League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
	Marty Miller Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Cupertino

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?

My relevant background includes many years of management experience with both large technology firms like HP and smaller ones. And, I'm in my ninth year as a Planning Commission. That unique combination of public and private sector experience has given me a keen sense of how to govern our City effectively and make Cupertino an even better community than it already is. I've personally helped individuals and entire neighborhoods resolve disagreements with the City. I've also worked with groups that have competing interests and brought them together to achieve consensus. My background includes direct experience in designing and gaining approvals for a senior housing in in Hollister, Ca. Cupertino is in short supply of housing alternatives for our growing population of seniors.

2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?

Improve neighborhood services: Allocate more money and focus on repairing roads and sidewalks, and reducing traffic congestion at and near school sites. Collaborate with our schools on issues of mutual interest, including protecting our schools from overcrowding.

Shore up the City's finances: The City is currently fiscally solvent. However, the loss of sales tax revenue from HP and reduced funding from the State make us vulnerable. I want to revitalize our retail sector, including Vallco and make Cupertino more business friendly. This will provide more shopping and entertainment options for residents in addition to increasing the City's sales tax revenue. I will also work with our state representatives, whom I know personally, to increase our Tax Equity Allocation (TEA).

Ensure the health, safety and emergency preparedness of our residents: Work with other agencies, regulatory bodies, and our local emergency service organizations to protect our citizens.

3. How would you balance the needs of the City as a whole with groups’ interests?

As a Planning Commissioner, I have always put our residents interest first. For example, when first appointed to the Planning Commission, the application approval process seemed backwards. First, informal discussions were held with staff and the Council, after which the applicant fully designed the project and presented it to the Planning Commission and the public. At that hearing, the residents finally got to study the project details and comment. However, the applicant was not receptive to making changes at that point. Arguments with the Community often ensued. I succeeded in changing the General Plan to require input from the Community first. The Mainstreet project, which will create a downtown for Cupertino was the first project to consider Community input before being fully designed. This resulted in a win-win for the City, the Community, and the project applicant. Approval took far less time than previous large project approvals and the Community strongly supported it because they participated in the process.

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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: October 13, 2011 23:31
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