City of Gilroy City Council Councilmember Tom Cline

Business owner Tom Cline, a volunteer for the Gilroy Garlic Festival who has served on its board of directors, turned his mind toward another opportunity to serve the community when he ran for the Gilroy City Council in 2022. He garnered the most votes in the six-way race for three seats. The election was a victory for Gilroy’s conservatives, reported the Gilroy Dispatch, “who in the weeks leading up to the election have implored residents to vote for the ‘1-5-6,’ a reference to the order in which Bracco, Cline and Marques were placed on the ballot. Bracco and Cline were endorsed by the Santa Clara County Republican Party, while Marques describes herself as a moderate Democrat.”

Day job: Cline has owned Cline Glass Contractors since 2011.

Notable quote: “I believe the first and most important responsibility to our residents is public safety and it will be my number one priority. I have been endorsed by the Gilroy Police Officers Association, Gilroy Firefighters Association and Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen because of my commitment to keeping Gilroy safe. I also want to ensure that Gilroy’s budget reflects the needs of the community. I know how to challenge assumptions by asking the tough questions regarding revenue and expenses. The city should do a better job of thinking past today to plan for future growth and infrastructure requirements.” (Source: Gilroy Dispatch)