Announcement: Mark Anthony Jones on Why He Should Be Elected to City Council

My name is Mark Anthony Jones and I was born Feb. 14, 1966 in Richmond, CA. My wife and I opened 44 Sports Lounge in Hercules, Jan. 1, 2010. I’ve been happily married to Dana Jones for almost 6 years & we share two loving boys, Mark Anthony (13) and Mason (3). 

My primary reasons for running for city council, among other things, is to offer different and creative approaches to solving our city's financial issues; to see the city maintain its socially inclusive reputation and restore the city’s good name, both here in the Bay Area and nationally.

 I have been a resident in the Hercules/Rodeo area since 1977. Since that time, I have watched the area, specifically Hercules, go through tremendous growth and have stayed in tune with the city happenings. 

My wife and I are proud residents of this beloved city and its most recent publicized issues have given us great cause for concern. In January of 2010 we opened 44 Sports Lounge on Willow Avenue. This full service restaurant has become a very popular place for the over-40s to relax after work and watch a game. Having a business, home and family in Hercules, I have a very serious vested interest in its success. As a candidate for city council, I am determined, through hard work, creative and proven business savvy, to get Hercules back on track, as one of the most desired places to live, in the Bay Area.

I want the residents of Hercules to know Mark Anthony Jones. I am my own person, who has obligations to no one for anything and will not make empty campaign promises to get elected. 

My job, when elected, is to serve in the best interest of ALL the citizens in the city of Hercules, not just a select few. Moreover, I am an extremely accessible person and candidate, as many voters have already learned by visiting me at our sports lounge and introducing themselves to me. 

I am a fact finder and do not subscribe to innuendo or the churning of the “rumor mill.” I address issues head on. For example, there appears to be concern regarding an inordinate amount of police activity at our establishment, the 44 Sports Lounge. No doubt, others will try and use this matter against me in the upcoming election. But do you really know the truth behind these incidents? Has anyone cared to speak with me personally about them?

Again, I face matters head on and invite anyone with any concerns they have about these reported incidents, to thoroughly scrutinize them (with me personally if you like), to get to the truth behind them.

I know as a matter of politics, people will try and “spin” the reported police incidents, to gain an advantage. However, I invite any and all to analyze these reports, by contacting me or the Hercules Police Department and decide for themselves the truth about our family business. 

Public safety is my first priority.  It is a must that we continue to keep our city safe. In doing so, the city will remain vibrant. In a vibrant city, business will thrive; and communities will grow in a positive direction. Moreover, our senior citizens enjoy living in Hercules, because of the safety of the city. I want to keep it that way.

My second priority is to be intimately involved in re-establishing the cities credit rating. As a growing city it is imperative that the city has a positive credit rating.

My third priority is seeing the completion of the Sycamore project. This, and other city projects, have been started but have been put on hold for financial reasons. These projects must be a priority before they become urban blight. 

Specifically, the Sycamore Project, which has now sat untouched for weeks, could have been massaged into a real profit center, or at least an urban success story. As a member of the Hercules City Council, I will ask the necessary questions of fellow council members, city staff and Planning Commission, regarding the feasibility and practicality of the successful completions of such projects.  We as a city have to hold our leaders accountable for their decisions – that’s why we elected them to office.

In addition, the most talked about development project in our city is the Bayfront/Intermodal Transit Center. As a businessperson in this city, this project excites me.  It will give Hercules tremendous access to the entire Bay Area. This project, like any other project needs to be thoroughly scrutinized, to minimize city exposure and maximize the city success.  Every project should be looked upon in that manner.    

The future, of the city of Hercules is too important to just put anyone in office. We need a person that is fully committed to doing the right thing, even if their “supporters” don’t agree. We have an opportunity to turn the city of Hercules around.  But like our family restaurant business, it’s going to take hard work & dedication.  Please vote for the person who is “Leading by Example” MARK ANTHONY JONES on June 7th –

www.markanthonyjones.com

markanthonyjonesforhercules@gmail.com