Monday, July 20, 2026 Daily Post
NEWS
Donors like tune of musical candidate A Grammy-nominated musician, Charlotte Reed, has raised more than $14,000 in her quest to replace Betsy Nash on the Menlo Park City Council. The only other candidate so far for the District 4 race is Laura Melahn, who hasn’t submitted a fundraising report. The Post intends to run stories on the financial reports of all the Menlo Park City Council candidates.
• Sergio Lopez, Campbell mayor, $100; All of Reed’s contributions came in through the ActBlue site that Democratic-leaning candidates use for fundraising. She listed her treasurer as La Mesa resident Max Coston of the firm Sunrise Political, which provides financial services for candidates. Reed’s ActBlue pitch says her camLocal vs out-of-town donors paign “will bring our city back together Reed’s report lists 45 donors, but to tackle the hardest issues facing us only 14 of them live in Menlo Park. Be- now and in the future. This campaign cause Reed didn’t list the donor’s ad- will lift our community’s voice to the dresses, it wasn’t known powers that be to make sure we always how many of the 14 Men- have the final say.” lo Park donors live in the city’s District 4. District 4 Two-time Grammy nominee includes downtown, AlReed, 31, has been nominated for lied Arts and parts of cen- Grammys twice — in 2020 and 2025 tral Menlo Park. — for Best Choral Performance as an REED (See our spreadsheet ensemble musician. on Reed’s donations that breaks down She also is a cantor at St. Raymond the donors by city at padailypost.com.) Catholic Church in Menlo Park and Of the $14,270 Reed raised, Menlo performs with the Peninsula Cantare Park residents gave $10,402. and the San Francisco Bach Choir choral ensembles. A few of her donors Her fundraising report said her doCandidates so far nors included: The city is divided into five coun• Anne-Marie Strohman, an author, cil districts. This fall, seats in three of gave $5,900; the districts (1, 2 and 4) will be up for • Tara McGrath, former U.S. Attor- grabs. ney for Southern California, who was nominated by President Biden and disDistrict 1: Two-term incumbent Cemissed by the Trump administration in cilia Taylor isn’t running again. Parks early 2025, $50; and Recreation Commission member • John McKenna, Menlo Park, senior Wonman Lee will oppose James Rohr managing director of the commercial to replace Taylor for the district that inreal estate firm Newmark, $50; cludes Belle Haven. • John Pimentel, Menlo Park, “wind developer,” Foundation Windpower District 2: Incumbent Drew Combs and a San Mateo County Community is seeking reelection and will be chalCollege trustee, $250; lenged by Vamsi Velagapudi. District • Matthew Rascoff, Menlo Park, 2 includes the Willows and Suburban Stanford vice president, $50; Park neighborhoods. • Jan Reed, Menlo Park, CEO of Silicon Valley Finance Group, $983; District 4: As preceding story ex• Sam Sinnott, Menlo Park, architect plains, Charlotte Reed and Laura and contractor, $100; Melahn have decided to run for the seat • Catherine C. Behroozi of Menlo that has be held by Betsy Nash. District Park, a planning commissioner, $250; 4 includes Allied Arts and Downtown • Barbara Coll of Menlo Park, $1,000; and central Menlo Park.
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