Mark Dinan

Mark Dinan

CAASPP Testing Results for East Palo Alto's Schools.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is the state's official system for academic testing. Established in 2014, it replaced the older STAR program to align with more rigorous academic standards designed to prepare students forcollege and career readiness.   The CAASPP is primarily a computer-based assessment

Measure JJ: The Hidden Tax Hitting East Palo Alto Renters' Wallets

The Impact of East Palo Alto's 2.5% Rental Tax (Measure JJ) East Palo Alto imposes a 2.5% tax on gross rental income. Although originally presented to voters as a fee paid exclusively by landlords, the economic reality is that this is a tax paid by tenants.

SRO Housing Proposal on Bay & University

On Thursday, December 18, I attended a community meeting at East Palo Alto City Hall regarding a new proposal from Swenson Development and Construction. They are planning a 135-unit Single Room Occupancy (SRO) development at the corner of Bay Road and University Avenue, adjacent to the old post office. Project

Looking Back on My First Year on East Palo Alto City Council

I was sworn into East Palo Alto’s City Council a year ago on December 17th, 2024. It has been a tremendous honor serving on East Palo Alto's City Council as Vice-Mayor with Mayor Martha Barragan. We got a lot done! I remain very grateful to the voters

Death & Taxes in East Palo Alto

📈 East Palo Alto's Property Tax Advantage and the Urgency of Development City's Share of Property Tax Revenue The bar chart above visualizes the property tax revenue share for each city, sorted from highest to lowest percentage. CityShare (%)East Palo Alto36.00Redwood City18.00South San Francisco17.00Mountain

East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials

Many people have discussed East Palo Alto City Council's decision to remove Carlos Romero from regional boards and commissions following his repeated violation of East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials. The Code of Conduct for Elected Officials can be found here: Code of

What Businesses Do You Want to See in East Palo Alto?

Many in East Palo Alto were excited when the Korean grocery chain Megamart opened in the former Target building. It’s a great addition to the city, and it appears to be doing well. However, East Palo Alto is a city of about 30,000 residents, and a legacy of

On the Front Lines of East Palo Alto's Housing Crisis

When I was running for office last year, I knocked on doors in every neighborhood of East Palo Alto. One of the most memorable conversations I had was with a Guatemalan woman in the Gardens. Her family had lived in the same house for over ten years, during which the

City Council Update - The Year So Far - September, 2025

I was sworn in last December and I wanted to share an update on what we've accomplished - especially for those who don't follow local government closely. The East Palo Alto City Council has five members: Ruben Abrica, Martha Barragan, Mark Dinan, Webster Lincoln, and Carlos