The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Budget, Infrastructure, Regional Needs

Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

Answer from William D. Ross:

All sources of reimbursement from government sources, e.g., federal, state and regional should be periodically and continually reviewed to ensure that they are maximized. Particular concern should be given to the relationship with the State Budget because since the passage of Proposition 13 (1978) State expenditures have sometimes depended on transferring established local revenues. Existing employers should be encouraged to stay and expand where consistent with the General Plan. New businesses with sales tax potential which are consistent with the General Plan should be encouraged.

Answer from Pat Burt:

I used my role as planning commissioner to lead efforts to expand our city's revenue from hotels. Hotels provide the highest income to the city with the least impact on traffic and our quality of life. I have promoted zoning incentives and collaboration with the private sector to support the addition of three new hotels within the next three years.

I have promoted the use of incentives for increased retail and business to business sales taxes and I have helped change our codes to retain and expand our auto dealerships.

I have supported impact fees so that our parks and transportation systems can keep up with our increased needs.

City efficiency can be increased through innovation and technology. I'll apply my thirty years of entrepreneurship to creating new and better ways to provide services more efficiently and effectively. I will also engage our community members and groups for their ability to provide resources.

Answer from Timothy W. "Tim" Gray:

Prioritize. Find the points of agreement and strengthen them. Offer respect for the differences of opinion, and from a common vision, make forward progress. Benchmarking is an emperical and fair way to shine light on efficiencies. There may be room for public-private partnerships that provide a substitute resouce. It will challenge conventional lines of authority, but we must focus on service and think outside the box. We will need to objectively quantify those commercial activities that bring the highest revenue with the lowest environmental impact.

Answer from Sid Espinosa:

Our top city priority must be to work aggressively to control costs and increase city revenues. Fiscal responsibility and government efficiency are primary objectives for any city council and must be a constant exercise of audits and reviews. Simultaneously, we must focus on retaining and growing revenue-generating businesses. Specifically, we must focus on (1) prioritizing revenue, (2) improving the ease of doing business, (3) supporting and improving neighborhood centers, (4) encouraging "Destination Palo Alto" and (4) managing city labor expenses.

Answer from Stella Marinos:

Taxes are not always the answer, I would want to research other options.

Answer from Dan Dykwel:

We need to be more proactive in recruiting businesses to Palo Alto, explore incentives, and help streamline the permitting process to make it easier to start a business in Palo Alto. We must also listen to the needs of our existing businesses to retain them. I will work with the council and Stanford on the proposed shopping center expansion.

The city needs to tie expense decisions to measurable benchmarks to ensure that funds are spent on essential and valuable services.

Answer from Greg Schmid:

The key to a healthy flow of future revenues is to sustain the strong growth in property taxes that come from our ability to attract young families into existing homes in the city--each year the relatively small number of new arrivals into existing properties accounts for up to 50% of the increase in our property taxes, our most important new revenue source. We must also stem the loss of both hotel and retail sales tax. We need to retain a vibrant commercial sector in our community.

Answer from Smokey Wallace:

For starters, We should perform a complete audit of City management and spending practices (i.e. efficiency). Secondly, We should launch a complete revitalization project for our business districts (i.e. increase revenue). The reality is there is never enough money to fund everything and Palo Alto needs to make some very difficult choices. In order to make these choices, Palo Alto needs a comprehensive vision, plan and process for determining community priorities.

Answer from Mark Nadim:

There is no budge deficit in Palo Alto, there is a budget crisis, the city revenue has increased but the expenses have increased too. We need to study the budget. I propose the points below,

1. Current Projects' evaluation: cut non essential projects with their staff.
2. A significant amount of the budget is going to employees' salaries and benefits. Evaluate the number of employees.
3. Evaluate the needs of each department
4. The city needs to go paperless, which will reduce the maintenance required for copiers and printers.

Answer from Yiaway Yeh:

Every day in my job, I work with local governments to identify operating efficiencies. As a management consultant, I would be excited to bring my seasoned professional background in local government to the City Council.

We need to focus on California Avenue businesses. I am interested in online, social media technology (like YouTube) to spotlight our Palo Alto business destinations.

I support an increase in the transient occupancy tax (TOT).

Answer from Yiaway Yeh:

I held my kickoff on California Avenue to highlight mixed use development. We need to thoughtfully design higher density housing along the transit corridor, while being comprehensive with our planning. An increase in housing units needs to be reconciled with anticipated impacts on our schools, open space, public transportation, traffic levels, and city services.

I support a series of workshops sponsored by the City to provide forums to dialogue on our libraries, public safety, open space, regional hospitals, fiber optic network, affordable and market rate housing, and utilities.

I am focused on how our growing retiree and young family population will live together. How we engage one another on infrastructure should incorporate our shifting demographics.

Answer from Stella Marinos:

The traffic flow patterns need to be reevaluated. There needs to be a balance of retail and business and reviewing the studies that have already been conducted.

Answer from Mark Nadim:

There is limited room to add new housing units, determine their impact on the infrastructure. We have zoning regulations in the city, and is the city's responsibility to enforce it. Support for retail is essential.

Answer from Timothy W. "Tim" Gray:

One good decision at a time. There is a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom in the people of Palo Alto, and I want to draw on this incredible resource to find a fair and reasonable approach to some very difficult dilemas. Whatever is done, we will need to assure that fair and consisent standards are set so that no party receives special advantages under the policies. Fairness is the overriding theme. We need to look into ways to address the needs within the current policies before we explore any changes. Balance is the pathway.

Answer from Smokey Wallace:

Again, we need a clear vision and plan. To accomplish this, I believe the City needs a top to bottom analysis and overhaul. We need to figure out what is working and what is not. We are spending tons of money and based upon community input we are either standing in place of falling behind. We have been putting band-aids on serious problems for years. I firmly believe Palo Alto's first priorities must be revitalizing our business districts and upgrading and or fixing our decaying infrastructure.

Answer from William D. Ross:

Meeting the City's requirements for housing involves consideration of existing economic conditions, and the changing requirements for affordable housing. Affordable housing should not be the sole responsibility of new development. Existing and potential retail businesses should be encouraged consistent with the General Plan after full input and consultation with those existing businesses and business organizations. Existing neighborhood businesses should be allowed to expand in a more efficient process to reduce unnecessary traffic outside the neighborhood. The phasing of replacement and improvement of City infrastructure should be periodically examined in the City Capital Improvement Plan, with increased reliance on Federal and State funding sources. Both operational and infrastructure budgets could be reduced with the elimination of consultant service contracts and the reliance on capable volunteers within the City to analyze those same issues.

Answer from Dan Dykwel:

The suggested housing targets are goals and we must manage our approach in a measured way, creating a sustainable level of development that can be supported without straining our infrastructure, facilities, services, schools and open space. We need to provide additional funds for infrastructure improvements and replacement and tax revenues alone may not be sufficient. We will need to ask our residents to approve bonds for the libraries and public safety building. Retail tax revenue is critical to sustaining the level of services we enjoy so I will advocate for existing retail and carefully examine new retail opportunities to ensure that potential negative impacts to the city are minimized.

Answer from Pat Burt:

I helped create a Pedestrian,Transit Oriented Development District for Palo Alto. This is true Smart Growth that provides housing with the least impact on our roads and schools. I believe that we should add housing at a pace that is in relation to our city's ability to provide schools, parks, libraries and community centers.

We must do a better job of demonstrating to our community that no dollar will be wasted so that we achieve broad community support for improved libraries and public safety buildings.

Answer from Sid Espinosa:

We meet these requirements through comprehensive planning and adherence to that plan. Palo Alto is in desperate need of infrastructure investments. We also must continue providing robust city services. But these two priorities have high price tags and the majority of funds to cover these costs come from business taxes. So, we must stop the exodus of revenue-generating businesses, like car dealerships, hotels and grocery stores. An additional factor is increased housing, which does not generate revenue for the city, but does help us address our significant jobs-housing imbalance. Palo Alto will grow, both in business and housing, but we must do it in a measured, comprehensive manner. This is why we have a comprehensive plan. We must do a better job of adhering to this plan.

Answer from Greg Schmid:

To retain the characteristics of our city, we need to absorb the increase in population that has already been approved. We lack an infrastructure that can keep pace with our increasing population--and there are already substantial deficits of library space, schoolrooms, parks and playing fields, and public spaces to meet the needs of current residents. Our real spending on services per capita is declining. We must make sure that we retain key commercial sites in town and maintain the neighborhood characteristics that attract young families.

Answer from Yiaway Yeh:

In Palo Alto, we take pride in working through tough issues to achieve a shared goal. I support the effort to pass a library bond and public safety bond:

1) The bonds will provide essential funding for improvements to our community libraries and our public safety facilities that serve Palo Alto and the region.

2) As resources for our education and emergency response, both will provide an opportunity for residents to work together toward shared resources.

Libraries and public safety provide a bridge for residents committed to quality education and safety to participate in the political process. With increasing ethnic and age diversity, the community needs to ensure opportunities for civic engagement and political participation.

Answer from Mark Nadim:

We have obligation to the region, and a deeper obligation to residents. Economics will change the demographics in Palo Alto. Affordable and subsidized housing are required.

Answer from Greg Schmid:

Palo Alto plays a number of complex and, at times, conflicting roles in our region and state. Innovation: We are part of a wider community that provides a flow of innovations and new technologies that help create jobs around the world. Workforce: We are a magnet that attracts talented workers from around the world who make Silicon Valley's workforce a model of innovation and diversity. Housing: We also provide additional housing for newcomers as part of a dynamic regional economy that has experienced high productivity growth with only modest population growth. We must balance all of these roles as we plan our future.

Answer from Pat Burt:

I have a proven record of innovative approaches to supporting regional needs to protect our environment, promote our economy and provide for a diverse and socially responsible community. I believe that the rate of growth in Palo Alto must occur at a pace and in ways that do not serve the present generation at the expense of future generations.

Answer from Stella Marinos:

Absolutely, again the city infrastructure and city services need to be addressed and researched before sensible plans and proposals can be considered.

Answer from William D. Ross:

The City does have an obligation to consider regional needs for all the factors listed but only after the determination of its proportional share affordable housing is established as being fair. Palo Alto should not pull more than its share of what is required regionally. This balance can be maintained by City Council oversight and participation in regional agencies such as BCDC, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Protecting City interests requires Regional participation.

Answer from Sid Espinosa:

Yes, we absolutely must work regionally to address community needs. That said, municipalities often have competing interests. Palo Alto and its city council have done a relatively good job, across proposals and plans, of working through regional agencies on issues that will impact the city while focusing on city-specific needs and concerns. I would work hard to find this appropriate balance.

Answer from Smokey Wallace:

The simple fact is that the Palo Alto is "built-out". That does not mean that we should not (or will not) build more housing, but we must take into account the total costs of such housing increases. One of the primary reasons for our infrastructure decay and back log is that we have historical approved development without recouping the total costs to the City. We definitely should not "steal" business space for more residential space.

Answer from Dan Dykwel:

I believe it would be to our advantage to take a more regional approach to many of the issues that are common to our neighboring cities. At a minimum, we can share ideas, reduce redundancies, improve efficiencies, and share resources.

With respect to accommodating the growing population, every citizen has an obligation to do their part to reduce global warming. We must wisely decide the most pragmatic approach to additional housing on a regional basis to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

Answer from Timothy W. "Tim" Gray:

We must cooperate with our neighbors. We can encourage completion of housing within our current protocols without changing the character of our neighborhoods. For example, we can mitigate the impact of limited growth by enabling home-based business (i.e. fiber optics as one possibility.) I love this place, and I want my children's children to wake up and say, "I love this place." We can be responsive to the needs without turning our back on the treasured environment we have created.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.