01
BREAK GROUND.
BUILD Area 4’s much-needed first dedicated off-leash, double-gated dog park for our community.
LEARN MORE →BUILDING ON
WHAT WORKS.BREAKING GROUND
ON WHAT COMES NEXT.
Area 4. 19 years. One incumbent. That’s the status quo.It’s time for a new generation of representation.
FIVE CANYONS PARK
IN AREA 4
IN AREA 4
MY PROMISE TO AREA 4 IS SIMPLE.
02
ASIAN REPRESENTATION.
MAKE HISTORY as H.A.R.D.'s first Asian American and first person of color director.
LEARN MORE →03
ACCOUNTABILITY.
FIGHT for Area 4 with answers for every dollar spent & every decision made. Your money. Your parks. Your voice.
LEARN MORE →BE PART OF WHAT COMES NEXT.
Get campaign updates, event invitations, and opportunities to show up, speak out, and help us fight for Area 4.
FIVE CANYONS PARK
Castro Valley, CA
Castro Valley, CA
WHY I'M RUNNING • 30 SECOND ANSWER
AREA 4 HAS WAITED LONG ENOUGH.
LET'S BUILD THE DOG PARK.
I grew up in Fairview and have spent most of my life in Hayward and Castro Valley. Like so many families here, dogs have always been part of mine. Scoopy. Pinky. Pua. Peanut. Cocoa. And so many more.
We've walked H.A.R.D. trails. We've run through H.A.R.D. parks. And for years, residents have wanted something simple: a safe, dedicated place for our dogs to run off leash.
H.A.R.D.'S OWN MATERIALS HAVE EVEN LISTED FIVE CANYONS PARK AS HAVING AN OFF-LEASH DOG PARK.*
GO THERE. THERE ISN'T ONE.
This is bigger than a dog park. Area 4 has asked. Area 4 has waited. Now it’s time for action. I’m running to bring our community its first dedicated, double-gated off-leash dog park, because residents deserve a Director who doesn’t just hear what they want, but fights to make it happen.
THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BREAK GROUND.
BREAK GROUND PLAN →
HELLO, AREA 4.
MY NAME IS JOE GILTNER.
On your ballot, I’ll be the 2nd name listed: JOSEPH “JOE” GILTNER.
MY STORY STARTED IN AN
ORPHANAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
I was abandoned at birth, adopted, and brought to California as a child to begin a life with my new family. That life brought me here.
I grew up here in Fairview and Hayward, in H.A.R.D. programs and in the parks that helped shape me.
“IT’S NOT WHERE YOU START. IT’S WHERE YOU FINISH.”
Those were my grandmother’s words, passed down to me by my dad.
AREA 4 HELPED RAISE ME.
NOW I'M ASKING FOR THE CHANCE TO REPRESENT IT.
MEET JOE →
NOW I'M ASKING FOR THE CHANCE TO REPRESENT IT.
A NOTE ABOUT H.A.R.D.
The Hayward Area Recreation & Park District, or “H.A.R.D.,” is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Area 4, or “A4,” is the community I’m running to represent.
THIS IS NOT JOE VS. H.A.R.D.
H.A.R.D. does important work every day. Its parks, programs, facilities, and services enrich lives throughout our community. The dedicated employees who provide those services should not be confused with the elected officials responsible for governing the District.
I am not running against H.A.R.D. or the entire Board. I am running against Director Paul Hodges for the seat representing Area 4.
The questions on this website concern our representative’s public record, priorities, communications, decisions, and plans for another term. Asking those questions is not an attack on H.A.R.D. It is part of examining how an elected representative has served the people who elected them.
MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO AREA 4.
To ask the questions residents are asking, seek the answers the public deserves, examine the public record, and give voters the information to decide for themselves.
A NOTE ABOUT AGE & DISABILITY
Entering your golden years in your early 80’s is not a weakness. Using a cane, having appearances where one’s remarks are extremely brief or difficult for the audience to understand, having others step in to speak or respond on one’s behalf, or receiving physical assistance does not, by itself, determine someone’s ability to serve in public office, and this campaign does not suggest otherwise.
THE QUESTION ISN’T PHYSICAL CONDITION. IT’S PERFORMANCE IN OFFICE.
The question is whether an elected representative can consistently participate, communicate with constituents, explain their record and decisions, answer questions, and clearly articulate their plans and goals.
Those responsibilities should be evaluated through documented attendance, participation, communications, decisions, and the public record.
Public office is not a lifetime entitlement. Length of service does not exempt anyone from questions about their record, responsiveness, or what they intend to accomplish next.
THE STANDARD ISN’T AGE. THE STANDARD IS THE RECORD.
WHY I'M RUNNING • 30 SECOND ANSWER
ASIAN REPRESENTATION
MATTERS.
Growing up, I looked at the people representing me and
I ONLY SAW WHITE FACES.
I didn’t see Filipino faces. I didn’t see Asian faces.
I DIDN’T SEE MYSELF.
Now it’s 2026. I look at the H.A.R.D. Board of Directors,
AND I STILL ONLY SEE WHITE FACES.
H.A.R.D. BOARD OF DIRECTORSSOURCE: H.A.R.D. BOARD MEETING, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
Paul W. Hodges Jr. • Louis M. Andrade • Sara Lamnin • Rick Hatcher • Peter Rosen
81
YEARS
YEARS
H.A.R.D. WAS FOUNDED IN 1944.
For more than eight decades, generations of Directors have taken their seats on the H.A.R.D. Board.
NOT ONE HAS BEEN ASIAN AMERICAN.
NOT ONE HAS BEEN A PERSON OF COLOR.
81 YEARS. NOT ONE.
FIVE CANYONS PARKAREA 4
Today, I think about the Filipino or Asian kid growing up here in Area 4.
I WANT THAT KID TO LOOK AT ME AND THINK:
“MAYBE I CAN DO THAT, TOO.”
I grew up looking for a representative who looked like me.
I WANT THAT KID TO FIND ONE.
THIS NOVEMBER, WITH YOUR VOTE,
WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY.
DIRECTOR HODGES: THE 95% CLAIM
After 19 years on the Board, I expected Director Hodges to know the projects, know the numbers, and be able to explain his record.
On August 25, 2026, he wrote in an email directly to me:
“THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF H.A.R.D. IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING 95% OF PROJECTS ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.”
— DIRECTOR PAUL W. HODGES, JR.
95%?
Which projects? Which budgets? Which timelines?
I asked. DIRECTOR HODGES DIDN’T OFFER ME A RESPONSE.
So I went looking myself.
I STARTED RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
Three major projects in Area 4.
Their budgets. Their timelines. Where they stand today.
AREA 4 PROJECT • 01
BIDWELL PARK
BUDGET
2017$250,000 for master planning
2023 published project budget$15.75 MILLION
Today$19.15 MILLION
+$3.4 MILLION+21.6% BUDGET INCREASE
TIMELINE
2023 published scheduleOpening anticipated in 2025
TodayEstimated completion SUMMER 2027
DELAYED:2025 → 20272 YEARS AND COUNTING...
WHERE IT STANDS TODAY
03.02.26 BOARD MEETINGBOARD REJECTS ALL 17 BIDS
Multiple bid protests were filed during the first solicitation. The project was subsequently rebid.
SECOND BID OPENINGMAY 7 → JUNE 18 → JULY 16 → AUGUST 13 → TBD
FOUR POSTPONED BID OPENINGS.
H.A.R.D. CAPITAL PROJECT RECORDS ↗
AREA 4 PROJECT • 02
HAYWARD PLUNGE
BUDGET
2020–25 CIP$714K Plunge project
2025Need additional $3M+*
*Transferred from the La Vista project to fully fund the current renovation.
Current project budgetApproximately $5M
TODAYApproximately $5 MILLION
+$4.286 MILLION+600.3%* BUDGET INCREASE
*Project scope changed during this period.
TIMELINE
2017$15.22M Measure F1 renovation plan
2019Condition / structural assessment underway
2024 published targetWINTER 2025 COMPLETION
TodayEstimated FALL 2026 completion
DELAYED:2025 → 20261.5 YEARS AND COUNTING...
CURRENT H.A.R.D. PROJECT STATUS ↗
AREA 4 PROJECT • 03
LA VISTA PARK
BUDGET
2017$2M initial Measure F1 allocation
2020–25 CIP$19.63M total project budget
H.A.R.D. FUNDING INCREASE+$13.4 MILLION+670%* BUDGET INCREASE
*Project scope and funding sources changed during the comparison period.
2024 CITY CIP
Approx. $23.58M total$2.14M developer fees, $2.0M 2017 H.A.R.D. bond, $13.4M 2018 H.A.R.D. bond, $5.73M park-in-lieu fees, $313K tree mitigation
TODAY $37.6 MILLION
+$17.94 MILLION+91.4% BUDGET INCREASE
Compared with the $19.63M 2020–25 CIP project budget.
TIMELINE
2023 PLANNED CONSTRUCTION DELAYSpring / Summer 2023 → Summer 2025
Actual construction startSpring 2026
TodayEstimated completion FALL 2027
DELAYED:2023 → 20263 YEARS AND COUNTING...
CITY OF HAYWARD PROJECT RECORD ↗
95%?
IT'S NOT ADDING UP.
After reviewing H.A.R.D.'s own public records, presenting residents with a blanket 95% figure is:
AT BEST, EXTREMELY MISLEADING; AT MINIMUM, IRRESPONSIBLE;AND, AT WORST, COMPLETELY FALSE.
Bidwell. The Hayward Plunge. La Vista. Three major projects right here in Area 4 involving tens of millions of dollars. Their records show increased budgets, delayed timelines, rejected bids, transferred funding, changing scopes, and projects that remain unfinished.
THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE 95%. AND THAT WAS ONLY THREE PROJECTS.
If three projects raised this many questions, I wanted to know what else the public record would show.
SO I KEPT LOOKING.
The recent votes. The current projects. The correspondence. The public record.
QUESTION: DIRECTOR HODGES ARE YOU BLATANTLY LYING TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS?
After 19 years, I expected clear answers. Instead, the more I looked, the more questions I had.
THIS STARTED WITH 95%. IT DIDN'T END THERE.
EXPLORE THE RECORD →BUILDING ON
WHAT WORKS.
I am one of the countless kids who grew up with H.A.R.D., and I am grateful for it. The parks I played in, the programs I participated in, and the public spaces where my family made memories exist because generations of people before me chose to build something worth passing down.
That work continues today, from General Manager James Wheeler* and the people who keep H.A.R.D. running, to Executive Director Steve Love*, the H.A.R.D. Foundation, and the employees, volunteers, and community partners investing in the places we call home.
*Names for identification purposes only.
PROGRESS DOES NOT REQUIRE STARTING OVER.
It means respecting the foundation, protecting what works, and carrying it forward. We honor those who came before us by improving what they built for those who come next.
THEY BUILT IT FOR MY GENERATION.
NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO BUILD FOR THE NEXT.
NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO BUILD FOR THE NEXT.
BREAKING GROUND ON
WHAT COMES NEXT.
Respecting what came before us does not mean waiting forever for what comes next.
Our community has already paid. The plans have been drawn. The projects have been discussed, budgeted, redesigned, scheduled, rescheduled and at times delayed. At some point, progress has to leave the paper and show up in our parks.
I want residents to see where their money went, not buried in a budget, capital plan, agenda packet, or future promise, but standing in front of them. A finished park. An open facility. A project they can walk into, use, and enjoy with their families.
Plans matter. Budgets matter. Promises matter. But ultimately, residents deserve results they can see, touch, use, and experience in their own community.
THE FUTURE ISN’T SOMEDAY.
THE FUTURE IS NOW.
THE FUTURE IS NOW.
RESPECT THE PAST. BUILD ON IT.
Progress doesn’t erase what came before. It starts there. Good public service deserves recognition and preservation. Keep what works. Strengthen what can be better. Finish what was started. And never confuse change with starting over.
Below is my vision for what Area 4’s parks could become.
SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER
BIDWELL PARK & COMMUNITY CENTER
TODAY
OFFICIAL RENDERING
AUG. 27, 2026
PARK POSSIBILITIESTODAY → WHAT COMES NEXT
TODAY → WHAT COULD BE
WHERE IS AREA 4?
FIVE AREAS.
ONE H.A.R.D. COMMUNITY.
H.A.R.D. is one district made up of five elected areas. A Director represents their area while sharing responsibility for the entire district. Area 4 includes Fairview, parts of Castro Valley, portions of Hayward, the surrounding hills, and nearby neighborhoods. It is a diverse community of families, students, young professionals, veterans, first-time homeowners, and retirees, connected by the parks, trails, open spaces, and public places we all share.
AREA 4 IS HOME, WHETHER YOU’VE LIVED HERE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE OR JUST RECENTLY MADE IT YOURS.
H.A.R.D. COMMUNITYFIVE AREAS
AREA 4FAIRVIEW • CASTRO VALLEY
HAYWARD • SURROUNDING HILLS
HAYWARD • SURROUNDING HILLS
ROOTED IN AREA 4.
I grew up on Colony View Place and have called Farm Hill Drive and the Hayward Highlands home. Growing up, you could find me walking our family dogs along the greenbelt trails, running through our parks for cross-country or alongside my mom, and playing catch and hitting baseballs with my dad and brother on these fields. Today, you’ll still find me enjoying the hills and views, or grabbing a meal at Stonebrae Country Club.
I DON’T JUST KNOW AREA 4 ON A MAP. I KNOW IT BECAUSE I’VE LIVED IT.
DO YOU LIVE IN AREA 4?
FIND YOUR H.A.R.D. AREA.
Not sure which H.A.R.D. area you live in? Use Alameda County’s official district lookup tool to check your address.
FIND MY AREA →
Opens Alameda County’s District Lookup in a new tab.
WHY I'M RUNNING • 30 SECOND ANSWER
YOUR MONEY. YOUR PARKS. YOUR VOICE.
FOLLOW YOUR MONEY.
Your tax dollars help fund H.A.R.D. You shouldn’t need to be an expert to understand where they go. Residents deserve to know how much H.A.R.D. receives, how it is spent, and what our communities get in return. Public information should be easy to find, understand, and question.
YOUR TAX DOLLARS. YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW.
WHAT DOES THE H.A.R.D. BOARD ACTUALLY CONTROL?
Five elected Directors make decisions over H.A.R.D.’s policies, budgets, spending, acquisitions, development, and park improvements. The Board sets the direction. The General Manager runs the District day to day. FOLLOW THE DECISIONS →
HOW MUCH PUBLIC MONEY DOES H.A.R.D. MANAGE?
H.A.R.D. budgeted more than $34.51 million in property-tax revenue for FY 2026-27, plus another $3.5 million in special assessments. That’s before program fees and other revenue sources. FOLLOW THE MONEY →
MEASURE F1: WHERE’D A QUARTER-BILLION DOLLARS GO?
$250 MILLION. 78%+ VOTER APPROVAL. Measure F1 passed in 2016 ↗. Its capital program was subsequently laid out in H.A.R.D.’s 2020–2025 Capital Improvement Plan ↗. It’s now 2026. What has been completed, what remains, and what is causing the delay? FOLLOW MEASURE F1 →
FOLLOW THE PROJECTS.
If H.A.R.D. spends millions on a project in Area 4 or in the overall district, you should be able to follow every dollar and every deadline. See what was promised, what was budgeted, what has actually been spent, where the project stands today, and when it is supposed to be finished.
WE PAY FOR IT. WE SHOULD FOLLOW IT.
BIDWELL: $19.15 MILLION. WHERE DOES IT STAND?
$19.15 million. Summer 2027 target. Four postponed bid openings. Bidwell’s 2026 bid opening moved from May 7 to June 18 to July 16 to August 13, and then to TBD. FOLLOW BIDWELL →
HAYWARD PLUNGE: WHAT IS THE CURRENT PRICE TAG?
H.A.R.D.’s original Measure F1 plan put the renovation at $15.22 million. The Plunge is now under renovation. What is the current budget, how much has been spent, and when will it be finished? FOLLOW THE PLUNGE →
SULPHUR CREEK: 1.45 NEW ACRES. WHAT COMES NEXT?
H.A.R.D. expanded Sulphur Creek Nature Center with the 2025 acquisition of 1797 D Street. With roughly 1.45 new acres, residents should be able to follow what is planned, what it will cost, and when it will happen. FOLLOW SULPHUR CREEK →
19 YEARS IS A LONG TIME.
VOTERS DESERVE ANSWERS.
I DIDN’T WANT TO RUN.
Before making my decision, I knew Director Hodges had accomplished a great deal during his years of service. I wanted to understand what still remained unfinished, and what another four years would accomplish that 19 years on the Board had not.
I wasn’t looking for a reason to run against him.
I WAS LOOKING FOR A REASON NOT TO.
After 19 years on the Board and another term being sought, I expected clear answers to straightforward questions.
SO I ASKED:
AREA 4 IS MY HOME. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR IT OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?
AFTER A FULL MONTH AND MULTIPLE FOLLOW-UPS, THE SHORT ANSWER I RECEIVED:
“DUTY-BOUND” PROJECTS.
WHICH ONES?
NO SPECIFIC “DUTY-BOUND” PROJECT HAS YET BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
READ THE FULL CORRESPONDENCE BELOW ↓
NO SPECIFIC “DUTY-BOUND” PROJECT HAS YET BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
2007
APPOINTEDTO FILL VACANT SEATAFTER THE RETIREMENT OF
DIRECTOR DOUG MORRISON
19 YEARS
2026
QUESTIONS SENT.ANSWERS STILL REQUESTED.
A SHARED DECADE.
H.A.R.D. FOUNDED1944
DIRECTOR HODGES BORN1940's
Putting eight decades in perspective.BOTH STORIES BEGAN IN THE SAME DECADE.
TERM SOUGHTTHROUGH 2030
FROM THE 1940s TO THE 2030s.
THE ELECTION HISTORY OF DIRECTOR HODGES
2007 → 2030?
2007APPOINTEDTo fill the vacant seat after the retirement of Director Doug Morrison.SOURCE ↗
2008ELECTED, SHORT TERM37,735 votes • 52.39%SOURCE ↗
2010ELECTED • 2ND OF 3 FOR 2 OPEN SEATS24,878 votes • 31.92%SOURCE ↗
2014APPOINTED IN LIEU OF AN ELECTION
2018APPOINTED IN LIEU OF AN ELECTION
2022APPOINTED IN LIEU OF AN ELECTION
2026RUNNING FOR AREA 4
2030?END OF TERM IF ELECTED
NOTE: The last time Director Hodges appeared on a ballot was in 2010, 16 years ago.
THE CORRESPONDENCE
A SIMPLE REQUEST. THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOWED.
HOW IT STARTED… ME
Dear Director Hodges, I really don’t want to run. I respect you and the commitment you have given to H.A.R.D. the last 19 years and am grateful for your service. “I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to meet with you privately… I would particularly like to discuss the future of Area 4, your plans for this election…”
DIRECTOR PAUL W. HODGES, JR.
“I will not be able to meet…”
“And there are projects that I feel ‘duty-bound’ to see through to completion.”
ME
“I would genuinely appreciate learning which specific projects you are referring to, where they currently stand, and what remains to be accomplished.”
MORE THAN TWO WEEKS PASS…
ME
“What specific projects are you duty-bound to complete?”
DIRECTOR PAUL W. HODGES, JR.
“The current leadership of H.A.R.D. is responsible for completing 95% of projects on time and under budget.”
“H.A.R.D. still has projects to be completed from our Measure F funds and as a member of the Board, I feel responsible to help keep the process running on track and be successful.”
Editor’s note: Director Hodges wrote “Measure F” in his August 25, 2026 email. This appears to refer to Measure F1 ↗. The quotation is reproduced exactly as written.
ME
“Director Hodges, you still have not named a single project… I am asking what you are doing.”
“What specific projects are you ‘duty-bound’ to complete, and what are you personally doing right now for the residents of Area 4?”
“These should not be difficult questions for someone asking the public for another four years in office.”
“I am not asking you to tell me what H.A.R.D. does. I can read the budgets, capital plans, staff reports, Measure F1 reports, agendas, and minutes myself. I am asking the person currently entrusted with representing Area 4 to explain his own record and his own priorities for Area 4.”
MORE THAN TWO WEEKS PASS…
ME
“And after more than a month without identifying your ‘duty-bound’ projects, do you simply expect constituents to guess what they are?”
“Then, this week, you voted to advance an increase in compensation for Board members… You found the time to vote for increased compensation for Directors. You have not found the time to answer a constituent asking what you have done and why you need another four years to finish doing it.”
“Which unfinished projects require another four-year term, extending your service on the Board through 2030? By then, you will be well into your 80s. After nearly two decades on this Board, what specifically do you believe you will accomplish in your 80s that you did not accomplish while serving throughout your 60s and 70s? What remains unfinished after 19 years, and why does finishing it require four more?”
CANDIDATE FORUM
Confirmed participation by September 3. Canceled approximately two hours before the forum, citing “illness.”
PRESENT DAYSTILL NO FURTHER RESPONSE RECEIVED.
READ THE FULL CORRESPONDENCE →
WHAT DOES OUR DIRECTOR REPORT?
WE REVIEWED THE 2026 BOARD MEETINGS.
H.A.R.D. Board meetings give Directors an opportunity to report publicly on District and community matters. We are reviewing Director Hodges's 2026 reports, meeting by meeting.
“Well, I was out of a state…”NO REPORT
“Jim, you do a great job…”NO REPORT
“No, I don't have anything to say…”NO REPORT
“Not a whole bunch to say…”NO REPORT
Concludes: “And you'll probably not hear from me ever again, but that's all.”FIRST SUBSTANTIVE REPORT DOCUMENTED IN THIS REVIEW
“I wish I had a horse… kids grow up dying…” [AUDIO UNCLEAR / MUMBLES]NO REPORT
FAST FORWARD FIVE MONTHS…
WHAT “NO REPORT” MEANS
NO REPORT indicates that our review did not identify a substantive Director report during the designated reporting portion of that meeting.
TRANSCRIPTION NOTE
At times, Director Hodges speaks quietly, mumbles, or is otherwise difficult to understand clearly in the meeting recordings. Quotations are transcribed to the best of our ability. Where the audio is unclear, we indicate that directly. We encourage voters to watch the original meeting recordings and hear the remarks for themselves.
BOARD ACTION
“I second.”
During the Board’s compensation item, Director Hodges seconded the motion concerning increased compensation for Board members.
DIRECTOR REPORT
“I stayed in and out of the heat…”NO REPORT
CAMPAIGN NOTE: By this meeting, our correspondence shows that Director Hodges had not provided a further response to our questions about his specific “duty-bound” projects.
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF OUR 2026 REVIEW.
REVIEW MORE 2026 BOARD MEETINGS →
THE QUESTIONS REMAIN:
Area 4 residents are asking questions about projects, public money, priorities, and a 19-year record. Questions they believe have gone unanswered for too long.
IF THESE QUESTIONS AREN’T BEING ASKED, SOMEONE NEEDS TO ASK THEM.
We welcome Director Hodges’s answers, publicly and in full, so residents can review them for themselves.
HIS NEXT FOUR YEARS
- WHICH SPECIFIC PROJECTS ARE YOU “DUTY-BOUND” TO COMPLETE, AND WHAT EXACTLY REMAINS TO BE DONE ON EACH ONE?
- WHICH PROJECTS OR INITIATIVES HAVE YOU PERSONALLY PROPOSED OR ADVOCATED FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR AREA 4?
HIS 19-YEAR RECORD
- YOU’RE RUNNING ON “INCLUSIVE” PARKS. WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS PREVENTING H.A.R.D.’S PARKS FROM BEING FULLY INCLUSIVE TODAY, AND WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?
- AFTER 19 YEARS ON THE BOARD, YOU’RE RUNNING ON “SAFE & ACCESSIBLE PARKS.” WHAT SPECIFIC SAFETY PROBLEMS EXIST IN H.A.R.D. PARKS TODAY, WHY DO THEY REMAIN, AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS THAT HASN’T ALREADY BEEN DONE?
PUBLIC MONEY & PROJECTS
- YOU HAVE SAID H.A.R.D. LEADERSHIP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING “95% OF PROJECTS ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.” WHAT DATA PRODUCED THAT 95% FIGURE, WHICH PROJECTS WERE COUNTED, AND WHERE CAN THE PUBLIC REVIEW IT?
- H.A.R.D.’S CAPITAL PLANS IDENTIFY DEVELOPER PARK IN-LIEU FEES AS A FUNDING SOURCE. HOW MUCH HAS H.A.R.D. RECEIVED, HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT, HOW MUCH, IF ANY, HAS BEEN RETURNED, AND WHICH PROJECTS RECEIVED THOSE FUNDS?
A 19-YEAR INCUMBENT.
A HISTORIC FIRST-TIME AREA 4 ELECTION.
Going up against a 19-year incumbent is no easy feat. After 19 years, Director Hodges represents the status quo. Research on nonpartisan city elections has found substantial incumbency advantages, with incumbent reelection rates regularly exceeding 90%.
THIS RACE IS ABOUT MORE THAN CHALLENGING AN INCUMBENT.
It is a chance for Area 4 voters to examine the record, ask difficult questions, and decide what they expect from their representation.
BARRIERS COULD BE BROKEN.
A NEW CHAPTER COULD BEGIN.
Times are changing. Public records are easier to access. Residents can follow the money, track the projects, and compare promises with results.
THE ERA OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS HERE.
LEARN ABOUT THIS RACE →ENOUGH POLITICS. LET'S GO TO THE PARK.
JOE'S 5 FAVORITE AREA 4 PARKS
The parks that helped shape me.
WHY IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES
DID YOU KNOW?
1936TAKE A SWIM THROUGH HISTORY.Hayward Plunge
27 ACRESPLENTY OF ROOM TO EXPLORE.East Avenue Park
HORSESHOESYES, WE HAVE HORSESHOE PITS.Old Highlands Park
VOLLEYBALLSAND VOLLEYBALL, ANYONE?Ridge Trail Park
PUTTING THE TIMELINE IN PERSPECTIVE.
2008
J.A. LEWIS PARK OPENS.
Area 4's newest identified newly created park.
18 YEARS AGO.
THE AREA 4 PARK CHALLENGE
22
PARKS & FACILITIES.
How many have you explored?
0–5Just getting started
6–10Park regular
11–17Area 4 explorer
18–22Park pro
PROUDLY ENDORSED.
Confirmed support from community organizations and leaders will be featured here as the campaign grows.
★ FEATURED ENDORSEMENT
FEATURED ENDORSEMENT
FRIENDS OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
FFAC-PAC is the first featured organizational endorsement presented on the campaign website.
VISIT FFAC-PAC ↗MORE ENDORSEMENTS ARE COMING.
Additional featured endorsements and community support will be added here as they are confirmed.
A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN, BUILT IN AREA 4.
This campaign is being built neighbor by neighbor, conversation by conversation, across Area 4.
There are many ways to get involved, including lawn signs, events, community outreach, social media, fundraising, and Election Day activities.
Want to get involved? Tell us how you’d like to participate.
Just want to get in touch? Use the same form to send Joe and the campaign team a question, idea, concern, or message.
TELL ME WHAT MATTERS TO YOU.
Your information will be sent directly to the campaign.
HELP US BREAK GROUND.
BE PART OF WHAT COMES NEXT.
Support helps the campaign reach voters across Area 4 with signs, literature, events, digital outreach, and neighborhood conversations.
DONATE NOWSECURE DONATION WITH ANEDOT→
SCAN WITH YOUR BANKING APPZelle recipient: joe@joegiltner.com
REPRESENTATION
STARTS RIGHT HERE.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
Want a Joe Giltner lawn sign? Request one and our campaign will coordinate getting it to you.
REQUEST A LAWN SIGN →
AREA 4, LET'S MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER.
BUILD SOMETHING.REPRESENT PEOPLE.BE ACCOUNTABLE.
NOVEMBER 3, 2026JOSEPH “JOE” GILTNER2ND NAME ON THE BALLOT