League of Women Voters of California
Santa Clara County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
	Mike Kasperzak Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Mountain View; 4 Year Term

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Do you see any links between local traffic congestion and cuts in public transit services, "help wanted" signs and insufficient low cost housing? If so, what might the Council do to improve the situation?

Local traffic congestion was an issue long before the economic downturn and the resulting cuts in transit service and therefore I don't believe the two are linked. However public transit isn't as attractive a transportation alternative as it should be, partly because of the lack of frequency of service. Unfortunately, the City has limited influence on this issue other than as a rotating member of the VTA Board of Directors

Affordable housing is another issue. While there are not many "help wanted" signs at the moment, it is clear that the cost of housing prevents many, especially lower scale wage earners, from living locally, resulting in commutes so horrendous that it is little wonder that local jobs go unfilled. The City can do more by ensuring completion of the Efficiency Studio Project for low income workers, making City owned land downtown available for affordable housing development and rezoning property in appropriate areas for higher density housing.

2. What specific concerns, if any, do you have about the recommendations in the NASA Ames Development Plan which was released in late July?

The issues of continuing concern are the amount of housing that is being provided and the impacts on traffic. Unfortunately, the City has little control over NASA because it is a federal agency. Nevertheless, it is important for the plan to proceed so that the airfield never becomes a commercial, cargo or general aviation airport.

3. As a Councilmember, how would you bring together members of the community to address local issues?

As a mediator, I believe that face-to-face communication is the best way to promote true dialogue and anyone with a message can meet with me to thoroughly discuss the topic and determine how best to satisfy the interests involved. I would also like to renew efforts to move the "public input" part of the council meeting earlier in the agenda to make it more convenient to the community.