League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 3, 2009 Election
	Corey A. Levens Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Palo Alto

The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. In light of the economic down turn and possibly reduced income for the city in future years, how do you propose to both balance the budget and meet the cities desires for quality services ?

While the economic downturn is one cause of reduced revenues, I believe the primary cause is ill-conceived policies, such as the currently proposed business tax, that have driven businesses out of Palo Alto and made the City an unattractive choice for new businesses to locate in. Rejuvenating and reinvigorating the business environment in Palo Alto is essential. On the cost side, Palo Alto has the highest ratio of workers to population and of supervisors to staff of any city in the area. We must deliver our services more efficiently and productively as we seek to balance our budget.

2. An updated Comprehensive Plan is due to be approved in 2010. What changes if any should be made to the Plan and why?

Due to legal requirements, the Comprehensive Plan is a complex document. As the primary tool for guiding development in Palo Alto, it embodies hundreds of proposed goals, programs and policies. The problem with the Plan, therefore, is not necessarily its content, but how it is implemented and enforced. The Plan is a document that can be easily manipulated and abused. It should incorporate a means to assure a more consistent and uniform application of its policies. One change I would propose is a better process for reviewing and approving projects, especially smaller projects, in a more streamlined and efficient manner.

3. The Baylands Master Plan guides land use east of Route 101. Several land use changes are currently being proposed relating to composting, recycling, parkland, airport needs, and hotel development. What land uses do you think desirable and what uses are incompatible in the Baylands?

The Baylands is one of Palo Alto's most valuable assets. As Palo Alto regains management over this valuable property, we must determine which uses best serve the needs and desires of the community. I believe the primary use of the Baylands should be as parkland and that the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Compost Task Force calling for a composting facility should be implemented. In conjunction with the Wastewater Treatment Plant, these facilities provide essential services to the community that must be maintained and preserved. Construction of a hotel on the Baylands is an inappropriate and incompatible use of this land.

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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. LWV Palo Alto is using Smart Voter information to publish a paper Voters Guide. Therefore, word limits apply to some of the sections. Contact Veronica Tincher <vtincher@yahoo.com> if you misplaced the instruction sheet with the word limits which was mailed to you. Your answers will be taken from Smart Voter at 8 p.m., September 18 and will be published in the Voters Guide. After that date, you are free to enter more information according to the Smart Voter guidelines.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 20, 2009 13:10
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