Candidate for
Board Member; San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District; Ward 5

BART service to Livermore is a matter of equity. Livermore citizens have been paying taxes for years without BART service. It's time Livermore residents to get what they have been paying for.

Public safety also a major issue. Drawing on career of experience in firefigting and emergency management, I recognize that BART can be an important disaster-support solution during a regional crisis. BART conducts emergency response planning with other transit agencies but does not collectively plan disaster recovery operations with the municipalities it serves. Having seen first hand the devistation that resulted from a failure to plan in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, I intend to insure that BART is prepared for the next big earthquake when (not if) it occurs.

BART ridership has never been higher and demands on the system have never been greater. As a BART Safety Specialist, I have first-hand experience with the challenges posed by BART's aging fleet and infrastructure. BART is going to play a vital role in Bay Area transportation, but we've got to make sure the system can keep pace with the ever expanding population and the fact that people from outside of the district travel here to use BART. We need to address parking, car capacity and the system's ability to move more people safely and comfortably.