Now residents get to flex their voting power on local candidates
By Town Crier Staff,
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To borrow the title from one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s films, state voters went for a “Total Recall” of Gov. Gray Davis on Oct. 7. But the election fun is far from over. On Nov. 4, local voters go to the polls again to choose among eight candidates for three open seats on the Los Altos City Council. Voters also have a school board election to decide in the Los Altos School District, with four candidates vying for two seats.
Unlike during the governor’s race, there has been virtually no mudslinging among the council candidates.
Still, the problems before the city and the council are by no means dull. Issues such as cut-through traffic and loitering day workers continue to dog Los Altos, just as they did 10 years ago. The Sherwood Triangle remains an eyesore, and the Loyola Corners configuration is still a traffic engineer’s nightmare.
The growing presence of chain businesses downtown poses the question: How long will Los Altos’ commercial center continue to be known for its charm as the mom and pop stores providing that charm fade toward extinction, unable to afford the high rents?
The bitter controversy over a pool plan for the Rosita Avenue neighborhood remains unresolved, as does the fate of city-owned property at First and Main streets.
On the school district side, board candidates face uncertainties brought on by a Bullis Charter School, whose supporters seek the closed Bullis-Purissima School site, and state funding uncertainties likely to last three to five years.
Whom to choose for council and school board?
There are resources available to help you decide.
Council candidates participated in a Sept. 30 TV forum broadcast by KMVT cable access in Mountain View. Viewers with cable can tune into Channel 26 4 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 p.m. Thursdays to see repeat performances of the six serious candidates in action (Two others filed, then disappeared.). Videotapes of the forum are available at the Los Altos main library.
In addition, residents can see council and school board candidates live and up-close at a League of Women Voters-sponsored forum set for 7 p.m., Oct. 23, at the Convington School multipurpose room, 205 Covington Road.
Voters logon to www.smartvoter.org and see League of Women Voters rundowns on each of the candidates, with qualifications, biographies and personal data.
Below are brief summaries of the local candidates.
Jeannice Samani
Age: Not available
Marital status: Married, 3 daughters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political economics and master’s degree in city and regional planning from University of California at Berkeley; master’s degree in business entrepreneurship from University of California at Los Angeles; doctorate in business administration from Columbia University.
Occupation: Business development consultant
Public service: Los Altos city advisor for the Santa Clara County Housing and Community Development Committee
Motivation for running: “(I am) committed to the sustainable community and viable community through the support for business and community wellness.”
Goals, if elected: Preserve quality of life; strive for economic vitality in the downtown; ensure city accountability for performance management.
Val Carpenter
Age: 49
Marital status: Married
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business from Indiana University
Occupation: Business executive
Public service: YMCA of Santa Clara Valley Tribute to Women and Industry Honoree; Chairwoman of Los Altos Historical Commission
Motivation for running: “I’m running for Los Altos City Council because I love this community. I’ve lived here since 1991; my children have grown up here. I want to insure that Los Altos remains the charming, neighborly place that it is today.”
Goals, if elected: Ensuring privacy of existing residential homes; favors a community pool and small downtown hotel; wants fiscal responsibility and local budget control.
Curtis Cole
Age: 44
Marital status: Married, 2 children
Education: Degrees from the University of Michigan and Stanford
Occupation: Engineer, software manager
Public service: Los Altos Planning Commission, Los Altos Citizen’s Financial Committee, Measure H School Board fund-raising chairman, Los Altos Senior Center volunteer
Motivation for running: “I care that Los Altos remains a safe place to raise children and a friendly place for parents after their children grow up. Good things and good cities don’t just happen. People who invest their time and energy, make it happen.”
Goals, if elected: Address city traffic concerns for safe neighborhoods; resolve our community pool issue; maintain neighborhood character; enhance local activities for our youth and support strong schools; support business in our unique downtown village and throughout Los Altos; and listen to all citizens, promising that I understand all views.
David Casas
Age: 39
Marital status: Married.
Education: Master’s degree in technological management, bachelor’s degree in business finance
Occupation: Finance manager
Public service: Vice president of the Los Altos School Board, member of the Los Altos Park, Arts, Recreation Commission
Motivation for running: “As a councilmember, I will use my extensive management experience to solve the diverse problems faced by our community. I will work to improve the decision- making process for the benefit of the entire community and increase the opportunity for public input.”
Goals, if elected: Maintain a balanced budget while also building up the city’s emergency reserves; improve public safety, including traffic enforcement in residential areas; clarify and improve existing building design guidelines; improve neighborhood notification in advance of major decision; encourage economic vitality of new business districts; preserve residential character of town.
Francis La Poll
Age: Not available
Marital status: Married, six children
Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Virginia, law degree from Stanford Law School
Occupation: Incumbent
Public Service: Midpeninsula YMCA, chairman; Foothill-De Anza Foundation; Little League, AYSO coach; Los Altos mayor 1996-97; councilmember 2001-2002
Motivation for running: “My leadership has made a difference … In my final term, state finances will greatly impact the city. My effectiveness, responsive leadership and experience make me the best-qualified person to achieve Los Altos’ continued improvement as a wonderful place to live and raise a family.”
Goals, if elected: Work for vibrant business districts; creekside owners’ protections; a community pool and appropriately placed, inscale theater we can all support; shall continue to return my salary to the city.
Christopher Friendly Nicholson
Age: 18
Marital status: Single
Education: Los Altos High School
Occupation: Student, Reed College, Ore.
Public Service: Not available
Motivation for running: Wants youth representation on the council.
Goals, if elected: Maintaining a fiscally responsible budget without abandoning Los Altos values; building consensus around important issues while examining them with a fresh viewpoint; increasing the commitment of Los Altos to youth.
Ron Packard
Age: 54
Marital status: Married, five children
Education: Law degree from Hastings Law School; master’s degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and at Riverside
Occupation: Attorney
Public Service: Los Altos Citizens Financial Advisory Committee; Los Altos Chamber of Commerce; Government Affairs Committee; Los Altos Education Foundation; board of directors of Association of Bay Area Governments; Mountain View Planning Commission; Mountain View City Council; Boy Scout Master
Motivation for running: “Los Altos is an ideal residential community where my wife and I have lived for over 18 years. Facing state cutbacks, we need councilmembers with strong financial and government experience, who are willing to listen to the residents, work civilly and build consensus.”
Goals, if elected: Protect existing neighborhood character, preserve downtown village, address parking intelligently, be fiscally responsible, work with residents to calm traffic, continue healthy relationship with school districts.
Steven Smiley
Age: 42
Marital status: Married
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Eastern Illinois University; master’s degree, St. Mary’s College; law degree, Peninsula Law School
Occupation: Business manager
Public Service: Not available.
Motivation for running: Not available
Goals, if elected: N/A
Albert Hill Jr.
Age: 56
Marital status: Married, two children
Years in district: Los Altos resident for 24 years
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Florida, master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University, master’s degree in systems management from University of Southern California
Occupation: Business manager
Public service: Not available
Motivation for running: “I wanted to ensure the district’s accountability to the community and its adherence to a long-term financial plan.”
Goals, if elected: “I will vigorously support the district’s continued pursuit of academic excellence and retention of our outstanding teachers and support staff. I will contribute significant expertise in project finance, auditing and facility construction to the oversight of school construction and budgeting.”
Bill Cooper
Age: 44
Marital status: married, two children
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio Wesleyan University
Occupation: Owner, advertising firm
Public service: District budget review community, scoutmaster for PAC 36 Cub Scouts of America, PONY League Board of Directors
Motivation for running: “As a father of two sons in the district, I wanted to maintain the focus and top quality of education offered to the (more than) 4,000 students attending grades K-8 in the Los Altos School District.”
Goals, if elected: “To monitor the long-term budget strategy so that we can continue to deliver a superior academic program for years to come, to engage in an ongoing dialogue with the community, to effectively articulate the rationale behind each and every decision made by the board.”
Kevin Bella
Age: 18
Marital status: Single
Education: Graduate of Mountain View High School, freshman at University of California at Davis
Occupation: Student
Public service: Community School of Music and Arts
Motivation for running: “There were some issues that weren’t being addressed concerning the young people of this community, such as lack of funding for art and music programs, science education, and low teen political involvement. I wanted to bring attention to those issues.”
Goals, if elected: “I actually don’t want to get elected. I wanted to show that young people have just as much say in community issues as older adults. My goal is to get the issues out there and inspire people my age to get more politically involved and become more aware of issues that concern them.”
Margot Harrigan
Age: 53
Marital status: Married, one child
Education: Bachelor’s degree in English literature from California State University at Long Beach
Occupation: Owner, digital imaging service company; incumbent
Public service: Board member of the Los Altos Cultural Association, education commissioner to the California State PTA, trustee at the Los Altos School District, Los Altos Art Docents
Motivation for running: “As a mom of a student of this district, I’ve been involved for a long time. I know what’s going on and have paid my dues. I bring a lot of experience to the table and feel very strongly that I could continue to make a positive difference.”
Goals, if elected: “To continue to focus on maintaining the current educational program, class-size reduction, and balanced budget; to continue to work to retain and attract superior staff and administrators.”
