League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 7, 2006 Election
	Jac M. Siegel Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Mountain View

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 (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What would you do to insure that the City's park facilities and future increases in the City's population are distributed throughout the City to fairly serve all geographical areas of the community?

The current situation with respect to parks is defined by the city goal that there should be 3 acres of park/open space for every 1000 residents in the city of Mountain View. No funds should be allocated for any expansion in an area that presently meets the 3/1000 ratio until all our neighborhoods have reached this goal. Further, All "in-lieu of fees" collected anywhere in the city should be applied to making sure that under-served areas of the community get the attention they need (e.g., Monte Loma area, Old Mountain View, etc.). Additionally, no city-owned land should be sold, unless or until the sale of it has to do with an ideal land purchase opportunity with respect to parks. Mountain View is not in urgent need of raising funds by selling off city land assets. The default posture should be to keep these assets around for future generations to leverage. Finally, the Parks and Recreation commission has undertaken a comprehensive study to try to determine what the city's P & R assets are, and then to make recommendations about what we need and what we want. While city staff will do an excellent technical job on this report, the evaluative aspects urgently require citizen input and intervention. This technical report should serve as the basis for a community effort to decide what the study means, and what we want to do about it. When it comes to the long term planning of such important quality of life issues, the professionals need to listen to the community!

2. Do you have concerns with the present condo conversion ordinance; if so, what would you do to correct the situation?

The condo conversion ordinance is a complex issue. The primary purpose of the ordinance is to provide lower cost housing for residents while ensuring that condo conversions meet adequate building code standards. If administered properly, the ordinance is a viable way to support lower cost housing in the community.

3. Do you support restoration of Hangar One? And if it is restored, who should be responsible for its use and ongoing maintenance?

The restoration of Hangar One is a worthwhile endeavor. Because the restoration effort involves the clean-up of toxic materials, the US government should be responsible for restoring/preserving Hangar one. Maintenance of the hangar could be turned over to the county or the city of Mountain View, along with hangar use administration.

4. Would you support restoration of Hangar One if that would limit the effective restoration of Site 25 as a tidal marsh?

Restoration of the tidal marsh should take priority if it comes to an either/or situation, but I believe that this is not the case.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 17, 2006 17:51
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