Transportation - Housing - Environment - Energy

By Patrick Kolstad

Issues of Importance to the City of Santa Clara

Measure A, which I supported, passed by an overwhelming majority in 2000. It sought to remedy some of our transportation problems. The economic downturn has caused us to pause and reexamine our priorities. I believe when the economy rebounds we will still be facing transportation problems that will require our continued attention. Measure A funds have not been enough to fund all of the transit programs that were proposed, however, these transit systems still must be completed. Although the economic downturn has slowed the progress on achieving our transit goals, we need to continue toward our long term goals of BART to Santa Clara extension, electrification of Caltrain and the Light Rail extensions.

Housing: In the past we have had a significant imbalance of jobs to housing. Since I have been on the City Council, we have made significant improvements in our housing stock by building and approving thousands of new owner occupied and rental housing units. We have also made serious improvements in the area of affordable and senior housing. If re-elected, I will continue to support new housing projects to relieve the housing imbalance.

Environmental Issues: We must provide an adequate supply of water and sustainable energy for our residents and businesses. I support the long-range plan of Silicon Valley Power, our Municipal Electric Utility. This plan, to both generate and otherwise acquire sufficient electrical energy to meet our future energy needs, will insure that local residents and businesses are provided for. Our water supply must continue uninterrupted to both residential and industrial applications. Maintaining our system of City wells while working with Hetch Hetchy is critical to maintaining an adequate supply of water

Affordability and reliability are the key goals of our municipal utilities. Since I have been on the City Council, I have voted for every request to improve our utilities to achieve these goals. We have begun construction on the Don Von Raesfeld Power Plant which will generate 150 mW of power from twin gas fired combustion turbine generators. This will generate approximately 25% of our electrical load and avoid additional transmission costs in the already congested Bay Area transmission grid.

We are building a 230kV transmission line connecting our newly completed Northside Receiving Station to the P.G.&E. Los Esteros Station. This will allow additional future energy to flow to Santa Clara to provide for future energy needs.