League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Council Member; City of Mountain View

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Experience, Important Concerns, Balancing Interests Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council? Answer from Jim Neal: I have attended many City Council meetings and am familiar with many of the issues that affect the City. I believe that it is actually better to have a representative that is not already part of the City machinery and that has the perspective of a resident and not a bureaucrat. Answer from Margaret Capriles: I have lived in Mountain View for over 40 years, raised a family of four and have seen many, many changes. We house some of the biggest names in technology and are home to over 74,000 people. The challenges we face have to do with expansion and success. For 27 years, I was employed in ever expanding job responsibilities for Hewlett-Packard. During the time I was with H-P, I had the opportunity to live in Paris and work around the world. It gave me a firsthand understanding and appreciation of the diverse perspectives each culture brings when addressing issues. We solved problems using data driven processes. I will use these skills in helping Mountain View solve many of the problems we currently face. My involvement in the community has been long lasting. From working in youth activities while my children were growing (swimming, scouts, gymnastics, dance, theater, etc.) to progressive leadership positions in civic and other local organizations such as President of the Los Altos Junior Women's Club, the board of directors of the El Camino YMCA, the El Camino Hospital Foundation's Hope2Health women's initiatives and Chair of the Advisory Committee of Leadership Mountain View. I believe that my long term residency, international professional experiences and skill set, plus the community leadership positions that I've held gives me the background to serve competently in the capacity of a City Council member. Answer from Mike Kasperzak: I have 12 years of elected service and have served as Mayor twice. Additionally, I have been actively involved with both the League of California Cities and the National League of Cities where I have gained valuable insights and experience on the issues facing cities as well as valuable leadership skills. 2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them? Answer from Mike Kasperzak: The lack of affordable housing continues to be a daunting problem, especially as the State dismantles programs that have traditionally helped cities meet affordable housing needs. The community has repeated said how important a diverse community is, but our diversity is threatened because of the high cost of housing. I will continue to support our Below Market Rate Housing Program, housing impact fees on commercial development which bring new employees creating more demand for housing, and a strong rental housing market. Answer from Margaret Capriles: Fiscal Responsibility: With the elimination and reduction of federal, state and county funds, it is critical to identify other sources of income and to reduce operational expenses for the City of Mountain View. One approach is to continue to attract businesses to increase the tax base and provide additional jobs. Another idea is to perform a cost benefit analysis on the current fees to ensure they provide the expected service and are competitive in the marketplace. Transportation: The high volume of people coming to work in Mountain View, together with the number of residents, has created a traffic challenge and has an environmental impact. We must coordinate with multiple transportation agencies to provide cost effective, frequent and efficient schedules and easily accessible alternatives to move around the Peninsula. In addition we need to augment those offerings with a local solution such as more and safer bicycle and pedestrian routes as well as a shuttle to provide alternatives to cars. Development: As we begin to implement the General Plan of 2030, several areas of change have been identified for additional development - including El Camino Corridor, San Antonio, North Bayshore and East Whisman. It is imperative that we have a precise plan for each area with neighborhood input to ensure we maintain the vitality, character and diversity of Mountain View. Answer from Jim Neal: As listed in my priorities, the concerns are the budget, High Speed Rail, and protecting the civic rights of residents. I would address them by finding new, more creative ways to provide excellent benefits for City Employees without bankrupting the City, by joining the cities that are suing to put an end to High Speed Rail on the peninsula, and by insisting that an ban being considered be placed on the ballot so that the people can decide instead of the police power of the state being imposed upon them arbitrarily based on the personal preferences of the current council members. 3. How would you balance the needs of the city as a whole with groups’ interests? Answer from Jim Neal: The needs of the residents would take top priority. I believe that almost everything that has a positive impact on the residents will be definition have a positive impact on the city as well. Answer from Margaret Capriles: Within the General Plan 2030, the strategy of the City has been established to guide Mountain View over the next 18 years. The immediate needs as previously stated will be the first priority and will be based on the available budget and grants to support the effort. Interest groups will present their critical needs to the City and those needs will be balanced with other groups request and the overall strategy. In addition the interest groups needs will be considered along with the annual goals of the city and the available funds available to support the overall needs. The interest groups' benefit to the city as a whole will also be part of the consideration in how the city will move forward. Answer from Mike Kasperzak: We represent the City as a whole, and my belief is that Council Members should do what is in the best interests of the City as whole. That can lead to more significant negative impacts to some. It is important to minimize the negative impacts as much as possible and ensure that the community benefits are as broad as possible and are needed. Additionally, it I have found with experience that concerns that are voiced before a decision is made do not usually materialize, or are not as significant as had been feared. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Please answer each question in no more than 400 words. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.