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The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of Cupertino/Sunnyvale and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Experience,
Important Concerns,
Balance Needs
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?
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Answer from Barry Chang:
As Public Safety Commission for Cupertino I aquanaut myself with all aspects of safety in our city. I worked with law enforcement and the fire department to address issues of traffic safety, residential safety, fire hazards and emergency preparedness. This gave me opportunities to interact with city government and residents to help resolve potentially hazardous and dangerous concerns and situations.
When I was a Board member of the Cupertino School District (CUSD) I worked with the City in a joint program whereby the City would maintain school playgrounds in exchange for access by residents to school playground after hours.
Answer from Darcy Paul:
I have been on the Parks and Recreation Commission for Cupertino for about two years. My legal practice focuses upon patent litigation, with a particular interest in how to structure our social incentives to promote growth and innovation.
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2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?
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Answer from Barry Chang:
There are 3 current issues related to Health and Safety which I feel are of critical concerns:
1. Air Pollution, especially mercury, emitting from Lehigh Southwest Cement Plant (formerly Hansen Permanente Cement Plant, formerly Kaiser Cement Plant):-
EPA reports that this cement plant just 3 miles west of City Hall & Library is the 5th highest mercury polluter in the nation. Tiny cumulative amounts of mercury over time can interfere with brain development. Residents come here because of our great schools. If mercury interferes with brain development some children will be incapable of benefiting from this education. This cannot be tolerated. I was the only candidate who spoke against the renewal of Lehigh's Title V permit on September 17th public hearing at Quinlan Center until they can prove they meet the latest pollution standards.
2. Unleashed dogs in City Parks:- I strongly oppose permitting unleashed dogs in neighborhood parks as posing a safety issue with children sharing the same parks. I would support a fenced off area at Stevens Creek County Park for unleashed dogs if it were properly designed to accommodate dogs.
3. Traffic congestion around schools:- Children walking or biking to school are endangered of being struck by parents flooding schools streets to drop off students. I propose organizing and centralizing car pool pick up locations around the city and only allowing car pool drop off at schools to reduce traffic.
Answer from Darcy Paul:
Right now, promoting a local economy that looks towards the future is our most important long-term priority. Council helps further this aim in part by making land-use decisions, but I'd like to see a Council that gets more engaged in actively seeking out innovators and creative thinkers who will help us bring the next generation of value-add ideas to society and the market. Cupertino is one of the leading places for attracting creative and hopeful outlooks, and I'd like to apply my training and background to help ensure that we're harnessing our talent.
Answer from Mahesh Nihalani:
1. Economic vitality of the city needs to be strengthened. I will combine the forces of the city's Redevelopment Agency and the Chamber of Commerce to actively create business development.
2. Services the city provides residents and business must be upheld, so a balanced city budget will continue to be a major issue. My business expertise will make me a leader in this arena.
3. School issues are important to the viability of a good community. I will improve our relationship with schools having had the experience of a being a parent and renter in the most impacted school traffic area of our city.
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3. How would you balance the needs of the City as a whole with groups' interests?
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Answer from Darcy Paul:
My approach is collaborative and involves a lot of time spent asking questions, doing background homework, and thinking about what the right solutions are to address the underlying tensions. In that regards, balancing the needs of a City, its residents, the local government, and various groups involved in making up the community is very much similar to resolving legal issues. So I would apply my professional and educational training, as well as my collaborative mindset, towards ensuring that we thrive together.
Answer from Barry Chang:
First I would make sure that the needs of the City were the best interests of the community, not special interest groups. If health and safety are at stake solutions must be found that do not bankrupt city coffers. I also feel we must protect the effectiveness of our great schools, the reason why many liver here. I will look very critically at group interests which could jeopardize either of these two core values. Otherwise I would consider each conflicting interest on its merits and financial impact before making any decisions.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are not edited or
corrected by the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
