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A three-person race for Hollister mayor includes former council member Tim Burns, former Hollister Recreation supervisor Tina Garza, and cannabis entrepreneur Scott McPhail, who has run for multiple local offices in the past few years.
The seat will be vacated by Mayor Roxanne Stephens, who did not seek reelection. In the June primary, Stephens lost to incumbent Supervisor Angela Curro to represent District 4 on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
The mayoral term is two years.
The Hollister mayoral race will be among those featured at BenitoLink’s 2026 General Election Forum set for Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Granada Theater.
Tim Burns
Burns, 73, is a code enforcement division chief for San Joaquin County. He has lived in the city for more than 25 years. Burns served on the City Council from 2020-2024, representing District 4.
BenitoLink: Residents are split on whether the city should continue to organize the biker rally, and when it should be held. If elected, would you support it? Why or why not?
Burns: I will support the rally as a private venture in the future years. I would rebrand the event as the Hollister Independence Motorcycle Rally 2.0. As a former city employee, I worked at the rally in 2002 and 2003. The experience was quite memorable, however, 20-plus years later the rally needs to be reinvented. It needs to be self-sustaining. Laguna Seca hosts Super Bike Week the week after the rally. Perhaps there is a way to “piggyback” the two events?
In the past two years, the city has sponsored and paid for the rally with taxpayer money, even though the city is in a financial crisis. City employees are currently at risk of being laid off. To continue to pay for the rally in future years with taxpayer dollars would be fiscally irresponsible.
The city’s expenses for the past two rallies have not been released, however factoring in the hard cost plus non-compensated city staff time, it is easy to speculate that those expenses easily exceeded 1 million taxpayer dollars.
A new venue or process must be considered, one where an entrance fee can be charged to help offset costs. A private professional event planner/coordinator should be involved. To have the city parks and recreation director and the airport director responsible for coordinating the event is a poor use of city staff. The city lacks the experience and expertise to plan and implement an event of this magnitude. It needs to be done correctly or not at all.
As the mayor I would look forward to working with those of you who are willing to commit to funding, planning and implementing the event to ensure its success for years to come. As the community we need to be either all in or done with the event.
Residential growth is a contentious issue in the community, and several housing projects are in the pipeline. How do you think the city should approach growth?
Cautiously. Residential growth is inevitable. California state law mandates and requires residential growth. To not comply with state law is not a viable option. As we have recently seen, the city and county missed state mandated deadlines to adopt their housing elements and as a result the Builders Remedy became the process until the state approved the housing elements once they were submitted.
The Builders Remedy allows developers to bypass local zoning rules and general plans if a city or county fails to adopt a state-compliant housing element. Developers can submit housing projects that ignore local density limits and zoning restrictions. Local agencies generally cannot deny the project unless it violates specific health, safety, or environmental laws.
Development is very complicated. Many factors can delay, impact and influence the build out and completion of projects. There are currently projects in progress in Hollister that were approved more than 20 years ago. To further complicate matters, there is a statewide mandated process that dictates the target number of homes that need to be built by what year. This process is called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation or Assessment (RHNA). The City of Hollister’s RHNA requires that 4,163 residences need to be built by 2031. The mandate requires that Hollister plan for the homes to be priced to meet varying income categories. The categories are:
- Very Low-Income (0-50% Area Median Income): 846 units
- Low-Income (51-80% Area Median Income): 678 units
- Moderate Income (81-120% Area Median Income): 826 units
- Above Moderate Income (>120% Area Median Income): 1,813 units
As we move forward, we need to focus on development where very low income and low-income projects are the priority. Not only is there a housing crisis, but there is also an affordable housing crisis.
As the mayor, I look forward to working with those of you who are committed to finding real solutions to our housing needs and the challenges created by the development process.
Among the biggest challenges the City Council faces is maintaining its aging infrastructure. What projects or issues do you think should be at the forefront?
The sewer smells that are associated with the Wastewater Treatment Plant located on the west side of the city need to be addressed and resolved immediately. This has been a consistent and reoccurring problem for several years. As a former City Council member I called for a formal investigation and report because of public health concerns. At the previous City Council’s direction improvements were made and equipment was improved, replaced and or upgraded. When I left City Council, I thought this issue was on the way to being permanently resolved but to my disappointment the smells continue to be a problem.
The second challenge will be to create a work plan to address when underground pipes burst downtown and in the older residential areas. In addition to having a “fix it” mentality there needs to be a proactive plan developed to replace aging pipes before they break and flooding occurs. As road repairs and regular road maintenance projects occur on an annual basis, replacing underground pipes of a certain age need to be part of those projects.
Tina Garza
Garza, 56, is a retired city employee and currently works as a substitute teacher. She has lived in the city for 13 years and has not held an elected position.
BenitoLink: Residents are split on whether the city should continue to organize the biker rally, and when it should be held. If elected, would you support it? Why or why not?
Garza: I support the tradition and history of the Hollister Motorcycle Rally, but I do not believe the city should continue carrying the financial and operational burden of organizing the event in its current form. The rally brings visitors to Hollister, supports our hotels, restaurants, and local businesses, and gives us an opportunity to showcase our community. However, it also requires significant city resources, including staff time and public safety services. In its current form, I do not believe that is sustainable.
I would support exploring partnerships with private promoters, sponsors, and community organizations to preserve the rally while reducing the city’s financial burden and liability. We should be able to celebrate Hollister’s and America’s history while making responsible decisions about taxpayer dollars.
Residential growth is a contentious issue in the community, and several housing projects are in the pipeline. How do you think the city should approach growth?
Growth is important to Hollister’s economy, but growth must be responsible and supported by adequate infrastructure.
I have seen the benefits that development can bring. It can generate revenue to help us improve parks, enhance quality-of-life services, beautify our community, and provide resources for additional staffing. At the same time, our infrastructure and public services must keep pace with that development.
Before approving significant additional growth, we need to address the capacity and condition of our wastewater system, alleyways, and streets, as well as the impact growth places on police, fire, and other city services.
I also believe developers should contribute to the infrastructure and community amenities their projects require. As Hollister grows, we should pursue facilities our residents need, including a new community center, an indoor recreation space, and additional opportunities for youth, families, adults, and seniors.
Growth should not simply mean more houses. It should mean building a stronger, more complete community.
Among the biggest challenges the City Council faces is maintaining its aging infrastructure. What projects or issues do you think should be at the forefront?
The wastewater treatment system should be one of the city’s top priorities. We cannot responsibly continue to grow without ensuring that our wastewater treatment system has the capacity, maintenance, and upgrades needed to serve our community.
I would like to see a strong preventive maintenance program with regular inspections, clear documentation, and accountability. Whether that work is performed by city staff or qualified contractors, the council should receive regular reports on the condition of critical equipment, completed work, and future needs so that problems can be addressed before they become costly emergencies.
Our roads and streets must also be a priority. Residents see and experience deteriorating roads every day, and continued development increases the pressure on that infrastructure.
Finally, I believe revitalizing downtown should be part of our long-term infrastructure and economic development strategy. I would like to see a vibrant downtown entertainment district that supports restaurants and local businesses and creates more opportunities for residents to gather, dine, and enjoy their own community.
My approach is simple: take care of the infrastructure we already have, plan responsibly for what we will need, and ensure that future growth improves the quality of life for the people who already call Hollister home.
Scott McPhail
Scott McPhail, who did not provide his age, is a cannabis entrepreneur and life-long Hollister resident. He has never held elected office but has run for various positions in recent years including for Hollister City Council and the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
BenitoLink: Residents are split on whether the city should continue to organize the biker rally, and when it should be held. If elected, would you support it? Why or why not?
McPhail: I support keeping the biker rally in Hollister, but I think it’s time for a change in how we produce it. We’ve relied on the same promoter model for decades, and I believe we should bring in a new, modern concert and event promoter with the experience and connections to make this a world-class event. I would like to explore using the airport and surrounding facilities for major concerts and activities, with reasonable admission fees. I have relationships with some of the biggest promoters in the world, and I believe we can bring a much bigger experience to Hollister while generating more revenue for our city and local businesses.
Residential growth is a contentious issue in the community, and several housing projects are in the pipeline. How do you think the city should approach growth?
I think Hollister needs a different approach to residential development. We have built a lot of traditional tract housing, and I think we should take a break from that and look at more innovative options. I would like to attract modern construction companies that can build higher quality homes, including houses with attached NextGen-style units designed for multigenerational living. Growth should be about building a better community, not just building more houses.
Among the biggest challenges the City Council faces is maintaining its aging infrastructure. What projects or issues do you think should be at the forefront?
We need to make sure our roads, water, sewer, drainage, and public services can keep up with growth. I also want to attract more commercial development, including big-box retailers like Home Depot, corporate restaurants, new shopping centers, technology companies, and other major businesses. These businesses can create jobs, expand our tax base, and give residents more choices without leaving town. Major developments should also contribute their fair share toward the infrastructure they require.
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