FREMONT – The four-way competition to turn into Fremont's next mayor is starting to unravel as two of the candidates and their supporters are actually attacking the opposite on latest web sites.
The November 5 election to exchange Mayor Lily Mei has also been personally costly for the 2 leading candidates – Vinnie Bacon and Raj Salwan – who’re largely self-financing their campaigns to outspend their opponents' spending.
Bacon, a software engineer and former city councilman, borrowed $200,000 for his own campaign this yr, while Salwan, a current city councilman, veterinarian and landlord, put $155,000 of his own money into his campaign. Both Bacon and Salwan have the sting in relation to City Hall experience, fundraising and endorsements. The other two candidates, Hiu Ng and Rohan Marfatia, haven’t filed campaign finance documents.
Bacon's campaign is behind an internet site that attacks Salwan for being sued by his tenants over alleged cockroach infestations and property neglect, and describes him as a “pro-landlord” candidate who represents the interests of property owners on the City Council and property developers.
A campaign committee supporting Salwan has arrange its own anti-Bacon website, accusing him of allegedly failing to adequately attend council committee meetings, violating campaign finance rules and claiming to have voters on social media and more “bullied, threatened” and intimidated. The website, which shows a red “Stop” sign up a pile of bacon, claims Bacon also desires to cut firefighters' pensions and institute rolling firehouse closures and has repeatedly advocated for a rise in his own during his time on the council Salary agreed.
On Monday, Salwan Bacon hit back, telling this news organization that “these allegations are nothing more than a smear tactic and do not reflect how I manage my properties.”
He said Bacon's website is “just another desperate attempt to distract voters from his own track record.” Salwan says that while Bacon “talks about transparency,” the Fair Political Practices Commission is “above any other in Fremont's history.” complained,” claiming he missed campaign finance filing deadlines.
Salwan said the tenant lawsuit “arises from a situation that was fully resolved, but the tenant in question refused to cooperate despite multiple offers of assistance.” He said his family has only received eight complaints up to now 20 years it housed a complete of two,500 tenants and that seven of the complaints were dismissed since the tenants didn’t show up for court hearings.
“This clearly demonstrates that my family and I take our responsibilities seriously and always prioritize the well-being of our tenants by providing stability and affordability,” Salwan wrote. “We always keep our rents below market rate to help working families and people at risk of homelessness, and we address any issues quickly and responsibly.”
Bacon admitted to missing “a few meetings” and called it “unfortunate.” Regarding the FPPC complaints, he said: “I take responsibility for it and I really have no excuse.
“But they found that the harm to the public was minimal, and they also said there was no intention to hide money,” Bacon said in an interview Monday, adding that the website contained “the normal insults against me”.
According to the most recent available campaign finance records, Bacon has received $224,276 and spent $99,504 to date, including $50,150 on television advertising alone, according to the Sept. 21 filing. Bacon, who previously served on the city council between 2012 and 2020, maintains that he is taking an approach to government that is not burdened by the “special interests” of developers and real estate money. His interests, he says, include protecting open space, being cautious when considering latest residential and business development, and increasing investment in homeless services and secure parking.
He said the anti-Salwan website is meant to point out that Salwan's “priorities are to maximize the profits of his establishments and not to provide people with decent housing.”
“That’s why he treats the people on his properties the way he does,” Bacon said in an interview with this news organization.
Meanwhile, Salwan continues to take a position extra money and lift funds for Bacon.
As of September 21, Salwan had received a complete of $104,302 in donations. He has spent $124,491.02 thus far and has $52,782.30 in hand. That doesn't consider the $85,000 he borrowed for his campaign on Oct. 3, along with a $70,000 personal loan granted in August. The website attacking Bacon was created by a committee called Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County Supporting Raj Salwan for Mayor 2024, which received $60,000 on Oct. 9 from a Norwalk-based contributor called Golden State received in Southern California.
Salwan has repeatedly advocated for increased funding for the police force, most recently this yr supporting a proposal to authorize a 2 percent pay raise for Fremont officers. He has promised to “keep taxes low” while preserving open space, funding roadworks and enhancements to public facilities, and reducing homelessness and high-density luxury housing.
“What’s even more telling is that even though Vinnie Bacon served on the city council for eight years and his wife for another four years – a total of 12 years together – he does not have the support of a single city council member who has served with him. Salwan wrote. “That speaks volumes about his ability to collaborate and lead.”
Meanwhile, Salwan has support from the Fremont police and fire unions, Gov. Gavin Newsom, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Rep. Evan Low and the Supervisor of Alameda County, David, Haubert and Mei, who’s fired after eight years as mayor of Fremont.
Bacon highlighted his own notable endorsements, including State Senator Aisha Wahab, Assemblyman Alex Lee and current Fremont City Councilwoman Teresa Cox. The Muslim Democrats and Friends Club of Alameda County, the American Muslim PAC and the Working Families Party have also endorsed Bacon.
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