With the filing period concluding last week, 12 Palo Alto residents have officially entered the race for the five contested seats on the City Council.
The group of candidates is made up of three incumbents, three members of the watchdog group Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning, a legislative aide, a retired history teacher, an engineer who wants to make the city "10 times better" and a concert producer hoping that this bid for a council seat goes better than his prior two. It also includes an advocate for the homeless community and, as of this week, an intellectual-property attorney from a major law firm.
A. C. Johnston, the managing partner in the Palo Alto office of the law firm Morrison Foerster, was the last candidate to file his nomination papers before Wednesday's deadline, joining a large and eclectic list of aspiring lawmakers. Johnston, who grew up in Chicago, has spent the past 25 years in Palo Alto, a period that was interrupted by stints in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
Johnston, 68, told the Weekly that public service runs in his family. As a son of an Illinois state legislator, Johnston said he has long thought about running and has recently decided that now the time is right for him to do so. He said he has no "preconceived idea" of what the city's most burning issues currently are.
"My priority is really to talk to the citizens and find out what's on their mind," Johnston said.
Overall, he said, the biggest issue for the city is "how to maintain the quality of life in Palo Alto, which is obviously outstanding." While many of the candidates have adopted the "residentialist" label, which connotes slow-growth sentiments, Johnston stressed the city's "international reputation" and said he can't imagine the city halting growth entirely.
"Palo Alto is internationally recognized as the center of innovation," said Johnston, who lives downtown. "For us to say that we should not change in Palo Alto just seems to be contrary to everything that the city stands for."
Johnston's entry means this year's council race will have twice as many candidates as the city's last council election, which took place in 2012 — this despite the withdrawal of panhandler Victor Frost and Alma Place resident Richard Wendorf, neither of whom turned in their nomination papers, according to City Clerk Donna Grider.
The field of candidates includes incumbents Karen Holman, Greg Scharff and Mayor Nancy Shepherd. It also includes three residents — Tom DuBois, Eric Filseth, and Lydia Kou — who have opposed "upzoned" developments and who helped lead last year's battle over Measure D, in which voters overturned a council-approved housing development on Maybell Avenue. Candidate John Fredrich, a retired Gunn High School teacher, supported the Maybell project, which included 60 housing units for low-income seniors, but he also identifies himself as a "residentialist."
Also embracing that label is Mark Weiss, who is running in his third straight election and who routinely rhapsodizes about the outsized influence of developers in local politics. Seelam Reddy, a retired Boeing engineer, has been less fixed in his positions, which range from demanding more transparency and limiting growth to preventing the closure of the Page Mill YMCA.
Cory Wolbach, a staff member for state Sen. Jerry Hill, has put his legislative work on hold so that he can seek a council seat. He also said he was concerned about Palo Alto's planning process and the parking and traffic impacts of commercial growth, though he tempers these concerns by advocating for more housing.
Wayne Douglass, who like Wolbach entered the race in the waning weeks of the filing period, said his interest in running was spurred by the council's recent actions toward the homeless population. This includes last year's ban on vehicle habitation, an ordinance that was put on hold after the courts rejected a similar law in Los Angeles.
The large number of slow-growth candidates could tilt the majority of the nine-member council toward its more "residentialist wing," currently occupied by Holman, Pat Burt and Greg Schmid. The two candidates who have been most open minded about growth, Larry Klein and Gail Price, will be concluding their terms this year. Klein will be termed out, ending a career that included about two decades of service, four council terms and three terms as mayor. Price, who is completing her first term, has opted not to run.
Comments
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 15, 2014 at 9:35 pm
on Aug 15, 2014 at 9:35 pm
"A. C. Johnston, the managing partner in the Palo Alto office of the law firm Morrison Foerster, "
New name, this may be a perfectly good candidate but I am suspicious of lawyers for PACC, I think of Scharff and Berman.
We don't need talkers and wordsmith specialists, we need other skills. An economist, a mathematician, anyone that can count?
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 8:41 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 8:41 am
@lawyers & Politics. Palo Alto's budget is in great shape. Scharff did a great job on the budget ensuring that Palo Alto was fiscally responsible and focused on pension and benefit reform and infrastructure. Berman likewise on the city's infrastructure task force did an outstanding job. Klein a lawyer also has a very strong grasp of the budget. The lawyers on Council are strong council members who have an excellent grasp of the numbers and the budget process
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 8:50 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 8:50 am
Palo Alto's Budget in great shape,
All three of them can't calculate a public benefit though.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:10 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:10 am
Palo Altos budget in great shape,
Just wondering, since Scharff, Klein, and Berman have done a great job with infrastructure, does that include the very bad state of our streets?
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:35 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:35 am
Lawyers and Politics
Actually they and the Council doubled the spending on our streets and have really focused on improving the quality of our streets. There has been a lot of discussion on this issue and Pat Burt has talked extensively on how the quality of our streets have improved in the last few years due to the Council's commitment to improving them.
Also to be fair, the PC's with marginal public benefits occurred prior to this council. They can clearly calculate a public benefit maybe a little to much so. Think the 60 million dollar public safety building at the Jay Paul site.
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:38 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:38 am
Council Member Klein voted in his 1st term to enrich the pension benefits which contributed to the deficits the city had.
All three have recently been on spending spree, and not mindful of the costs; examples are the California Ave lane reduction project, which was suppose to cost the city $1 million, and is now costing the city over $6 million; another example is the renovation of the lobby of City Hall, which started as less than $1 million, and is now $4.5 million.
All three (Berman, Scharf & Klein) only talk about how dire the infrastructure needs are when they want to pass new taxes; but when it comes to allocating budget money they find all these pet projects to spend money on instead of infrastructure.
The city budget is in great shape due to a local booming economy leading to
1) better than expected revenue from sales tax
2) real estate appreciation, generating more than expected revenue from property taxes and real estate transfer taxes
3) getting more revenue from the utilities through raising rates and reclassifying what were city operating expenses as utility expenses so that they can charge the residents without a vote.
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:43 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:43 am
The Lytton Gateway project, with a severe lack of parking was passed by Klein, Scharf, Shepard - they justified the allowing the lack of parking by declaring that the "building itself was the public benefit" - I would consider that to be extremely marginal as a benefit.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:46 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:46 am
> Palo Alto's budget is in great shape
The "budget" is a function of revenues, rather than expenditures, most of the time. While the State can sell bonds up the yazoo to cover overspending, small City governments can not.
We still have a lot of unfunded liability--of which most people are simply not aware. Certainly it's unlikely that Greg Scharff can speak to the issue of how much we owe, and how much we have yet to pay.
The fact that the City committed over $300M to higher wages over the next thirty years demonstrated a complete disregard for common sense use of public money. The pension obligations on this additional $300M has not been identified.
Scharff may have mouthed an interest about some budget items, but there is little evidence that he actually did anything about those items.
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:52 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:52 am
Johnston "has no "preconceived idea" of what the city's most burning issues currently are."
So he doesn't read the papers or the web or talk to anyone now?
[Portion removed due to disrespectful comment.]
The 3 lawyers on the council are concerned about the possible loss of Scharff and retirement of Klein. They need another ignorant lawyer like Berman who will vote for corporate/real estate interests and support the Manager's wild spending.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:53 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 9:53 am
> Actually they and the Council doubled the spending on our streets
So .. how much does “doubling spending” actually come to?
The P/W people use a computer program to determine the need for serving on our streets. At one time the P/W people published this list, so that people could get a sense of when their street would be resurfaced next. Not certain if the P/W are still doing this, but they should be.
> Pat Burt says ..
And on what basis is Mr. Burt making this judgment? In this day and age, the City should be making road usability determinations frequently, and posting those on its web-site. Burt may be right, but it’s unlikely that he has actually driven the streets of Palo Alto, or even insisted that the P/W be made available.
Burt is an example of someone who has very little knowledge of how large organizations should operate in the age of information.
Crescent Park
on Aug 16, 2014 at 10:03 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 10:03 am
This is easy and hard:
Kou, DuBouis, and Filseth are the three best by far.
After that, I hold my nose and vote for Holman.
The fifth vote... I have no idea, except that it won't be for Scharff or Shepherd. Wolbach looks like a Marc Berman clone, right down to the evasive positions and collection of establishment endorsements, and Berman has been an awful shill for special interests in his time on the council. He's probably off the list. I'm genuinely undecided for vote 5.
At least we will get some new blood on what has been an extrordinarily incapable and tone deaf council.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 11:27 am
on Aug 16, 2014 at 11:27 am
Palo Alto's Budget is in great shape,
"Pat Burt has talked extensively on how the quality of our streets have improved in the last few years due to the Council's commitment to improving them."
It's their job, please.
I beg to differ about the quality of our streets. I was thinking the other day that maybe the bad streets downtown are natural speed bumps. Forest got a lift, notice how different all the other streets around it are.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 16, 2014 at 12:42 pm
on Aug 16, 2014 at 12:42 pm
@voter,
You do not have to choose a 5th vote, in fact, since we do not have ranked choice voting, if you vote for someone just to cast that vote, you will essentially be voting against your preferred candidates.
If there are 3 candidates for two slots, and two opposing positions each have a favored candidate and one they don't care so much about, if everyone casts a vote for their favored candidate plus the 3rd person everyone is lukewarm about, that lukewarm person will get by far the most votes.
I am going to vote only for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois. I'm not even going to vote for Holman, she has an incumbent advantage, and her followers may bring her in anyway. But a Council in which she gets twice as many votes because she is a second choice and possibly bumps the best candidate we've had in years, Filseth, is not an acceptable outcome to me. So I am going to cast only 3 votes, for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois, so that I am not essentially voting against them with my other two votes.
You do not have to cast all your votes. Since we don't have ranked choice voting, it's better not to vote for anyone you wouldn't want to see on Council over your most favored candidates.
Midtown
on Aug 16, 2014 at 12:53 pm
on Aug 16, 2014 at 12:53 pm
I am looking very carefully at anyone who earns a living through development. That includes lawyers, architects, real estate people.
The members of these professions have sold us down the river for a long time.
Time for a change: NO ONE who earns a living from development.
Old Palo Alto
on Aug 16, 2014 at 1:50 pm
on Aug 16, 2014 at 1:50 pm
If the quality of our streets is so great, why are they in a perpetual state of repair, many at the same time, and have potholes by the time their repair is finished? Could it be that there is too much traffic traveling on them due to overdevelopment, which is by far the largest problem we are facing?
Barron Park
on Aug 16, 2014 at 4:10 pm
on Aug 16, 2014 at 4:10 pm
There are only 3 candidates, who don't appear to be "more of the same" and have demonstrated their commitment against monster developments with scant parking and will push back on office spaces/ABAG. I'm voting for Filseth, Kou, and DeBois. If you don't like what you're seeing around Palo Alto (e.g. high density, traffic, no parking), then vote the incumbents out!
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 17, 2014 at 12:55 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 12:55 am
Pants on Fire:
New development only benefits the developers, rarely the real estate professionals. When new condo complexes go in the developers sell directly to buyers, so real estate agents do not get in on the action. Eventually, the new condos start to turn over, but if the City has been over-developed the value drops and it is harder to sell homes.
As the spouse of a Realtor, I can tell you this family is staunchly anti-development. I can't speak for all the realtors out there though. Our votes are going to Kou, DuBois, and Filseth. And we will not use our additional two votes since we don't want to support any candidates other than those we want to win. Too bad we can't take our five votes and allocate them among the candidates we want to win.
College Terrace
on Aug 17, 2014 at 1:56 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 1:56 am
How about giving Sea Reddy, me,, the opportunity to 'serve' you the community of Palo Alto.
I an grateful every day for being in Palo Alto. I came to work on 31 January 2012 as a contract consultant at VMware in Tech Ops Mergers and Acquisitions Integration group supporting about 10 M&As and divestitures.
I am a naturalized citizen of US. I came to US on 20 August 1973 to attend Texas Tech University, as a graduate student in Industrial Engineering.
After having admitted to over 14 schools, including Carnegie Mellon; I had to pick one that I could succeed and that I could afford; as I come from a modest background (wealth) and my father passed away in 1970; did not have much money in the bank to assure the US consulate.
Texas Tech was the best choice as the tuition then was $14/unit for foreign students.Carnegie Mellon was $40/unit.
I was happy with my choice of Texas Tech. It was of the caliber like USC/Loyola/University of Iowa etc.
Rest is history. I got my degree, Masters in Industrial Engineering in 3 semesters +summers and got my degree by December 1974 with thesis option. Good Christmas present in 1974.
My fascination with Palo Alto began when I drove with my brother Vijay and his wife Subada all the way from Fort Collins, Colorado where he was a PhD student in Agronomy. We stayed with my sister-in-law's uncle who was working at National Semiconductor and lived in San Jose on Turriff way. We spent 2-3 days; and one day was to visit Stanford.
I remember vividly, this in December 1973, we toured the campus, there was drought, and we went on Hoover Tower.
I knew then, what it is like to be at a University town; and I always wanted to retire near a community that is highly educated and better than my level of education.
I set my dreams to be here since 1973 December.
My dreams came true when I finished my 35 year non-stop career in Orange County having force retired from Boeing (22 Years) with Hughes+MDC+Boeing twice experience - retired in May 2010.
During this time, jobs were hard to find; I had a lot of time to think through, came to a determination to pursue my dream and come to Palo Alto to retire; and work here, study here, live here.
I interviewed with VMware the day after MLK holiday; started work at VMware on 31 January 2012.
It has been a dream come true. A humble kid that grew up in a small village, a third son of a farmer/social worker is able to live in Palo Alto.
I never forget all the opportunities that have been provided to me; my parents; my teacher uncle; our two moms; Late Dr. Jerry Ramsey my thesis advisor; Don Ludlum President and my mentor recommended me to get my green card in 1975; Harry Schwartz at Aerojet with two executives Bob Bagnoli and Pat Ceglia, now in their 90s; John Poladian at Northrop with Larry Beuder; JoAnne Kaneda in 1989 working on DIRECTV and PANAMSAT deals; and Radha Radhakrisnan, my leader and mentor at HUGHES and Boeing.
35 years + 2 Years (VMware)
Great life, great people; wonderful experience.
Now, I am ready to serve you:
Here is what I have written earlier:
Posted by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 8, 2014 at 3:56 am
Good morning
Our plan
1. OPEN and Transparent governance; no more hidden agendas
1. No new tall buildings/contained growth/little growth
2. No new affordable housing projects
3. Resolve traffic congestion + school board/school issues
4. Be senior citizen/family/youth/student friendly
5. No new taxes; strive to lower taxes
6. Respect home owners/and renters needs; keep our town clean; remove trash
7. Refurbish old buildings and innovative energy solutions
8. Plant more trees and green grass - less concrete
9. Keep downtown bustling; make it inviting - keep parking rules the same
10.Team with our stake holders; School Board, Stanford, businesses
11.Innovate not stagnate
Respectfully
Posted by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 3, 2014 at 3:16 am
My purpose to move to Palo Alto was deliberate. A small town, smart people, beautiful trees, great access to hospital as I need these services; intellectual stimulus, hundreds of start ups; and many more!
I repeat I feel we live in heaven on earth. My specific work experience on mergers and acquisitions work is on due diligence; day 1 preparation, integration of the acquired company into our company etc.
I am not going to sell out to anybody including big businesses.
We do need their cooperation to take great initiatives to make our lives better and smarter to get 10x fold improvements. We can influence them.
It is again give and take.
Respectfully
College Terrace
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:40 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:40 am
How about giving Sea Reddy, me, the opportunity to 'serve' you the community of Palo Alto.
I am grateful every day for being in Palo Alto. I came to work on 31 January 2012 as a contract consultant at VMware in Tech Ops Mergers and Acquisitions Integration group supporting about 10 M&As and divestitures.
I am a naturalized citizen of US. I came to US on 20 August 1973 to attend Texas Tech University, as a graduate student in Industrial Engineering.
After having admitted to over 14 schools, including Carnegie Mellon; I had to pick one that I could succeed and that I could afford; as I come from a modest background (wealth) and my father passed away in 1970; did not have much money in the bank to assure the US consulate.
Texas Tech was the best choice as the tuition then was $14/unit for foreign students. Carnegie Mellon was $40/unit.
I was happy with my choice of Texas Tech. It was of the caliber like USC/Loyola/University of Iowa etc.
Rest is history. I got my degree, Masters in Industrial Engineering in 3 semesters +summers and got my degree by December 1974 with thesis option. Good Christmas present in 1974.
My fascination with Palo Alto began when I drove with my brother Vijay and his wife Subada all the way from Fort Collins, Colorado where he was a PhD student in Agronomy. We stayed with my sister-in-law's uncle who was working at National Semiconductor and lived in San Jose on Turriff way. We spent 2-3 days; and one day was to visit Stanford.
I remember vividly, this in December 1973, we toured the campus, there was drought, and we went on Hoover Tower.
I knew then, what it is like to be at a University town; and I always wanted to retire near a community that is highly educated and better than my level of education.
I set my dreams to be here since 1973 December.
My dreams came true when I finished my 35 year non-stop career in Orange County having force retired from Boeing (22 Years) with Hughes+MDC+Boeing twice experience - retired in May 2010.
During this time, jobs were hard to find; I had a lot of time to think through, came to a determination to pursue my dream and come to Palo Alto to retire; and work here, study here, live here.
I interviewed with VMware the day after MLK holiday; started work at VMware on 31 January 2012.
It has been a dream come true. A humble kid that grew up in a small village, a third son of a farmer/social worker is able to live in Palo Alto.
I never forget all the opportunities that have been provided to me; my parents; my teacher uncle; our two moms; Late Dr. Jerry Ramsey my thesis advisor; Don Ludlum President and my mentor recommended me to get my green card in 1975; Harry Schwartz at Aerojet with two executives Bob Bagnoli and Pat Ceglia, now in their 90s; John Poladian at Northrop with Larry Beuder; JoAnne Kaneda in 1989 working on DIRECTV and PANAMSAT deals; and Radha Radhakrisnan, my leader and mentor at HUGHES and Boeing.
35 years + 2 Years (VMware)
Great life, great people; wonderful experience.
Now, I am ready to serve you:
Here is what I have written earlier:
Posted by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 8, 2014 at 3:56 am
Good morning
Our plan
1. OPEN and Transparent governance; no more hidden agendas
1. No new tall buildings/contained growth/little growth
2. No new affordable housing projects
3. Resolve traffic congestion + school board/school issues
4. Be senior citizen/family/youth/student friendly
5. No new taxes; strive to lower taxes
6. Respect home owners/and renters needs; keep our town clean; remove trash
7. Refurbish old buildings and innovative energy solutions
8. Plant more trees and green grass - less concrete
9. Keep downtown bustling; make it inviting - keep parking rules the same
10.Team with our stake holders; School Board, Stanford, businesses
11.Innovate not stagnate
Respectfully
Posted by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 3, 2014 at 3:16 am
My purpose to move to Palo Alto was deliberate. A small town, smart people, beautiful trees, great access to hospital as I need these services; intellectual stimulus, hundreds of start ups; and many more!
I repeat I feel we live in heaven on earth. My specific work experience on mergers and acquisitions work is on due diligence; day 1 preparation, integration of the acquired company into our company etc.
I am not going to sell out to anybody including big businesses.
We do need their cooperation to take great initiatives to make our lives better and smarter to get 10x fold improvements. We can influence them.
It is again give and take.
Respectfully
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:45 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:45 am
@Sea,
You don't have to serve on Council to contribute. Whether you are elected or not, I hope you will continue to participate as a citizen in making our town a better place to live.
One thing that would make things better would be to hold City Council to providing the open space promised in the city code to compensate for development. Where is it? How is it really accounted for? We've just been losing sky and views and open space, there has been no compensating open space. How do we enforce what's in the code?
Again, whether you win or not, figuring out what leverage residents have takes a combination of investigating and understanding use law, state and local laws, and just plain understanding local politics. We need all the contributions possible. Thank you for your contributions.
I'm still only going to vote for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois. But I hope to see you working for the benefit of our city's future. Thank you.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:47 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 2:47 am
of course i meant "land use law"....
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 17, 2014 at 8:25 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 8:25 am
> He said he has no "preconceived idea" of what the
> city's most burning issues currently are.
Wow! Another well-informed downtown Palo Alto businessman who believes he should be in charge of our lives ..
Given the poor cast of characters on this year’s stage .. it’s not hard to predict a fairly large Recall within a year of the next election.
College Terrace
on Aug 17, 2014 at 9:28 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 9:28 am
based on last comment..
I agree. Why should we not have ballot initiative for many 'costly' projects?
Why put the burden on '9' members of community. We need more representation on tough decisions.
Respectfully
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 17, 2014 at 10:34 am
on Aug 17, 2014 at 10:34 am
There's 80 days until the election so I hope to earn the votes of those who are planning to bullet ballot the other residentialists.
I am only one of two candidates (with Cory) who are products of the local schools.
I'm not sure if I buy the Measure D>PASZ>slate argument that things are changing here. I've seen a gradual worsening of the relationship between leadership and the rest of us, 2009 to today. The Comp Plan review, rather than how its billed, is an end-run around process.
More important than 3, 4 or 5 residentialists added to council would be 500 people like myself, Tim Gray, Neilson Buchanon, Mac Beasley, CARDD ladies leaning in, speaking out, entering the discussion in a big way to try to re-take the city of Palo Alto from powerful oligarchical special interests, most obviously commercial real estate developers.
Contrary to what it says above, that I hope to do better, I think going from 800 votes in 2009 to nearly 6,000 votes in 2012 -- all without spending a dime -- means I would like to CONTINUE do as well as I have been in this five-year process: that would project to about 30,000 votes, making me the most popular Palo Altan of all-time.
Read George Packer "The Unwinding" for more on what's going on, the big picture.
By the way, I asked three candidates about a voluntary cap on campaign spending here and they all say "no way". Do the math.
Green Acres
on Aug 18, 2014 at 1:02 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 1:02 pm
The current council has not demonstrated good leadership or good fiscal management. There are lots of examples but the Mitchell Park Library and the scheme for shuttling workers from the bay lands to downtown really stand out. I have not seen a single comment that supports how the library construction was handled or the shuttle idea.
The only solution for us residents is to put in place new council members who, with others currently on the Council, can form a majority of five. It is therefore essential to elect all three true residentialists Kou, Filseth, and Dubois. As stated by others, it is also important not to vote for other candidates just because you have five votes.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Aug 18, 2014 at 2:20 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 2:20 pm
We need only 7 City Council members so that there will be less of THEM talking and more of US talking at meetings.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:18 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:18 pm
I've known and worked with Lydia Kou, both as a Realtor and a friend, for many years. I'd say that the fact that she has been an excellent Realtor certainly does NOT make her developer friendly....it just gives her great respect for maintaining this town as a friendly, residential family based area. Realtors seldom get clients from developers. Lydia has always been dedicated to this town. She worked diligently to keep Barron Park safe...both from through traffic, earthquake safety and awareness and community involvement. Those streets are very narrow. I'm certainly proud to be voting for her!
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:21 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:21 pm
What compels me to run is the nuttiness of recent Palo Alto self-governance. Prime examples:
a) we need 7 not 9;
b) use only 3 of your 5 votes.
This does not add up people. Bottom line, there are 60,000 citizens, about 20,000 voters, you can predict about 15,000 turnout on Nov. 4. There are more of us than there are of you: trolls, non-responsive current leadership, hordes of lobbyists and other black ops.
With due respect to Lydia, Eric and Tom who I am getting to know fairly well and may end up voting for, if they earn it: plenty of Palo Altans will chose me before or instead of them, and many of the people who sponsor them also advise and sponsor and will vote for me. It's hard to say if the 22 or so people who post here under pseudonyms represent 2, 3, 5 or 22 actual Palo Alto voters, but again there are 20,000 actual voters so time will tell what is the will of the people.
Why don't y'all start putting your opines behind your own names? What are you afraid of? Democracy takes some grit, courage, will.
Gunn High School
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:24 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Love this song but it's message does not apply here:
Web Link
Midtown
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:45 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 4:45 pm
The only " residentialist" I might vote for is Kuo. Dubois hysterical and false pronouncements regarding signage at alma plaza disqualify him for consideration and filseth et al has a too long history of any development near where he lives. Will note vote for Holman-- out of touch and has ethics issues. Can't wait to see who the weekly endorses, so I will know who else not to vote for.
Mark- do you also oppose anonymous voting? That is the ultimate opine
BTW- which candidates oppose a spending cap? Put the names for us to see. What are you afraid of?
Greenmeadow
on Aug 18, 2014 at 5:07 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 5:07 pm
ME TOO>>>>>
I am going to vote only for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois. I'm not even going to vote for Holman, she has an incumbent advantage, and her followers may bring her in anyway. But a Council in which she gets twice as many votes because she is a second choice and possibly bumps the best candidate we've had in years, Filseth, is not an acceptable outcome to me. So I am going to cast only 3 votes, for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois, so that I am not essentially voting against them with my other two votes.
College Terrace
on Aug 18, 2014 at 5:58 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 5:58 pm
Over the weekend I attended an event at Palo alto medical foundation with 40+ vendors providing various health care giving solutions.
I was impressed with PAMF facility. I got to say hello to the CEO/coo and a founding member doctor.
When I asked bith of them regarding higher billing by both pamf and stanford medical they agree that the costs need to be rkught down. Hope the do. It will help our seniors whose value of the houses gone up but do not have cash on hand.
I was also impressed with the underpass to go to alma.
Could we have something similar at embarcadaro/paly crossing?
Respectfully
College Terrace
on Aug 18, 2014 at 6:38 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Corrected with spelling errors. Sorry
Over the weekend I attended an event at Palo Alto Medical Foundation with 40+ vendors providing various health care giving solutions.
I was impressed with PAMF facility. I got to say hello to the CEO/COO and a founding member doctor.
When I asked both of them regarding higher billing by both PAMF and Stanford medical, they agree that the costs need to be brought down. Hope they do. It will help our seniors whose value of the houses gone up but some do not have cash on hand.
I was also impressed with the underpass to go to Alma.
Could we have something similar at Embarcadero/PA High crossing?
Respectfully
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 7:50 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 7:50 pm
and then there are the straight up politicians! (and it does not matter where they went to high school)
I got an email invitation to a Cory Wolbach's ice cream social and I DO NOT KNOW HIM.
I THINK HE HAS MY EMAIL ADDRESS FROM THE CITY WEBSITE.
It happens to be an email address where I receive City of Palo Alto notices and actually also PAUSD.
HOW did his campaign get my email address??
I will probably never know but I can guess.
This was not a great way to be invited to get to know him.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 8:11 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 8:11 pm
@ME TOO
"ME TOO>>>>>
I am going to vote only for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois. I'm not even going to vote for Holman, she has an incumbent advantage, and her followers may bring her in anyway. But a Council in which she gets twice as many votes because she is a second choice and possibly bumps the best candidate we've had in years, Filseth, is not an acceptable outcome to me. So I am going to cast only 3 votes, for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois, so that I am not essentially voting against them with my other two votes."
For the other two votes, what about a write-in campaign?
I was at an event over the weekend in which some people were bandying about the idea of a write-in campaign for people who might actually serve if they got enough votes. Even if they don't, having a write-in campaign would serve as a counter to the advantage of weak incumbents in multiple-slot voting and prevent displacing a much better new candidate because we don't have ranked choice.
Over time, I have been more and more impressed with Tim Gray and his thoughtfulness and fearlessness as a community leader. He's definitely not going to run, but if he won a write-in, a lot of people would work on convincing him to serve, he might be convince-able. Even if he didn't serve, the next highest vote getter below would get the spot, right?
Another name we bandied about was Bob Moss, although there is the concern that if he served, we would then lose the best citizen watchdog in town. However, if he won a write-in, it's possible he could be convinced to serve.
A grassroots write-in campaign would have to stick with just two names. Does anyone have any other suggestions besides Tim Gray and Bob Moss? What about Nielson Buchanon? Art Lieberman? (I was going to suggest Cheryl Lilienstein, but she is running some campaigns already. Also Joe Hirsch, but he has flatly said he wouldn't serve even if he did win, he feels he's more effective as an involved citizen right now.)
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:23 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:23 pm
citizen,
I would write in Bob Moss even if he was a lawyer.
I'm in for the write-in idea. Tim Gray I recall has always made sense.
The issue I have with with lawyers and politics is how shamelessly they try to be everything to everyone. It's like walking around with a mirror, they repeat whatever you said and then ask YOU what to believe in, they repeat that and keep going without an original thought or idea.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:25 pm
on Aug 18, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Love the idea of write in Tim Gray.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 19, 2014 at 7:23 am
on Aug 19, 2014 at 7:23 am
Rupert -- if that's your real name --
There's confidentiality and then there is running around in a white hood. No, I don't think we should have to sign our ballots.
I refuse to accept donations -- and people offer -- in sympathy with the concern over Citizens United and McCutcheon cases. To date, in two cycles (garnering a "combined" 6,800 votes) and three weeks into this campaign, I have spent ZERO on campaign per se (save filing fees, running tab $75).
This year, for yucks, I am likely to spend up to $1,000 out of pocket, if I can think of a worthy use of the money. Something arty, and smart not crass stupid and cliche. No yard signs. I am for a yartzeit on yard signs.
I asked other candidates to agree to a cap of $10,000 -- that's way above what I might spend.
And since this sometimes linked, and was in fact reported incorrectly in other papers, I sat thru a Union panel on candidates, that they might endorse, but refused to sign a contract that would pledge me to vote with them. I think of myself as pro-worker, pro-middle class, pro-democracy, but not pro-Union.
For the record, I worked on campaigns of: Jerry Brown, Becky Morgan, Tom Campbell, Jeff Adachi, Steve Cohen.
Here is an article on this by Robert Reich (my fellow Dartmouthian -- he a few years ahead of me, I'm certain we had some of the same professors); I also recommend his film "Inequality For All"
Web Link
I will keep to myself who among the candidates I am talking to -- I would say at this point I have spoken, in the last three weeks, to 9 of the 12, and maybe 5 or 6 of the nine current council, in side-bars and in passing if not strategy sessions per se.
Although I get in their jock a bit, I would say I could work with anyone on council. I was pretty tough on Klein in my blog post last night, but in theory I could find an overlap and mutual common interest, for the good of the people, our community. (I attacked him for his habit of turning his back, looking away or leaving the room when I speak to or am interviewed by council...)
I hope people use the full 80 days to decide and do not mail back the ballots early.
But we need rank-choice balloting or districting or both, better than bullet-ballot scenarios.
Read my blog if you want more nuanced versions of how I think.
There's also a Times article on trolls:
Web Link
I call this "whack-a-troll" but it seems miles away from discourse and Democracy...
You don't think you can win the respect of intelligent readers writing under your own name?
Downtown North
on Aug 19, 2014 at 9:23 am
on Aug 19, 2014 at 9:23 am
Mark,
"Rupert of Hentzau" is a literary reference to The Prisoner of Zenda.
Just one comment here, since it's a wry chuckle. Most people I know in town work long hours and are so busy with their job, their kids, and their mortgage/rent that they just don't have bandwidth to get involved in City affairs closely. That's why you pay for a city government.
"A long history of development near where you live," is exactly the kind of thing that prompts people to start paying more personal attention to this stuff.
Old Palo Alto
on Aug 19, 2014 at 9:30 am
on Aug 19, 2014 at 9:30 am
Mayor Sheppard should not be re elected. She is pro development and is out of touch with her constituents. She recently said that she would not be bullied by her constituents, i.e., I don't care what my constituents want. She is tone deaf and does not have the intellectual ability to continue serving the citizens of PA.
University South
on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:10 am
on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:10 am
> "Rupert of Hentzau" is a literary reference to The Prisoner of Zenda.
No. It's a corruption of the name of that legendary chicken farmer "Rupert of henzhaus."
College Terrace
on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:41 am
on Aug 19, 2014 at 11:41 am
I will be voting for Kou, Filseth, and DuBois.
I want Scharff and Shepherd to be voted out so badly that I may vote for Holman as well simply as a practical matter, although I completely understand the point raised by "citizen" above and will be thinking hard about that. I'll probably make a game time decision. I also don't want "Marc Berman 2.0" Cory Wolbach getting anywhere near the council chamber. One underpowered, overmatched "youth for youth's sake" candidate who thinks he will be president someday is enough.
Writing in Tim Gray is a great idea.
Midtown
on Aug 19, 2014 at 3:22 pm
on Aug 19, 2014 at 3:22 pm
"Rupert -- if that's your real name --"
Of course that is not my real name. But why does it matter?
"You don't think you can win the respect of intelligent readers writing under your own name?"
I am not looking for respect. And for the record, the overwhelming number of posts on this forum are done anonymously. The editors know that if they limited posting to registered users, traffic would go,down by about 90%.
But speaking of anonymous, mark, you alleged that 3 council candidates refused a campaign spending cap. Who,are they. [Portion removed due to disrespectful comment.]
Midtown
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:33 pm
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Looks like we can plan on another vanilla election season, orchestrated by the weekly. All the candidates will tell us how much they love Palo Alto, while avoiding any serious discussion on the problems facing our city. And, of course, the weekly, in their coverage will.avoid asking any tough questions.
Then before Election Day, the weekly will,ride to our rescue and tell us who the ignorant masses in Palo Alto should vote for. God forbid the voters in the city should realize that they should ignore the weekly's recommendations, given their personal interest in controlling election outcome.
And just remember, everyone, all the members of the current council that everyone is upset with were heartily endorse by the weekly prior to their election!!!!!!!! And remember the candidacy of Tim gray, who,would not spend money on campaign advertising.
Old Palo Alto
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:35 pm
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:35 pm
Rupert of Henzau, please tell us who you are voting for. That will make my choices very easy.
Midtown
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:40 pm
on Aug 19, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Boscoli-- right now I a, bullet voting:
Cory wolbach and see-Selma reddy.
But that could change depending on who the weekly endorses come November. But I can assure you I will not be voting for Holman ( who, BTW was again in the news relating to her " finder fee" and conflict of interest issues. As reported by the real local newspaper)
Glad to be of assistance in helping with your voting questions
Old Palo Alto
on Aug 19, 2014 at 5:34 pm
on Aug 19, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Thank you kindly, now I know who I'm not voting for.
College Terrace
on Aug 20, 2014 at 7:24 am
on Aug 20, 2014 at 7:24 am
Seelam Sea Reddy, a candidate for city council - PALO ALTO
on Jul 8, 2014 at 3:56 am and revised Aug 20, 2014
Good morning. I have taken some of my responses and included here for you to gauge me whether I am consistent on my thinking. I am not here to tell you what you want to here; but believe in things that are in line with our community. You are welcome to criticize, add, delete ideas. My ten point plan which is strategic and tactical is now 12 point plan; it could grow or shrink. Respectfully, Sea Reddy on 20 August 2014 (I landed in US on 20 Aug)
Our plan - revised on Aug 20
1. OPENNESS and TRANSPARENCY; no backroom deals and hidden agendas
1. No new tall buildings/controlled/limited growth
2. No new affordable housing projects
3. Resolve traffic congestion + school board/school issues
4. Be senior citizen/family/youth/student friendly
5. No new taxes; strive to lower taxes
6. Respect home owners/and renters needs; keep our town clean; remove trash
7. Refurbish old buildings and innovative energy solutions
8. Plant more trees and green grass - less concrete - BE GREEN
9. Keep downtown bustling; make it inviting - keep parking rules the same
10.Team with our stake holders; School Board, Stanford, businesses
11.INNOVATE every way to be 10 times better than before
12.KEEP CITY HALL open all 5 days a week for critical services; no 9/80
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My purpose to move to Palo Alto was deliberate.
A small town, smart people, beautiful trees, great access to hospital as I need these services; intellectual stimulus, hundreds of start ups; and many more!
I am not going to sell out to anybody including big businesses.
We do need their cooperation to take great initiatives to make our lives better and smarter to get 10x fold improvements. We can influence them.
It is again give and take.
on Jul 3, 2014 at 2:30 am
In regards to jets flying over Palo Alto and for that matter our communities of Menlo Park etc., I totally support residents concerns.
I come from Irvine and Newport where the small John Wayne/Santa Ana airport
operates. There are restrictions on low they can fly; and on how late they can land and take off.
The other day, I was looking in the sky that there was a plane turning towards SF/Oakland side north/NE bound. I was surprised it is right above us.
Let us together work on presenting our residents interests and to benefit our communities of PA/Menlo Park/EPA. We cannot be 'dumping' ground also
Regards
Posted
by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 3, 2014 at 12:25 pm
My real agenda is to live a life.
I worked hard and got through some tough times; raising a family and managing my work life for 37 years even with lot of education and training. I can assure you that you would not want to be in my shoes.
I am here to live in tranquility, clean living; get the best medical care as I am diabetic since 1994; and serve the community where I am able to. I have no agenda. My agenda is 'Palo Alto' agenda.
As far as 'money' you will be surprised; I do not own a home in Palo Alto; I am a renter like some are; but I worked hard and served the country well working at Northrop - 8 years; Hughes - 11 years; Boeing twice in 1980 and since 2000 after they acquired Hughes Space businesses - total 11 years.
Since Boeing acquired Hughes businesses; I became employee of Boeing and
retired in 2010. I am lucky to have a pension that allowed me to have some
savings and luckily VMware allowed me to work there through an agency. This all means; I am modest and my needs are modest. I am happy with what I have and my children will be there when I really need them.
I want to contribute and serve the city and the country that gave me the
opportunity. That is my motive. You have to respect that some people want to do that without an ultra-motive.
In regards to the school traffic issues; many towns in California have a
similar problem; namely University High across UC Irvine campus; Campus Drive and Culver drive. The city has taken certain measures and redirects traffic.
So let us make a priority to get the intersection of El Camino Real and
Embarcadero figured out so students can safely walk to and back to the shopping center and homes safely.
I am sure there are similar issues with middle and elementary school crossings in Palo Alto we need to relook.
Posted
by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 3, 2014 at 2:49 pm
On this subject my good friend from Torrance, CA advises
that Affordable Housing near million dollars plus homes is not the right way to do.
I agree.
Regarding subsidizing rent is a bad idea as I think more about it unless it is due to disability. This falls under state not us in Palo Alto.
Yes I am aware about congestion and traffic. I am admitting it is a priority
and we need experts to help and come up with ideas and not take nine plus
years.
I propose for today, let us table the debates as we want to celebrate July 4. I am going to my gym to exercise to control my blood sugar.
We certainly have a great town - Palo Alto
We can have more exchanges in the near future before November.
Posted
by Seelam Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 4, 2014 at 5:06 am
In regards to changing positions; I/we have to be willing to
"Change".
I studied under Peter Drucker, a great sociology professor in 1986-1988 at
Claremont Graduate School. I took 4 graduate level classes. He is great and is no longer. He taught me/us on evolution of industrial ideas and how some things change for good. When I am in doubt I read one of 20 books he has written. A great thinker on past and future.
Change is inevitable; we are not how our parents were; the issues are
different.
Population growth is inevitable due to 'new' immigrants from different parts of the world than before. The motives for immigration are different.
It is a different world even after dot.com evolution and new money from
technology. We can't be bystanders and complain.
In essence; we need creative ideas; most likely with technology. Palo Alto is a great place to innovate to solve these issues with the knowledge we have, with the wealth we have, with the philanthropy we have, and encouragement from our county, state and federal government.
Let us think outside the box and let the innovation rise to solve our traffic problem.
We do not need tall buildings; but we need refurbished energy efficient
buildings. Look at the Hoover Building that I go to at Stanford campus for my medical checkups. Without much research; I notice the building retains its heritage, a 1920-30s building; inside it has all the energy innovation of today.
Similarly, let us work with smart people on how to move our people from homes to work places and to school; using innovative methods of 'people moving'.
Recently I was in London in late May and was impressed by the 'TUBE' similar to CALTRAN/BART. Could we have a local people mover/and how?
Yes, I change my mind; when there is better information; when I hear from the experts; I am not a 'No' man. I am for innovation and making Palo Alto better than before.
Yes it is July 4th; I am certainly grateful I am alive and well and am in Palo Alto. I am sure we all are.
Posted
by Seelam Sea Reddy, a resident of College Terrace, Palo Alto
My take on this is:
1. We want sensible Palo Alto growth; not a mini-San Jose; not a city with
higher population than what we have; no ugly tall building; no parking lots
with more concrete; Keep Palo Alto just as beautiful; let the sunset on trees during the evenings fall on our trees that make PA a wonderful place to live.
2. We want go 'grow' in innovative of managing our existing resources and
keeping up with 'energy efficient technologies' that make our city one of the top cities in our grouping. Plant more grass, plants and improve on the looks. We cannot be sitting idle; can not afford to.
3. Engage industry that is in our town to cooperate; share ideas. Go look at
VMware campus - VMware transformed old Roche campus into a beautiful landscape and buildings!
4. Once again, no tall buildings. Sensible growth. Refurbish aging buildings
and infrastructure to be energy efficient.
Innovation is not a buzz word; it has to be built in our thinking.
When I walk around College Terrace, I say how lucky we are with what we have in the area; beautiful parks; small library; parents walking with their children; we truly live in a fine town; we are not going to spoil that.
Do we have too many restaurants in downtown? As some businesses leave, can
these be transformed into small start-up technology firms; SAT prep/ART
learning centers; education focus - like in Menlo Park downtown? (just a
thought- your input is valuable!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Respectfully
Report Objectionable Content
Truly these cities in Southern California have done some amazing things.
I lived and owned property, rented, my children grew up there and we benefited.
However. Palo Alto is better for many reasons.
1. Great community with the right size 60,000 people
2. One of the highest education citizens
3. Great companies businesses that do a lot of cutting edge tech innovation in this town
4. Brilliant Stanford faculty and students
We got take advantage and solve our local issues of congestion, making our schools better, limiting growth to refurbishing buildings while maintaining heritage like what Stanford did to the Hoover building on El Camino Real and Quarry road
I feel we have this fantastic opportunity and talent and economy to correct our growth issues and come up with innovative way to make our city/town with great heritage to continue to be one of the best places to live in US if not this world.
We will do it with a lot of deliberation and thought while taking input from
Local citizens, experts, Stanford, Businesses and visiting places that have
done it.
I feel positive and hope u do too!
Posted
by Seelam Sea Reddy, a resident of College Terrace
Post script:
August 20:
On August 20,1973, My brother Mohan and I (Sea-Seelam) landed in New York from New Delhi - Paris - New York Air France flight at around 5pm.
We both came to go to graduate School in Industrial Engineering; I chose Texas Tech with $14/unit. He chose University of Iowa with $40/unit. But, lucky him, he had a $740 scholarship and I did not. He is #2 and rich and married by thn and I am #3 and not rich with a 'teacher uncle' who sold his land to send me to Texas Tech.
It is 41 years now; a lot of dreams and a lot of satisfaction.
I have always been very competitive, finished high school at 15; wanted to be in the best country and place and could not wait to come to US.
I wanted to succeed like many of us are; I wanted to prove myself that I can achieve without coming from a sponsored/rich/connected family like my brother #2 and a brother #1 who has a PhD in Agriculture.
Our little brothers competitive thing still goes on.
Reflecting today, August 20, a 41 year journey to discover the best place on earth; coming from a modest 700 people village Garikapadu, Khammamm Mandal, Telangana, India to the United States, to Texas and California and finally to Palo Alto, a heaven on earth.
I could not be any happier. I am privileged to have worked for Don Ludlum of Ludlum Measurements, Texas who offered me a job on Memorial Day 1975; a upcoming Geiger Counter Start-up small business; to many great companies; McDonnell Douglas; Aerojet Ordnance where we started GAU-8/A Ammunition factory for GE Gatling Gun System on A-10 aircraft; Boeing Computer Services that introduced me to package software systems competing with ASK MANMAN - Sandi Kurtzig of Los Altos of ASK; Northrop Electronics; GM-Hughes Communications - HCI that started DIRECTV businesses of $40B current value; to back again Boeing in LA until I forced retired in 2010. And then working at VMware as a contract consultant on Mergers and Acquisitions Integration and Divestitures since Jan 2012.
A total of 35 years non-stop (1975-2010) plus work at VMware adds to 37 years. I am not tired; I worked for some of the best in business and was mentored by top executives at these companies and they are in their 90s; I keep in touch with them.
I am ready to serve the citizens of Palo Alto; with lots of energy, I commit to serve you with no backroom deals, openness, keep Palo Alto culture, buildings, limited or no growth, but strive for ten times better - 10x than what we had.
It is innovation with technology and GREEN that keep us here in Palo Alto, I call it a 'heaven on Earth'.
Respectfully
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 21, 2014 at 12:17 pm
on Aug 21, 2014 at 12:17 pm
I am still working to see where candidates stand on the issue of campaign finance reform here -- a la the concern over Citizens United and McCutheon on national levels -- and a possible voluntary spending cap, and if I completely give up on the concept, and it's in flux, I might publish the names of what people's response is. Meanwhile the state does require candidates to report their donations and the local press often report on these figures.
I can spend up to $1,000 without having to change my status or form a committee or re-file. And may.
I also have about 20 or more endorsements, something I did not seek or publicize in previous election cycles.
Eric F of Downtown, assuming you are not Eric F the candidate: yes, that's the problem. The crux. The rub. People are too busy and as a further cost, our leaders in my opinion do not represent us. I am hoping to be a counter-example.
Rupert of Henzhaus is a better name for the proposed use of 456 University which is currently going by HANAhaus.
Eggs-actly.
This is all still way below the standards as envision, as you can infer by their writings and a century or more of commentary, of the Founders. In 1849, Thoreau was already alarmed at the decay, when he wrote his essay known as "Civil Disobedience".
But yes you are entitled via the first amendment to post here and say whatever you want no matter how vicious, pointless, mindless misanthropic or choose your poison.
Ventura
on Aug 21, 2014 at 5:33 pm
on Aug 21, 2014 at 5:33 pm
@Mark Weiss:
>I also have about 20 or more endorsements, something I did not seek or >publicize in previous election cycles.
And that was part of your charm then. Now what do I do?
@Mark Weiss:
>Rupert of Henzhaus is a better name for the proposed use of 456 University >which is currently going by HANAhaus.
Especially since there is already a Hanna House on the Stanford campus, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, no less.
But all seriousness aside, in re your "campaign reform" proposal, I don't plan to accept any donations nor spend any money, simply because I can't afford it. But why let a simple lack of funds prevent someone from participating in the democratic process, nicht wahr? I was hoping to talk to you face to face on this topic like the old days, but you seem to prefer this forum (God knows why). BTW, how come you never write? What am I, chopped liver?
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 21, 2014 at 10:25 pm
on Aug 21, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Please note I am citizen not "Citizen of Old Palo Alto"
@Taxpayer,
Tim Gray impresses me more all the time. He has been fearless and ethical, willing to stand up when no one else will. It really surprised me to witness that. He has taken on leadership roles in community things just because others were too chicken or didn't have the skills. And it might even be possible to talk him into serving if he wins a write-in. I'm committing right now to a write-in campaign for the guy.
I'm going to think very hard about whether to place a 5th vote at all or write-in someone else. Maybe I'll write in Bob Moss, but I'm still thinking about it. I recognize that a number of Filseth-Kou-DuBois voters will also vote Holman. Like I said, I figure her constituents will bring her in and I don't in any way want to bump any of the other three, especially since Holman has an incumbent advantage.
Oh, and after the GWB/hanging chads business, I made a habit of dropping off my ballot at the polls on election day. But given the strident voices and connection between LWV and proMeasure D, and that the same people typically man the polls on election day, I am going to mail my ballot well in advance. Just in case.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Aug 27, 2014 at 1:52 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Apparently AC was hand picked by Liz Kniss and Larry Klein to run as a candidate for the political establishment. He's being "educated" on PA politics by both of them and giving campaign resources. Expect to see serious money backing Johnston to protect the status quo.
Palo Alto High School
on Aug 27, 2014 at 2:42 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 2:42 pm
I've read postings by Sea Reddy and Marc Weiss and neither should be elected. Meetings will be completely unproductive, as both of them digress and speak mindlessly with no points or relevance.
Sea is not ready because he just moved here a few years ago so he doesn't know Palo Alto's history and he will suggest a solution that has already been tried or cannot work due to some other issue of which he is unaware because of his new residency. Nor did he raise children here so he is lacking in that experience, which is important knowledge for a City Council member in a college-prep school district. His pure love for living in Palo Alto is not enough.
Marc Weiss graduated from Gunn High but I've read immature postings and he doesn't seem to be capable of analyzing, researching, concluding. He seems to shoot from the hip.
A.C. Johnston, lawyer and son of politician: "My priority is really to talk to the citizens and find out what's on their mind." What a nice way to say something without saying anything - keeping it neutral so no one dislikes him. His career and dad's career already have reputations for corruption.
Eric Filseth and Lydia Kou are the only ones I am sure will serve is well.
Palo Alto High School
on Aug 27, 2014 at 2:45 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Eric Filseth and Lydia Kou are the only ones I am sure will serve us well.
Community Center
on Aug 27, 2014 at 3:14 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Cory Wohlbach is also being groomed by the establishment. Vic Ojakian praised him to the heavens at his kickoff, but he is obviously not ready for prime time. Nice guy, but just not ready. Oddly, he is also all about listening rather than policy.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 27, 2014 at 6:45 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 6:45 pm
I have been impressed with Eric Filseth and Lydia Kou. Both seem to really care about Palo Alto as a whole not the one side of town vs the other.
Looking hard at Tom DuBois and need to check the true voting of the three incumbents to make my decision.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 27, 2014 at 9:46 pm
on Aug 27, 2014 at 9:46 pm
@ Voting,
My feeling about the incumbents is that they have their constituencies, and it's best not to vote for them as a second choice because we don't have ranked choice voting and it ends up using that vote against the people you most favor. In other words, if strong incumbent voters vote incumbent, and those voting for Filseth/Kou/DuBois use the other two votes on an incumbent, it will give that incumbent more votes than anyone and maybe even bump one of the candidates you prefer.
As I've pointed out, I"m going to vote for Filseth, Kou, and DuBois, and write in Tim Gray. My fourth vote I probably won't use. Whoever ends up in that slot is fine so long as the other 3 or 4 get in and don't get bumped if my vote adds to someone else's who is then able to bump one of my preferred candidates.
Greg Schmid needs some intelligent company on the Council. Plus Filseth and DuBois understand technology in a way none of the current Councilmembers do. It's about time we had civic minded people on Council again who are also part of Silicon Valley.
Cory Wohlbach isn't ready, but he's also a good guy and if he gets more involved in local politics, may be next time.
We are revising the Comprehensive Plan and need honest brokers. This is a critically important vote.
Filseth, Kou, and Dubois not only care about Palo Alto, they've all been involved because they care about Palo Alto, and they're all serving because they care about Palo Alto. No one is angling for higher office, or powerbrokering, it's purely for love of this City. They all bring skills we need to the table, too. (Tim Gray, too -- Write in Tim Gray!!! I guess it's Timothy Gray...)
Adobe-Meadow
on Aug 30, 2014 at 10:04 am
on Aug 30, 2014 at 10:04 am
Arguments for or against someone because they are / are not long time PA residents defies the current situation in PA. Nothing that is happening here has anything to do with what happened two years ago in the area of city governance. The city has pressure from outside corporations, universities, the county and state attempting to pre-empt their requirements on the city. Developers are a breed which is everywhere in the state.
We have a superintendent of Schools who is from another state - he is recruited on his credentials and ability. We have staff that run this city - we don't even know their names. They pop up on the CC meetings and commissions with their assessments which at this point are not popular with the city residents. The business of running a city is not comparable to running a school system which is dictated by the state and union. Running a city is a business subject to government rules and regulations. PA is a city in the county of Santa Clara, state of California. As such whatever business we conduct here must be coordinated with the county and state.
The people running for the CC must have business management ability of the size of a city with a University that dictates the activities to a certain extent. The fact that someone "cares" or is long-time resident is not the criteria of business ability. Developers are roaming the whole state of California - they are not a animal specific to the city of PA - they are a recognizable breed - they operate the same everywhere.
I recommend Seelam Reddy based on business and project management background, as well as living in University related cities which need to balance their activities and growth requirements. Understanding the requirements of business is critical to running a city. Being technically proficient is very important - understanding cause and effect for any outcome is critical.
Stanford
on Sep 21, 2014 at 10:51 am
on Sep 21, 2014 at 10:51 am
We need philosopher-politicians and citizen-artists on the council, too. Don’t you think?