League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Margaret Capriles Answers Questions Candidate for 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.
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?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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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.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 2, 2012 19:53
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