Candidate for
Council Member; City of Petaluma

Vision for Petaluma

I will work tirelessly to ensure that Petaluma remains a great city, a safe city, an affordable city. I've been near the center of city politics for a number of years now; I have dug holes for trees in public places; I have worked with Petaluma's homeless adults, teaching them the management skills they need to create a decent life for themselves; and I've worked for over six years on the Planning Commission, serving as its chair and struggling to stem the tide of developers whose buildings, just months after they're `finished,' develop flaws and leaks.

I can safely lay claim to a clear eye for those who deserve to be served and those who don't--developers who have only the heft of their own pockets in mind. I cannot be bought and I want to reintroduce a spirit of honesty and vigorous inquiry into the council, with my only agenda being the common good of the people of Petaluma.

I will focus on redirecting the council's attention away from the ongoing, knee-jerk, pro-development frenzy. I am very disturbed by the complete disregard on the current council for those long-range challenges that face Petaluma: insufficient athletic fields for the area's youth, traffic, and water shortages in the near future. I believe that actions speak louder than words, and I can point proudly to my recent efforts to increase both the number and quality of playing fields in Petaluma; my support of quality development that contributes to the character of the community, rather than degrades it; and my energetic fight to honor environmental studies. I am committed to helping create a city council that takes the concerns of neighborhood groups at least as seriously as it does those of the developers.

I've compiled a record of committed, tireless service. I am extremely fortunate to have been born in California at a time when the best education in the country--probably the world--was available even to those of us who were first-generation Americans. I see my friends working extremely long hours so that they can afford to live here. I recognize my obligation to serve them and this city that has been such great place to live and raise my sons.