When the City gouged residents with the highest gas bills in the nation last winter, it became obvious it's all about power -- and residents don't have any. Right now, power in this City is vested among a select group of city bureaucrats, taxpayer-subsidized developers, corporate lobbyists, and political party operatives. The result of their access and influence has been to deeply indebt the taxpayers for risky, failed or doomed downtown redevelopment projects.
I have a vision of power resting in the hands of the neighborhoods. I will work with others to change the City Charter and empower neighborhood councils.
I will oppose the building of 3500 residential units at the airport. I will oppose new commercial development that brings low-wage, no-benefit jobs and increases traffic and environmental pollution while diluting our police resources. I will follow the voter mandate of Measure J and fight for lower taxes. I support strong enforceable ethics laws.
I will vote to keep parks for open space and recreational use only. I will vote to eliminate city council slush funds and use the money to put more police officers on the street. I will work to empower neighborhoods, to bring control of important decisions that impact our quality of life, density, crime, traffic, pollution, commerce, to neighborhood councils.
I will continue to work to lower taxes and to keep faith with the mandate of voters in approving Prop. J.
I will work to bring to fruition a vision of our city, for all citizens, for more parkland, more programs for our children, better maintenance of our streets, sidewalks, and trees. I will oppose the continued squandering of this city's resources on risky development schemes based on tourism and big box retail... I believe in building our city for its citizens.
I will fight to see that density does not increase and that we mitigate the impact of poor past decision making that has brought decaying infrastructure and higher crime...