A 30-year resident, community commissioner, and retired small business owner fighting for safe neighborhoods, smart growth, and true accountability at City Hall.
About Dipak
As a proud immigrant and a 30-year Milpitas resident, my love for this city runs deep. Decades ago, this diverse community welcomed my family with open arms. It became our home where our family enjoyed quality of life.
Our two children attended Milpitas Public Schools, grew up, married and built successful lives. Today, my wife and I are proud grandparents. Our expanded family reflects the ultimate melting pot, to beautifully encompass 4 major religions, different races, ethnicities, and biracial family members.
In Milpitas, it does not matter how you pray, what language you speak at home, or where your journey began. We all belong here.
My vision for Milpitas is a simple one: I want every single resident to have access to the same foundational life and career opportunities that allowed my own family to thrive.
I want to ensure everyone has a home they can afford, an excellent education from a local school, a high-skilled job with decent pay, beautiful parks, and a safe, clean environment.
I am running for City Council to pay it forward and protect the community that gave us so much. Our 13.6-square-mile city thrives because we focus on what unites us: a shared love for our neighborhoods and a collective dream for our families.
Meet Dipak
I treat everyone equally, listen to all communities, and bring a unique, proven blend of decades of private business and public service experience to help Milpitas work smarter. As a former Economic Development and Trade Commissioner and a current Planning Commissioner, I know how to shape a better city.
As a business owner who ran an essential market on the retail floor in Santa Clara County, I have connected with people from every walk of life—from everyday consumers and frontline workers to corporate executives and CEOs.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I worked on the retail floor of my former essential Retail Market in Santa Clara County every single day to keep local families supplied and to support my valuable employees. My hands-on commitment to our neighborhood continues even when nobody’s watching, including volunteering on my time to personally pick up litter from our beautiful Milpitas streets.
My economic focus will be on attracting and approving premier businesses that offer high-paying jobs to raise the quality of life for all residents without adding a burden to your wallet. I believe in making balanced choices that benefit our entire community.
I am proud to have supported and said “yes” to landmark projects that bring vital revenue and jobs to our city, including:
My Campaign Pledge
Our City Council race is designed to be strictly non-partisan because local government should be about solving local problems. Paving our streets, supporting small businesses, and keeping our neighborhoods safe do not have a party label.
That is why I am formally announcing that I will not seek, accept, or tow the line for any political party endorsement. By rejecting outside party agendas, I ensure that my only obligation is to you—the residents of this community.
This independence directly benefits Milpitas: it means every decision I make will be based strictly on common sense and what is best for our neighborhoods, entirely free from the influence of partisan insiders or special interests.
To cement this commitment to our community, here is my promise to you:
“Our campaign rejects corporate and corporate PAC money, as well as contributions from political nonprofits, social-welfare groups, labor unions, and trade or business associations. Dipak is accountable to all Milpitas residents—not to special interests. I will work with our hardworking City staff and their Unions with transparency, respect, and dignity for everyone’s rights.”
Dipak Awasthi — Campaign Money Pledge
Being strictly independent means I can put our taxpayers first without any political debts. Milpitas already has one of the highest sales tax rates in the county.
I stand for NO NEW TAXES and will oppose ANY future tax increase measures that put an even greater burden on residents. Instead, I will use my business experience to find new revenue opportunities and cut wasteful spending.
The Fight for Accountability
This refusal to back down from powerful institutions in order to protect others is my proven track record.
Individuals were discovered stealing scratchers from inventory and illegally draining my closed business bank account.
The California State Lottery admitted in writing that this corrupt insider job was run by its own District Sales Supervisor.
When they offered to return the stolen money to make the problem go away, I said NO. I demanded accountability.
Through a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request, I exposed that they had failed to even file a police report, proving no felony conviction or formal complaint ever took place.
For over 3 months now, CA Lottery management has completely stopped replying to emails.
I refuse to be silenced. I continue to demand accountability, justice, and prosecution—not just for myself, but to protect all 23,000+ California lottery retailers so the exact same retaliation and abuse I faced never happens to anyone else. It is a true David vs. Goliath fight, and I am running to bring that exact same fierce advocacy to City Hall to protect our residents.
Our Priorities
I will bring my integrity, courage, and true independence to City Hall to deliver real benefits to our community across these core areas.
I will modernize traffic-signal timings and reduce regional cut-through traffic that clogs our neighborhoods. I will request our hardworking City staff conduct an updated safety study to identify optimal locations for stop signs, traffic signals, and speed bumps that maximize traffic flow and protect our residents.
As a 13.6-square-mile city, Milpitas must plan carefully for its future. I will reassess future housing, retail, and business needs—carefully measuring their impact on traffic—while ensuring we always preserve our beautiful hillsides. I will work directly with legislators to draft legislation helping small cities preserve valuable retail and business spaces while providing responsible, affordable housing, without converting existing business zones into housing-only spaces.
I will support strong law enforcement and firm consequences for car theft, drug dealing, home break-ins, and violent crime while expanding rehabilitation for nonviolent, first-time offenders. I will fight for funding for neighborhood security cameras for eligible residents, improve street lighting in crime hotspots, and increase police patrols to ensure every resident feels safe at home and in their neighborhood.
I will prioritize investment in our roads, utilities, public facilities, parks, and playgrounds—creating a better Milpitas for our children, seniors, and families.
Contact
Dipak is endorsed and supported by many former and present Mayors, Council members, Commissioners and residents. Add your voice—volunteer, host a conversation on your street, or simply tell us what matters most on your block.
Thank You
Your message has been received and someone from the campaign will be in touch. Thank you for standing with your neighbors for safe streets, smart growth, and real accountability at City Hall.
Questions in the meantime? Call 669-235-6680 or email info@dipakawasthi.org.