Candidate for
Council Member; City of San Bruno

Spending control is core to long lasting government government. As revenue rises and falls in a city, good control of the baseline expense is critical. Expanding programs that improve the quality of living should be done in partnership with private groups, companies, and individuals.

Using variable sales tax revenue to support city improvements from year to year is a good use of these variable funds. But building a budget on year to year sales for core services is dangerous.

Equal access to city services at a cost effective level. Costs rise everyday, but helping control those prices or leverage the value of our city in public services is critical. Our Cable TV is a good example of how well this can work. Water and other services should emulate this model.

City Council should be the direct guide to city staff. Council should be clear and willing to express the view of the voters. The City Council should be able to communicate the issues and express them to the voter as needed. There are very complex issues in every city. The Council needs to make sure the limits or issues from staff are clear and direct so the voters can act on the information.

More development in our town is needed! We need to shore up our downtown area. We need better mixed living and business spaces. We need a town center concept. We deserve better than we have. This has to be done through re-development programs. We need to re-think our past agreements to insure they are consistent with our current population and demands. What was good 20 years ago, may not be good today.

Rethink the plan! Times and people change. The needs, wants change in any company, city, home, or community. As public leaders we have to ask the hard questions. We need to insure we don't take things for granted. Every idea must be explored and reviewed. If something was good + look again + if it needs change or repair + act! If it is still good, record that fact and move one. We spend to much time on issues that we perceive as one way or another when sometimes all we need to do is act and clear the slate.

Lastly we need to insure our city can act. Action comes from cooperation. Our city council has been locked on issues in the past. Unity among the members to move ahead is needed. We can not keep a divided or fractured council in place. It hurts our ability to act and negotiate in good faith with the partners of our city. We also need to reach out to our Elected School Board to build a dialog. While both are elected to perform different functions, our property values, public relations, and ability to sell San Bruno as the place to live require cooperation and unity.

I want to unify our city and make this THE place to live. Allow me that right and vote Pieraldi in November. The mandate you send should be load. Please put me in the number 1 seat with the most votes counted.

Stephen A. Pieraldi