A truly safe San José starts with streets and sidewalks designed for everyone who uses them, not just cars speeding through our neighborhoods. As a father and lifelong resident, Gordon Chester is committed to safe road design that reduces crashes, slows dangerous driving, and prioritizes people over traffic shortcuts. That means well-designed, protected bike lanes, and well-lit sidewalks and crosswalks so kids, seniors, and people with disabilities can move around the city safely and confidently, day and night.

Safety also means knowing that, in an emergency, help will come quickly. Gordon will fight to increase the number of firefighting crews and stations so response times keep up with our growing city and changing climate risks. He believes San José deserves a Police Department that is both responsive and responsible, able to respond when residents call, while building trust through transparency, accountability, and community partnership.

On the City Council, Gordon will work to make District 9 a model for Safe San José: safer streets, safer mobility options, and emergency services that protect every neighborhood with the dignity and urgency residents deserve.

A sustainable San José means a city that works for residents today and protects opportunity for future generations. Gordon Chester believes economic sustainability must be citywide so San José can fully fund parks, libraries, infrastructure, and essential services in every neighborhood, not just where it’s easiest to collect revenue. By growing our local economy responsibly, we can strengthen city services while making sure families aren’t priced out of the communities they’ve helped build.

Right now, San José’s budget cycles often swing between feast and famine—flush years followed by deep cuts that destabilize services, workers, and families. Gordon believes the city must plan beyond the next budget year by saving in strong years, building long-term reserves, and investing strategically to protect our future and our children’s future. Sustainable budgeting means thinking ahead so essential services, housing stability, and neighborhood investments are not at the mercy of short-term revenue spikes and downturns.

For Gordon, sustainability also means financial stability for homeowners and renters so they can stay in their homes. That includes creating new opportunities for responsible growth that add housing, small businesses, and services in the right places, while protecting existing neighborhoods from displacement. He is committed to environmentally thoughtful land use and designing intergenerational ways of living, where young people, working families, and seniors can all afford to live, thrive, and remain connected in San José.

Building economic resilience in San José means a city that works for residents today and protects opportunity for future generations. Gordon Chester believes economic sustainability must be citywide so San José can fully fund parks, libraries, infrastructure, and essential services in every neighborhood, not just where it’s easiest to collect revenue. That includes real assistance for unhoused residents to restart their lives and strengthening city services and staffing so frontline workers can keep our community safe, clean, and supported.

San José is home to more than 60,000 small businesses, and about 98% of all businesses in the city have fewer than 35 employees, forming the backbone of our local economy and tax base. When small, locally owned businesses grow and thrive, San José’s revenues grow too, supporting the services, safety, and infrastructure every neighborhood depends on. Gordon will champion policies that support small business growth and invest in future-focused infrastructure projects that improve daily life, create good local jobs, and keep families from being priced out of the communities they’ve helped build.​

For Gordon, building resilience also means financial stability for homeowners and renters so they can stay in their homes. That requires streamlining review and permitting processes responsibly, making it easier to build needed housing, businesses, and community assets without cutting corners on safety, transparency, or public input. He is committed to environmentally thoughtful land use and designing intergenerational ways of living, where young people, working families, and seniors can all afford to live, thrive, and remain connected in San José.