Candidate for
Council Member; City of Emeryville

Election Priorities

Emeryville is largely redeveloped at this point and very little additional tax increment revenue will be available to fund existing or new public services and public works. Therefore it is essential for Emeryville to spend carefully and wisely in the next four years, while at the same time avoiding unnecessary cuts that bring hardship to City employees or residents.

In particular we need to seriously reconsider the current efforts to out-source the Emeryville Fire Department. One Council Member also tried to introduce a motion to investigate out-sourcing the Emeryville Fire Department. If elected, I will NOT support outsourcing either of these two vital public services - if our police and fire are not directly employed by us, how can they feel the same degree of responsibility to Emeryville residents?

Last year a bond measure, M, was promoted as a solution to seismically unsafe schools. In discussions of Measure M, promises were made to the public (see the transcript of the July 10, 2010, joint Emeryvillve/School District meeting, which I can email to you on request) that the issue of closing Anna Yates Elementary School and moving students to the high school campus would not be decided until the "design" phase this year. THIS year, however, we are being told that Anna Yates must be closed! If elected, I will fight against this closure. The current high school campus is large enough for a carefully designed high school, public library, and adult recreation center (and additional adult services), but NOT large enough to add the Anna Yates campus as well. Plus, the impact on parking and traffic on both sides of the new "Center of Community Life" will adversely affect the residents at Emery Bay Village.

Finally, the City is actively recruiting Lawrence Berkeley Labs to move to Emeryville. As a tax exempt entity, Lawrence Berkeley is exempt from that portion of their rent that would otherwise go to pay their landlord's property taxes, meaning any property in which they relocate will be assessed DOWNWARDS to reflect Lawrence Berkeley's tax exempt status - thus further reducing our already badly impacted (due to falling property values) tax base.

It's time for thoughtful, careful thinking on the City Council. If elected, I will engage with you to keep you informed of those issues that directly affect you.