From Tech to Traffic Safety: Saratoga’s Mayor,  Belal Aftab, is Bringing a New Voice to City Hall

In his first 30 days as mayor of Saratoga, California, Belal Aftab has already made one thing clear: leadership isn’t about the title—it’s about action. “It’s not about being mayor. It’s about doing things as mayor,” he told Dave Martin on The Good Government Show. Aftab, who grew up in Saratoga and now represents a new generation of civic leadership in Silicon Valley, brings a thoughtful, technologist’s mindset to deeply human problems—from housing and affordability to civic engagement and community connection.

Aftab’s path to public office didn’t start with a political science degree or campaign machine. It began with a simple, local issue: street safety near a community rec center. “I just went to a council meeting,” he said. Rejected from his first choice—the library board—Aftab ended up on the Traffic Safety Commission. There, he pushed to improve lighting and walkability for families walking to events at night. “It was the first place where I saw how cities can respond to real needs,” he said.

That commitment to practical, people-first government continues in his approach to the housing crisis, a defining issue in the Bay Area. “The median home price in Saratoga is $4 million,” Aftab said. “We have firefighters and police officers flying in from Idaho for their shifts. That’s a community losing its connection to itself.” Rather than resist state-mandated housing policies, Aftab advocates for local control and proactive planning. “If we don’t shape the growth ourselves, we’ll lose the power to do it at all,” he warned.

Aftab is also a strong believer in digital transparency, citing Saratoga’s use of AI-generated summaries to make city meetings more accessible. “Council meetings can go on for hours. These summaries help residents know what’s happening in one page,” he explained. His private-sector experience in tech gives him an edge in seeing where innovation can support—not replace—human governance. Still, he emphasizes the importance of old-fashioned connection. “Put down your phone and say hi to your neighbor,” he advised. “That’s where community begins.”

Asked how he’ll measure his success, Aftab keeps it simple: write down a plan, stay flexible, and listen—really listen—to the people. “You don’t have to do 20 hours of service a week,” he said. “Even checking in on a friend is service. That’s how we rebuild civic trust—small steps that build big community.”