San Jose Mercury News Endorsement

By Karen Hardy

Exerpts from Editorial, October 26, 2006 Candidates with courage: McLemore, Hardy, Kornder

"We recommend former councilman John McLemore for mayor and planning commissioners Karen Hardy and Joe Kornder for council seats. All are opposed to Measure B. More important all have the courage to speak their minds. It does take courage to stand up to politcally powerful police and firefighters, and that quality sets real community leaders apart." ....

"In city council Seat 2, Caserta is challenged by Hardy, who narrowly lost a council race to Kevin Moore (mistake later corrected, Will Kennedy)two years ago. Caserta, 31, teachers high school. But after he joined the council four years ago, he also got his real estate license and signed on with the Gillmore agency, where Moore also is employed. Members of the Gillmor Family are longtime power brokers in Santa Clara, and former councilwomen Lisa Gillmor is a major supporter of Measure B."

"Caserta has poltical patter down to a T and, owing to his political ties, every organizational endorsement known to man. Hardy, 45, is in many ways the opposite: a grassroots activist in the mold of former Mayor Judgy Nadler. Hard-working and thoughtful, she has stood up to the politically powerful and occasionally has won, most promimently in the defeat of a cardroom proposal in 1992."

"Residents may not always agree with Hardy, but they'll always know where she stands. This council needs her principled voice." ....

"Other than Measure B, there are not a lot of issues that divide these candidates. Santa Clara is a well-run city with excellent professional staff and a better financial outlook than most of its neighbors. Leaders like McLemore, Hardy and Kornder are the most likely to look beyond politics and keep Santa Clara on course."