pragmatic approach to keep the Council focused on critical issues like balancing our budget, fixing aging infrastructure, and ensuring the city has the staff it needs to get things done. That’s why Rubén has as many endorsements from current and former Berkeley City Council members as all other candidates combined. He’s the only candidate with first-place endorsements from most current council members because they’ve worked with Rubén and seen his ability to build collaborative relationships firsthand.
Rubén has put forth a specific and detailed policy platform that lays out a plan for addressing the most critical issues facing Berkeley. It includes fixing the Berkeley Police Department’s staffing crisis and expanding non-police interventions. He wants street improvements and traffic enforcement that will reduce dangerous speeding, protect kids walking and biking to school, improve transit service and make our streets and sidewalks accessible to people with disabilities. He’s calling for smart fiscal policies to broaden the tax base to pay for better services and improvements, and an “all of the above” approach to creating the affordable and missing middle-income housing our young families and teachers desperately need.
As a result of this demonstrated commitment to addressing Berkeley’s most pressing issues, he’s also earned strong support from the Berkeley Fire Fighters Association, the Sierra Club, the Berkeley Democratic Club, Berkeley Neighbors for Housing and Climate Action, and the Building & Construction Trades of Alameda County (AFL-CIO). His commitment to uplifting diverse and underrepresented voices has earned him the support of the East Bay Young Democrats, Latine Young Democrats of the East Bay, Jewish Democratic Club of the Bay Area, and the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club.
We think he’s deserving of your support as well. As District 4 residents, we encourage our neighbors to learn more at www.ruben4berkeley.com, rank Rubén Hernández Story #1 and mail or drop off ballots on or before May 28.
Stephanie Allan is a career technical education adviser for the Berkeley Unified School District; Barry Fike is a former president of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers. Both live in District 4.
