Candidate for
Council Member; City of Hercules

The current financial crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing our nation, state, and community. We see many residents facing economic hardship and the loss of their homes through foreclosure. This is creating blight in our community and may slow down plans for future development. I would like to see efforts taken at all levels of government to stabilize the housing, financial, and capital markets so that individuals and businesses alike will have access to credit necessary for their livelihood.

Supporting quality education is a good investment because our children represent the future of our community. We need to prepare them well to become productive members of society. I will promote efforts to improve student performance and provide special educational opportunities, such as the Ivy League Connection. I will follow through on plans to rebuild Ohlone Elementary School and make sure we can provide additional school facilities to meet future needs. I support Measure D, which is simply a renewal of the current parcel tax. We cannot afford to reverse the progress of recent years.

Hercules needs to attract upscale retail and commercial businesses to increase city revenues and provide more local employment opportunities. This will require good planning, aggressive marketing, and cooperation of government and private entities. The new development projects should reflect good urban planning and adopt green building standards to minimize the environmental impact. Smart growth is compatible with protection of environmental values.

I support the Intermodal Transit Center concept that will provide train, ferry and bus service from a convenient location. It should relieve some of the congestion along the I-80 corridor. Residents will be able to use public transportation instead of their personal vehicles. Traffic flow will improve with completion of John Muir Parkway and other streets in the Waterfront District. Relocation of the BART Park n' Ride will also reduce congestion at Sycamore and San Pablo.