The former Oakley resident moved to Discovery Bay in 2004, only a few months before her appointment to district board. Now she seeks re-election to finish projects she and other directors initiated.
"I feel I represent a whole other community of new people. A lot of board members have been on a long time, so I'm bringing a different perspective," the 40-year-old attorney said.
Teixeira said another reason she is running for re-election in the Nov. 7 election is to keep a promise she made when she was appointed to finish the last two years of then-director Maureen Murray's term.
"When I originally applied, they asked if I would run again when my term expired. I said yes. They wanted someone with a level of commitment beyond two years," Teixeira said.
A native of Albany, Teixeira attended high school there before attending UC Berkeley, where she studied history. After working as a paralegal for several years, Teixeira was talked into going to law school. Her husband is an automotive computer technician and she has a 9-year-old son.
Teixeira said she and her husband wanted to buy a larger home, and began searching around in Discovery Bay. "Someone told us about Lakeshore and we happened to drive through and fell in love with the community," she said.
Teixeira worked on the Oakley incorporation and unsuccessfully ran for a seat on that city's first council. So it was one night that she found herself attending a Discovery Bay district board meeting about a bridge connecting two neighborhoods.
"I found out at that meeting that one director (Murray) had just resigned and that the board was looking for someone to fill the vacancy. I applied," she said.
After two years of dealing with water, sewer, bridges, fire protection and other issues, Teixeira is in a four-way race for three seats on the board.
"I bring my perspective as a mom, a new arrival, an attorney and the experience of going through incorporation with Oakley. If Discovery Bay ever seeks to incorporate, I can bring that perspective," she said.
What in Discovery Bay needs improving? she was asked.
"We haven't addressed attracting businesses. We need infrastructure. If we are ever going to consider being a city, we need to figure out a way to get more business. We need another grocery store, maybe a dry cleaning service. Why should I have to run to Oakley or Brentwood when I should be able to do it here?" she said.
Teixeira was uncertain if she would support a merger with Byron Sanitary District. "We have to do what's best for the community. We need to look down the line more than one or two years or even four and make sure if we get in can we get out. We have to look at what's best for the community over 20 years."
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