Candidate for
Council Member; City of Menlo Park

Challenges

Menlo Park is facing a series of challenges:

• The city budget shortfall now and in the future
• Neighborhood traffic management
• Caltrain grade separation
• Central business district vitality
• Streamlining and fairness in all our ordinances
• Upgrading infrastructure
• Improving recreation programs
• managing Dumbarton Rail

Change

Change is at the heart of the evolution of our city. When change is based on solid facts, with good citizen input, embraced and implemented in an incremental manner, change will become non-threatening and will unite our community. The key is to execute change without wasting dollars, especially given our budget shortfall. We must find opportunities to increase revenues without increasing taxes and, at the same time, find ways to reduce expenses by finding better value in what the city procures and the services it offers, while being mindful of our seniors and those with special needs. In order to enhance our tax revenues, we must attract new businesses; and in order to be deemed business and homeowner friendly, we must streamline and bring fairness to our ordinances and regulations.

I believe that we can manage change incrementally, to achieve broad-based acceptance. As a resident, I have lobbied against such ordinances as the Wood Burning Fireplace and Percent for Art ordinances that placed an unfair burden on homeowners and businesses. Recently, I conducted a campaign to convince our City Council that the proposed Fire Sprinkler ordinance requested by our Fire Protection District was a substantial economic burden on our homeowners and not at all justified by a problematic record of fire sprinkler effectiveness. This was a battle between the Fire District and fire sprinkler industry on the one hand, versus hard facts, figures, and other data available in the public domain. Our Council agreed, and the ordinance was defeated. I proposed an alternate efficient, cost-effective approach to fire safety that would generate revenue for the city. This proposed win-win solution is currently under City review.

I believe that the enactment of new ordinances often complicates, and makes more costly how we live and negotiate our way through life. I strongly believe that through education and communication, beneficial change can be accomplished rather than through the more burdensome path of legislation and regulation. I believe that people if informed will do the right thing when given a chance.