Entrepreneur Vin Kruttiventi Runs for Congress in the East Bay
By Roger Riffenburgh
East Bay entrepreneur and community leader Vinay Kruttiventi is running for Congress in Alameda County’s District 14. Kruttiventi is the CEO of the digital consulting company A5, and chairman of his own philanthropic foundation. He describes himself as “a fiscally conservative, country-first person who is trying to bring communities together for a positive change.”
In explaining why he is running, Kruttiventi says he is “not your typical politician. I’m not a career bureaucrat or a special interest mouthpiece. I’m a successful businessman, a family man, and a true patriot who’s fed up with the status quo. I’m running for Congress to bring common sense and a fresh perspective to Washington. I’m running to fight for the jobs, the economy, and the safety and security of all Americans. And I’m running to ensure that our government works for you, not vice versa.” He is endorsed by the Alameda County Republican Party, the California Republican Party, and the Pleasanton Police Officers Association.
Vin Kruttiventi founded the company A5, which guides other companies in improving their business processes and undergoing a digital transformation using platforms such as Salesforce or Oracle. Vin is also active in the community and has worked with many nonprofit groups, including Agape Villages, No Kid Hungry, Pleasanton Rotary, Fremont Hindu Temple, and Habitat for Humanity. He formed the Vinay Kruttiventi Foundation, which equips nonprofits and small businesses with the tools they need to succeed.
With regard to priority issues, Kruttiventi says his focus “lies in elevating the standards of education, fighting inflation, increasing national security and border security, extending support to our esteemed elders, and dismantling the bureaucratic obstacles that burden small businesses.”
Congressional District 14 is currently represented by Democrat Eric Swalwell. It runs from San Leandro south to northern Fremont and east to Livermore. It also includes Hayward, Union City, Pleasanton, and portions of other communities. (See the map.)
Vinay Kruttiventi grew up in Hyderabad, India. He developed a passion for serving the community, influenced by his grandfather, who was a freedom fighter with Ghandi, and his father, a journalist. He earned his engineering degree from Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Vin says he came to the United States “to create a better life for myself and to pursue the American Dream.” He worked for several systems integration companies, and rose from developer to program manager. During his career, he founded several successful startups, including A5, which he has been successfully growing for twenty years.
When he has a chance, Vin enjoys hiking East Bay trails, watching basketball and baseball with friends, and spending time with family. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Pleasanton. You can find out more about Vin Kruttiventi on his campaign website, vin4congress.com.
Entrepreneur Vin Kruttiventi Runs for Congress in the East Bay
By Roger Riffenburgh
East Bay entrepreneur and community leader Vinay Kruttiventi is running for Congress in Alameda County’s District 14. Kruttiventi is the CEO of the digital consulting company A5, and chairman of his own philanthropic foundation. He describes himself as “a fiscally conservative, country-first person who is trying to bring communities together for a positive change.”
In explaining why he is running, Kruttiventi says he is “not your typical politician. I’m not a career bureaucrat or a special interest mouthpiece. I’m a successful businessman, a family man, and a true patriot who’s fed up with the status quo. I’m running for Congress to bring common sense and a fresh perspective to Washington. I’m running to fight for the jobs, the economy, and the safety and security of all Americans. And I’m running to ensure that our government works for you, not vice versa.” He is endorsed by the Alameda County Republican Party, the California Republican Party, and the Pleasanton Police Officers Association.
Vin Kruttiventi founded the company A5, which guides other companies in improving their business processes and undergoing a digital transformation using platforms such as Salesforce or Oracle. Vin is also active in the community and has worked with many nonprofit groups, including Agape Villages, No Kid Hungry, Pleasanton Rotary, Fremont Hindu Temple, and Habitat for Humanity. He formed the Vinay Kruttiventi Foundation, which equips nonprofits and small businesses with the tools they need to succeed.
With regard to priority issues, Kruttiventi says his focus “lies in elevating the standards of education, fighting inflation, increasing national security and border security, extending support to our esteemed elders, and dismantling the bureaucratic obstacles that burden small businesses.”
Congressional District 14 is currently represented by Democrat Eric Swalwell. It runs from San Leandro south to northern Fremont and east to Livermore. It also includes Hayward, Union City, Pleasanton, and portions of other communities. (See the map.)
Vinay Kruttiventi grew up in Hyderabad, India. He developed a passion for serving the community, influenced by his grandfather, who was a freedom fighter with Ghandi, and his father, a journalist. He earned his engineering degree from Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Vin says he came to the United States “to create a better life for myself and to pursue the American Dream.” He worked for several systems integration companies, and rose from developer to program manager. During his career, he founded several successful startups, including A5, which he has been successfully growing for twenty years.
When he has a chance, Vin enjoys hiking East Bay trails, watching basketball and baseball with friends, and spending time with family. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Pleasanton. You can find out more about Vin Kruttiventi on his campaign website, vin4congress.com.
LIST OF UPCOMING GOP EVENTS
- Association of Monterey Bay Conservatives: Christmas Celebration
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Bayonet & Black Horse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside
- South County Biz Alliance: December Lunch
Thursday, December 7, 2023 / 12:00 pm – Old City Hall Restaurant, 7400 Monterey Street, Gilroy
- Cupertino’s Future: A dialogue on development
Thursday, December 7, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Cupertino Community Hall, Torre Avenue, Cupertino
- Alameda County Republican Party: 2023 Christmas Party featuring Scott McAfee
Saturday, December 9, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Maverick’s , , Pleasanton
- SF Log Cabin Republicans: Holiday Party
Saturday, December 9, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Location Provided Upon RSVP, , San Francisco
- Republican Club of San Francisco: Christmas Gala 2023
Sunday, December 10, 2023 / 6:00 pm – St. Francis Yacht Club, 99 Yacht Rd, San Francisco
- Monterey County Republicans: Christmas Party
Monday, December 11, 2023 / 6:00 pm – The Growers Pub, 227 Monterey St, Salinas
- Novato Republican Women: Christmas Holiday Boutique and Buffet Luncheon
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 11:00 am – Marin Country Club, 500 Country Club Drive, Novato
- Palo Alto Republican Women Federated: December Luncheon featuring Jason Clark
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 11:30 am – Baylands Cafe Golf Links Cafe, 1875 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto
- Santa Cruz Republicans: Christmas Lunch
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 12:30 pm – MacKenzie Bar and Grill at the Pasatiempo Golf Course, 18 Clubhouse Rd., Santa Cruz
- Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley: Repairing America’s Broken Elections – Ten Points to True Election Integrity
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 6:15 pm – IFES Portuguese Hall, 432 Stierlin Road, Mountain View
- SVARW: Christmas Luncheon
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 11:00 am – Three Flames, 1547 Meridian Ave, San Jose
- Mt Diablo Republican Club: Christmas Party + Barbershop Quartet
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Alamo Womens Club , 1401 Danville Blvd, Danville
- SF Log Cabin Republicans: Endorsement Meeting
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 6:30 pm – Location Provided Prior to Event, , Redwood City
- San Mateo Republican Party: Annual Christmas Dinner with Kira Davis
Thursday, December 14, 2023 / 6:30 pm – Location Provided Prior to Event, ,
- Marin GOP: Israel – A Discussion of Current Events
Monday, December 18, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Location Provided Prior To Event, , Marin
- SFGOP Christmas/Holiday Party
Monday, December 18, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Location Provided Prior To Event, , San Francisco
- Sonoma County Republican Party: 2023 Holiday Party
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / 7:00 pm – Finley Community Center, 2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa
- Primary Election Day
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 / 7:00 am – , ,
- CAGOP 2024 Convention – SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 19, 2024 / N/A – Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, , Burlingame
Attacks on direct democracy in California have reached a new low
By Jon Coupal, President of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom and progressive leadership in the Legislature have declared war on California taxpayers. They have filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court to have a duly qualified citizen initiative removed from the November 2024 ballot before voters can pass it.
The initiative is called the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, so there’s no mystery about why the politicians oppose it.
What’s mysterious, or at least very troubling, is why they think the court should block the power of the people to amend the state constitution through the initiative process.
Over the last three decades, this column has staunchly defended the constitutional rights of direct democracy – initiative, referendum, and recall. These powers have been proven to be effective tools to control indolent or corrupt politicians and are just as important today as they were when they were added to the California Constitution in 1911.
Without the initiative power, California homeowners would never have reaped the benefits of Proposition 13, which has saved California property owners hundreds of billions of dollars since 1978. Direct democracy remains the only avenue for fundamental political reform, tax reform and a host of other important policies that entrenched interests in Sacramento would rather never see the light of day.
Politicians and powerful special interests hate direct democracy and view it as a threat to their political power or, at a minimum, as an intrusion on their legislative responsibilities. It is no surprise, then, that left-leaning legislators repeatedly introduce proposals designed to weaken direct democracy. Recent proposals seek to render the referendum and recall powers wholly ineffective and other bills have made it very difficult to qualify initiative measures. One proposal from 2019 attempted to impose burdensome requirements on those who gather signatures for initiative qualification.
In the legislative session that just ended, Senate Bill 386 became law. Although on its face it appears innocuous, it amended the process by which county registrars verify signatures on initiative petitions in a manner that compresses the time in which to qualify an initiative measure – already a narrow 180 days. This puts initiative proponents at a severe disadvantage.
Another attack on the initiative process affects initiatives that would enact tax reforms. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 13 would require that measures such as Proposition 13 secure a higher statewide vote threshold to pass. This measure is targeted directly at the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act.
The lawsuit by the governor and the legislature is the latest assault on the initiative process. While the legal claims border on the frivolous and, politically, the action is likely to backfire on the politicians, it reveals in stark terms what these political elites think of ordinary taxpayers. Here’s an excerpt:
“[B]y compelling voters to assume a far more active role in state government, the Measure [TPA] would have sobering implications for the future of governance. Taxation is both highly complex and essential to the adequate functioning of the State. Sound tax policy therefore requires time and expertise. California’s full-time Legislature has the capacity to implement tax policy because legislators can spend weeks in committees reviewing a law and debating its impact, all while being advised by professional legislative staff. Not so with voters. As it is, voters have neither the time nor resources at their disposal to comprehensively study their crowded ballots.”
Translation: Shut up, you deplorable peasants. Let us, the expert politicians, tell you how much we need and how to spend it.
If ever evidence were required for the importance of direct democracy, this cringeworthy arrogance shown by California’s elected officials should prove the case beyond any reasonable doubt.
Update from BayAreaGOP.com:
Late Breaking News: The California Supreme Court has denied the Democrats’ request to immediately remove the Taxpayer Protection Initiative from the November 2024 ballot, but the court has asked the proponents to “show cause” why the measure should go before the voters. Written arguments must be submitted in February with a hearing to follow.
Learn more about the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act by clicking here.
California Citizens Redistricting Commission – District Viewer
The Commission has developed a district viewer that allows you to more easily navigate visualizations and zoom in and out of geographic areas while layering congressional, State Senate and Assembly boundaries.
Attacks on direct democracy in California have reached a new low
By Jon Coupal, President of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom and progressive leadership in the Legislature have declared war on California taxpayers. They have filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court to have a duly qualified citizen initiative removed from the November 2024 ballot before voters can pass it.
The initiative is called the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, so there’s no mystery about why the politicians oppose it.
What’s mysterious, or at least very troubling, is why they think the court should block the power of the people to amend the state constitution through the initiative process.
Over the last three decades, this column has staunchly defended the constitutional rights of direct democracy – initiative, referendum, and recall. These powers have been proven to be effective tools to control indolent or corrupt politicians and are just as important today as they were when they were added to the California Constitution in 1911.
Without the initiative power, California homeowners would never have reaped the benefits of Proposition 13, which has saved California property owners hundreds of billions of dollars since 1978. Direct democracy remains the only avenue for fundamental political reform, tax reform and a host of other important policies that entrenched interests in Sacramento would rather never see the light of day.
Politicians and powerful special interests hate direct democracy and view it as a threat to their political power or, at a minimum, as an intrusion on their legislative responsibilities. It is no surprise, then, that left-leaning legislators repeatedly introduce proposals designed to weaken direct democracy. Recent proposals seek to render the referendum and recall powers wholly ineffective and other bills have made it very difficult to qualify initiative measures. One proposal from 2019 attempted to impose burdensome requirements on those who gather signatures for initiative qualification.
In the legislative session that just ended, Senate Bill 386 became law. Although on its face it appears innocuous, it amended the process by which county registrars verify signatures on initiative petitions in a manner that compresses the time in which to qualify an initiative measure – already a narrow 180 days. This puts initiative proponents at a severe disadvantage.
Another attack on the initiative process affects initiatives that would enact tax reforms. Assembly Constitutional Amendment 13 would require that measures such as Proposition 13 secure a higher statewide vote threshold to pass. This measure is targeted directly at the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act.
The lawsuit by the governor and the legislature is the latest assault on the initiative process. While the legal claims border on the frivolous and, politically, the action is likely to backfire on the politicians, it reveals in stark terms what these political elites think of ordinary taxpayers. Here’s an excerpt:
“[B]y compelling voters to assume a far more active role in state government, the Measure [TPA] would have sobering implications for the future of governance. Taxation is both highly complex and essential to the adequate functioning of the State. Sound tax policy therefore requires time and expertise. California’s full-time Legislature has the capacity to implement tax policy because legislators can spend weeks in committees reviewing a law and debating its impact, all while being advised by professional legislative staff. Not so with voters. As it is, voters have neither the time nor resources at their disposal to comprehensively study their crowded ballots.”
Translation: Shut up, you deplorable peasants. Let us, the expert politicians, tell you how much we need and how to spend it.
If ever evidence were required for the importance of direct democracy, this cringeworthy arrogance shown by California’s elected officials should prove the case beyond any reasonable doubt.
Update from BayAreaGOP.com:
Late Breaking News: The California Supreme Court has denied the Democrats’ request to immediately remove the Taxpayer Protection Initiative from the November 2024 ballot, but the court has asked the proponents to “show cause” why the measure should go before the voters. Written arguments must be submitted in February with a hearing to follow.
Learn more about the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act by clicking here.
California Citizens Redistricting Commission – District Viewer
The Commission has developed a district viewer that allows you to more easily navigate visualizations and zoom in and out of geographic areas while layering congressional, State Senate and Assembly boundaries.
LIST OF UPCOMING GOP EVENTS
- Association of Monterey Bay Conservatives: Christmas Celebration
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Bayonet & Black Horse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside
- South County Biz Alliance: December Lunch
Thursday, December 7, 2023 / 12:00 pm – Old City Hall Restaurant, 7400 Monterey Street, Gilroy
- Cupertino’s Future: A dialogue on development
Thursday, December 7, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Cupertino Community Hall, Torre Avenue, Cupertino
- Alameda County Republican Party: 2023 Christmas Party featuring Scott McAfee
Saturday, December 9, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Maverick’s , , Pleasanton
- SF Log Cabin Republicans: Holiday Party
Saturday, December 9, 2023 / 5:00 pm – Location Provided Upon RSVP, , San Francisco
- Republican Club of San Francisco: Christmas Gala 2023
Sunday, December 10, 2023 / 6:00 pm – St. Francis Yacht Club, 99 Yacht Rd, San Francisco
- Monterey County Republicans: Christmas Party
Monday, December 11, 2023 / 6:00 pm – The Growers Pub, 227 Monterey St, Salinas
- Novato Republican Women: Christmas Holiday Boutique and Buffet Luncheon
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 11:00 am – Marin Country Club, 500 Country Club Drive, Novato
- Palo Alto Republican Women Federated: December Luncheon featuring Jason Clark
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 11:30 am – Baylands Cafe Golf Links Cafe, 1875 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto
- Santa Cruz Republicans: Christmas Lunch
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 12:30 pm – MacKenzie Bar and Grill at the Pasatiempo Golf Course, 18 Clubhouse Rd., Santa Cruz
- Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley: Repairing America’s Broken Elections – Ten Points to True Election Integrity
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 / 6:15 pm – IFES Portuguese Hall, 432 Stierlin Road, Mountain View
- SVARW: Christmas Luncheon
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 11:00 am – Three Flames, 1547 Meridian Ave, San Jose
- Mt Diablo Republican Club: Christmas Party + Barbershop Quartet
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Alamo Womens Club , 1401 Danville Blvd, Danville
- SF Log Cabin Republicans: Endorsement Meeting
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / 6:30 pm – Location Provided Prior to Event, , Redwood City
- San Mateo Republican Party: Annual Christmas Dinner with Kira Davis
Thursday, December 14, 2023 / 6:30 pm – Location Provided Prior to Event, ,
- Marin GOP: Israel – A Discussion of Current Events
Monday, December 18, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Location Provided Prior To Event, , Marin
- SFGOP Christmas/Holiday Party
Monday, December 18, 2023 / 6:00 pm – Location Provided Prior To Event, , San Francisco
- Sonoma County Republican Party: 2023 Holiday Party
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / 7:00 pm – Finley Community Center, 2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa
- Primary Election Day
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 / 7:00 am – , ,
- CAGOP 2024 Convention – SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 19, 2024 / N/A – Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, , Burlingame