Interview Regarding Priorities

By Karen G. Stepper

Land use planning and mitigation of housing impacts are the prime issue.

Land use planning and mitigation of the impacts of new housing are the prime issue. High-density in-fill projects have impacted our traffic without providing the infrastructure for existing residents to maintain the highest high quality of life. It is time to address our traffic needs as a community by meeting with our constituents and by enlisting the help of other government agencies. We should meet with the county, transportation, and water districts rather than trying to do business during public hearings.

Better solutions require better relationships with the other government entities that make decisions that impact Danville. The past year has been demonstrated a lack of cooperative efforts on the issues by elected officials. I believe that my experience in forming successful relationships as a school board trustee for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District proves my ability to bring those financial partners together for the good of the community. In particular, I worked with builders and state agencies to create a new state model that allowed for mitigation funding from the state before our schools operating over capacity. The program brought in $20 million at Charlotte Wood Middle School before the district was inundated with problems and impacted schools. In the last year of my service on that board, we dedicated three more community parks?areas that had been neglected by a financially strapped school district became beautiful community parks and sports fields with the cooperative efforts of the city councils.

The budget deficits at the state and federal level make scrutiny of the town?s finances more critical. The Town addressed such a couple of years ago that resulted in turnover on the Town Council. I bring 20 years of experience as a certified public accountant as well as a background in fund accounting from my service on the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board. With budget deficits being funded from future years and shifting of expenses among state revenue sources, it is highly likely that there will be shortages in funding to cities throughout the state. The Town of Danville should be planning now to be sure that prioritize their budget in light of these deficits.

2. What would you like to see accomplished in the city in the next four years?

I would work to develop cooperative relationships with the county and state and thereby secure more community facilities for its residents of all ages. Current relations can be improved by meeting at the earliest planning stages.

In particular, I am acutely aware of the need for sports facilities for our residents?for the youngest players who may be the only ones in the bay area who cannot sign up for sports due the lack of fields, for our college graduates who have no leagues available in their age groups, and for our seniors who pay far more for fewer facilities than in any of our neighboring cities. Better facilities will attract business customers that increase the health of the town to meet its own financial requirements for such facilities.

There is a critical need to decrease the long internal traffic delays that take away from more quality family time. Rather than throwing money at the problem with yet more signal lights, let?s initiate more citizen solutions in their own neighborhoods, and let?s use improved relations with the county to find transportation solutions for the major commute times.

I would like to see a healthier economy in the town that better supports our businesses and decreases the need for heavy user fees of basic community facilities.