Re-Elect Toni Casey

By Toni Casey

My role as councilmember, is to continually seek your opinion and assure that our Town policies/ordinances reflect the majority.

Continuing a Positive Agenda

Toni Casey supports limiting Los Altos Hills council members to two consecutive terms and wrote the argument in favor of the term limit on the Nov. 3 ballot. So why is she running for re-election? Toni has a positive agenda for common sense government and fairness that residents have strongly encouraged her to continue.

Serving on the Council from 1988-1992 and again from 1994-1998, Toni's two-year break from local office gives testimony to the promise that term limits provide an opportunity for council members to gain a better understanding of the issues facing the Town from the residents' perspective. Over the next four years, Toni will strive to:

· Eliminate the beurocratic level of planning commission approvals. All layers in place - from the professional staff of experts to the elected council members - can be too easily superseded by the Planning Commission, giving too much power to an appointed body and adding an unpredictable hoop for residents to negotiate. The solution is to empower staff and hold the City Council accountable by bringing the total responsibility of approving new homes and remodels to the City Council - a win-win for the Town Staff and for residents.

· Revise the building permit fee structure. Fees should more accurately reflect the actual costs of administering the permit and should be commensurate with fees charged in the surrounding communities.

· Reverse the off-road pathway policy that can mandate a dedication of an easement when a resident applies for a permit. Toni strongly supports the along-side-the-road pathway system. However, residents have expressed enormous concern over the policy concerning off-road paths (paths that run behind or between properties) - citing issues of safety, privacy, liability, and protection of their property.

· Promote a responsive, service-oriented government that treats residents as valued customers.

Bringing a Record of Achievement

During her terms in office, Toni has gone far to bring about a more responsive Town Hall and to solicit residents' input on Council decisions before they are made. Her accomplishments include:

· Reversed a 4-1 vote by the Council (she was the dissenting vote) to place greater setback requirement on driveway turnarounds. Toni worked with the Los Altos Hills Civic Association to inform the residents of a second vote on this issue (as required by Law to amend an ordinance). The overwhelming majority of residents at the meeting were opposed to these restrictions and the vote was reversed 5-0.

· Developed a much improved off-road pathway policy. This policy would require notification when off-road pathway easements are being considered as additions to the Master Pathway Plan by the Pathway Committee and would require residents whose properties are affected to approve any additional off-road paths. The Council has not taken action on this policy. Adoption of this policy will be a priority for Toni in her next term.

· Develop a Communications Policy that would require Town Hall to notify residents with a town-wide mailing when decisions affecting residents' property rights are being considered. This policy was only partially implemented and the Los Altos Hills Civic Association now notifies residents when Town Hall does not. Toni will continue to support town-wide mailings which are very affordable, keep residents informed, and encourage residents' participation.

· Succeeded in revising the Design Guidelines (which were developed with little resident input while Toni was out of office) to allow circular driveways, which were discouraged in the first version.

Earning Strong Support as the "Voice of Reason"

Los Altos Hills Residents support Toni because she is a forward-thinking leader who:

· Believes town ordinances and design guidelines should reflect the majority opinion, be easily understood, and be administered expeditiously, consistently, and fairly to all residents.

· Makes the time to listen to all residents' concerns, offering not only empathy, but also solutions.

· Strives for responsive, well-run town hall that doesn't lose the human touch.

About Toni Casey

Her Business Experience

Toni graduated from Stanford University with an MBA and an MS in health care administration. She is president of T. Casey & Associates, a firm that specializes in governmental affairs and regulations at the state and federal level. Her clients include bio-tech companies that manufacture laboratory diagnostic devices.

Her Volunteer Achievements

In 1988, Toni founded, and has since chaired three times, the Spirit of the Hills Charity Celebrations, evenings bringing Los Altos Hills residents together as a neighborhood to help worthy causes. A long-time advocate for AIDS research and education, Toni founded the California Foundation for AIDS Prevention to spearhead AIDS education in Silicon Valley workplaces. She also remains active with the Stanford Alumni Association.

Her Family Life

Toni has lived in Los Altos Hills for the past 21 years with her two children, Carson and Alison. Both children graduated from St. Nicholas School where Toni was a volunteer mom for nine years. Carson now attends Colorado Mountain College, and Alison attends Foothill College.

She welcomes your feedback and suggestions and is always responsive to your concerns. Feel free to contact her at 650-941-1871, FAX: 650-941-9721, or E-Mail: tonicasey@aol.com.