Issues and Answers
These are questions submitted to all candidates by the local papers. I am providing my answers to you for your edification. If you wish to comment to me directly about our campaign feel free to contact me at daveglass@comcast.net.
Thank you
David Glass
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Argus Courier
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Press Democrat
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TV 7 ABC Questionaire
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Asphalt Plant & Park
Council effectiveness |
Name: David Glass Age: 63 Occupation: Municipal Securities Principal How long have you lived in Petaluma? 20 Years Education: Bachelor of Science, Municipal Securities Principal, Registered Representative NASD, California State Life Insurance, Long Term Care Licensed Experience or background related to city government: Four years as mayor of Petaluma, two years on Petaluma City Council, four years on Petaluma Planning Commission, one year Site Plan Architectural Review Committee, one year Sonoma County Airport Commission, two years Director Sonoma County Transportation Authority. Family (Married? Children?): Married. One child. What prompted you to run for City Council? I knew I could make a positive change, which has been accomplished. Although the economy is still sputtering as a result of the mortgage crisis in America and around the world, the Target project was reviewed, improved and approved, the Silk Mill has also been approved, and the Fairgrounds remains an opportunity for greater public benefit. Why do you feel qualified and how would you make a difference if elected? My qualifications are my experience, education, and record for getting things done. During my previous term as mayor, Petaluma fixed more streets than any time in its history; we revitalized downtown, creating a strong tax base, approved and started construction of our wastewater treatment plant, and secured low-cost financing for it. Moving forward, we will capitalize on continued revitalization, securing transportation dollars from the state of California through compliance with Senate Bill 375, as we continue to grow our economy, tax base, and improve our quality of life. top Council effectiveness and functionality: Do you feel the council is doing a good job? Yes. Do you feel the council functions effectively and meetings are run well? Yes. Our city council has had the courage to move forward with new efficiencies that have led to long stalled projects such as the Target/Regency, and Silk Mill projects being reviewed, improved and approved. Explain or give examples. Regency and Silk Mill (See above). What do you think about the realignment of the planning department and the decision to combine SPARC and the PC into a new PC? The consolidation of the planning review body has led to the timely review, improvement and approval of projects such as Regency and the Silk Mill. The prior system was simply not working, and everyone should recognize that it is much better now than before. Name one council decision or policy of the past four years and how you would have handled it differently. The Pinnacle Ridge project reviewed and recommended for approval by the former Planning Commission and city council. However, there were deficiencies in meeting legal noticing requirements which forced the new city council to deal with the issue at the very beginning of January 2009. As a result, the new council had a chance to achieve neighborhood input, gain valuable feedback from the applicant, and improve the project to the point that a highly controversial project had complete community acceptance and the developer liked his consensus-approved project more than the previously approved project from the prior council and past review system. That is a win-win situation which fortunately the new council was able to implement because of procedural mistakes by the past council and thus save everyone a lot of aggravation. What do you think about the job City Manager John Brown is doing? In challenging times he is doing a fine job. Describe one new program or idea you would propose if elected. I would pursue marketing programs that would grow the economic pie, such as the shop local card. We have the infrastructure with the golf discount card for Petaluma residents. I think we should try to expand the use of this card in the city to encourage shopping at home, and increase the sales and value of this card with proceeds from the sale of the card going directly to the city, and the benefits of shopping local rewarding all concerned. top Budget and finances What would you do to address the city’s current budget crisis? We have added project approvals that will help us when constructed, such as Regency and the Silk Mill. We need to pursue grants to the degree possible which we have had a good deal of success doing. Specifically, what cuts would you make or what revenue-generating steps would you favor? We should see if there is an interest among the local merchants to market Petaluma to Petalumans. I would suggest we utilize the local recreation card we use for Rooster Run Golf course and discounts on green fees to local golfers be expanded to the entire business community. If a local resident presents the local card they would get an incentive of some kind from the local merchants and businesses for shopping at home. In this way we would not have to raise taxes, we would keep money at home, and the city could benefit by increasing the fee due to the increased use and benefit of this card that would identify Petalumans as local customers. I believe it would bring the community together, instead of tearing the town apart over an argument of when is the time to raise taxes. Certainly in this time an increase in taxes would be hard to justify. Let's raise revenue, not taxes. City employees have expressed dissatisfaction with the city over the failure to generate revenues while cutting staff and reducing pay. What is your opinion of their dissatisfaction and what would you do to change things if needed? These are challenging times to be sure. I have met with our city workers recently and have received an indication that there is more understanding on their part as well as mine as to where we are and how we got there. I think communication is the key. If we all work together, I am confident we can meet these challenges in the least disruptive way possible to services provided as well as to our employees. Is the city doing enough to ensure appropriate economic development and job creation? This will be an ongoing open-ended discussion. Recently we cut the fee on accessory dwelling units. We also agreed to continue to look for ways to justify further fee reductions if possible, without damaging the city's ability to build infrastructure. To help with job creation, we need to build on our strengths of agriculture and tourism and encourage the innovation of green technology. We can be the home of green technology jobs because we have a great quality of life. Petaluma’s quality of life will create the greatest number of jobs as we will continue to become an ever more attractive community for jobs and living. We are well-positioned for transit-oriented development, meeting the requirements of Senate Bill 375 which requires such development to achieve priority funding for transportation infrastructure projects. We must continue our efforts to keep the widening of Highway 101 on schedule which we have done for the past two years. As a result of the smart rail and our compliance with SB 375 Petaluma is in a better position than most cities of our size to receive state assistance for transportation funding. Do you agree with the decision to reduce the city’s reserves to near zero ($5,000) in adopting the 2010-11 budget in order to save jobs? Yes. Jobs are important, especially public safety. Three additional police officers were saved as a result of the expenditures made. It costs over 100 thousand dollars to train an officer. It is important to preserve as much in the way of vital services as possible at this time, and avoid the costs of training new officers in the future. It is also important to monitor revenues received and expenditures made as it may be necessary to make adjustments throughout the year which the city council has the ability to do. Should the city reconsider a charter amendment that would allow it to extend the garbage contract in advance of its expiration date if the new contract reduces rates for customers? Garbage contracts are expensive long term contracts with many implications. On January 18, 2005 Mike Harris and Karen Nau voted to raise garbage rates 116 percent. There was an offer to keep rates substantially the same with excellent service at that time, and was the expert consultant’s recommendation. However, Harris and Nau chose to go another direction. Why? Ask them, but there must be more to it than rates. The charter protection prevents an extension of the contract if a service provider finds a cozy council in charge. Therefore, after the experience of 2005 I have come to the conclusion the charter as is protects the rate-payer. What ways do you favor balancing the city’s budget over the next few years? There is only one way to balance a budget. That is to match expenditures to revenues. At this time it is important to monitor revenues regularly and spend each dollar as if it is the last dollar we have and prioritize expenditures to delivering vital services such as police and fire protection. Do you favor pension reform (be specific)? That is an issue that is appropriate for collective bargaining because the council does not have the ability to unilaterally implement pension reform. What should be done to increase tax revenue and reduce expenses? Expenses have been reduced. Revenue generation is in the pipeline with Regency and the Silk Mill along with construction projects coming with the East Washington freeway improvements getting under construction next spring, the widening of 101 from Old Redwood Highway to Pepper Road this fall, and the construction of the Old Redwood Highway interchange and lane widening in 2012. This activity will help spur the local economy by providing good paying jobs in the construction industry. top Development Are you pleased or displeased with the outcome of the Regency/Target shopping center approval? Glad it is done. The project was improved tremendously between January 4 of this year when it came to the city council for the first time ever, and the approval of the project on February 8th. Some important improvements included a local jobs hiring program, LEED silver certification for the entire project to ensure a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption, better pedestrian and bicycle access, assurances the developer will pay the full ten million dollars of impact fees to allow us to alleviate this project's impact to our city to the greatest extent possible. Perhaps most importantly, in a brief period of time, our staff responded to all comments presented by the public during the hearing on the E.I.R. and improvements were achieved where possible. This approach improved Regency's ability to defend any legal challenges which were in fact brought by a neighborhood group. What is your position on the proposed Deer Creek Village/Lowe’s shopping center and do you feel the application is being processed appropriately? As a result of my experience with prior projects, I am not commenting on the Deer Creek project until it comes before the city council. What, if any, additional retail shopping opportunities does Petaluma need and where should they be located? I am optimistic Friedman Brothers will be coming to the Regency site, and I look forward to an opportunity to revisit the fairgrounds, which could be Petaluma's most lucrative asset. The fairgrounds may provide wonderful opportunities for the city and Fair Board to cooperate in a way that would generate more dollars for both, greater access for the public of its own land, and more enjoyment with greater revenue for the city as a result. Do you feel the city’s development approval process is adequate, or should it be improved? It has been improved and should be continually monitored and improved. It took courage to fix a broken system. The system we had was very broken. The new council fixed it and the new review process has delivered results, allowing projects to be reviewed, improved, and approved. I look forward to more recommendations for improvements to our Smart Code as a result of an expert analysis that will be provided due mostly to a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to complete a required analysis on the development of the areas in proximity to our train stations. Do you favor adding large-format or big-box retail stores as called for in the General Plan? I courted Regency with Target as part of the project in order to help the school district get a new junior high for our kids that is state of the art and on the east side of town. I have had numerous discussions with Friedman Brothers and have encouraged them to come home to Petaluma. So I have done it. Do you favor a cap on the square footage of new retail buildings as some have proposed? Everyone is in favor of a cap at some point. Size and scale do matter. What do you think of the pace and rate of commercial development? It is dictated by the economy. There are many vacancies. We need to have those vacancies absorbed but still there is room for new development as well. What do you think of the pace and rate of residential development? The glut in housing caused by the mortgage crisis makes it difficult to spur new development in housing. The banks will not and probably should not, lend for this type of construction until the mortgage crisis is relieved. What should be done regarding the fairgrounds lease extension? The city should always maintain some ability to have some access and control of this property. What should happen with this city-owned property in the way of public use and facilities? The new general plan calls for 20 acres of public parkland. I think a collaborative negotiation seeking a mutually beneficial outcome can be achieved if the Fair Directors and the city council recognize the importance of both the city and Fair’s need to co-exist in a mutually beneficial manner. This property could be the city’s most valuable asset and in order to help the city meet its financial obligations we simply must achieve more access to the property for more public benefit and more revenue than the current annual rate of one dollar per year to the city. What is your feeling about the kinds of high-density infill housing being built or planned in Petaluma? Transit-oriented development is the future, and it will allow us to qualify for transportation dollars through SB 375, as discussed earlier. Therefore, it is good for the housing supply mix as well as our local economy and allows us to achieve the maximum benefit of our investment in public infrastructure such as streets and sewers. The implementation of this vision will create many jobs. Do you think the city is doing an adequate job encouraging mixed-use and bicycle/pedestrian-friendly development? We need to do more. That is why I am happy the new council was able to obtain a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to allow us to commission a nationally recognized firm that specializes in smart growth principals and smart codes that will facilitate the efficient implementation of such development. Opticos will give us a plan, building code updates and improvements that will provide a remedy to many of the obstacles that have prevented our transit area from moving to construction as efficiently as we would have liked. Should mixed-use development be demanded in cases where it might cause a project to not be financially feasible for the developer? It is important to achieve consistency in achieving desired densities which will assure the long term economical viability of such areas as where the transportation hubs will be created. Obviously development will not take place if such is not economically viable. We need to make every effort to achieve the density while maintaining flexibility that will allow for success both today and tomorrow. top Transportation How do you feel Petaluma has been doing on fixing streets, and what additional revenue sources do you favor to continue the work? We should pursue grants and prioritize the improvement in streets to the roads most traveled. These types of actions, along with the utilization of redevelopment funds where possible, were what enabled us to fix more streets than any other time in Petaluma's history, during my term as mayor. What can be done to relieve traffic congestion throughout Petaluma and in the downtown, and how should it be paid for? We should seek every grant we can obtain which will alleviate some of the congestion. Eventually we will be able to achieve additional cross-town connectors which will provide additional outlets. As technology evolves we need the best smart signal lights to help move the traffic in this corridor as efficiently as possible. Petaluma is fortunate in that by complying with the requirements of SB 375 we will qualify for state transportation funding grants particularly to address traffic issues where development is concentrated such as our downtown. These monies will spur our economy, provide jobs, and alleviate traffic. Do you support a southern crossing of the river (extending Caulfield Lane over the river to Petaluma Boulevard South) and a Rainier cross-town connector and interchange? Yes. It is important to note that we now have a financial plan in place that will allow us to achieve building these important components of our traffic circulation plan. Do you feel Petaluma’s public transit is adequate? More can always be done to extend services. Could it be improved? If the ten dollar per year per vehicle registration fee is approved by Sonoma county voters in November, more funds would be available for improvements to public transit, safe routes to school, and street maintenance. top Water and flooding How should the city ensure that it has enough water to serve residents over the life of the General Plan and beyond? We need to ensure we build the infrastructure to recycle our highly treated wastewater for appropriate purposes. What conservation measures do you support to reduce demand for water from the Petaluma aqueduct? The major component is recycling on a city basis and conservation and drought-tolerant landscaping on an individual basis. Is the city doing enough to protect its residents against floods? The completion of the flood control project helps in this regard, but it is wise to remain vigilant to ensure we do not replicate the costly mistakes of the past. If not, what else should be done? A coordinated effort with the county, state, and the federal government is going to be our best approach. How can the city work to ensure regular dredging of the Petaluma River for commerce, recreation and flood protection? This is a political decision, and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Senator Barbara Boxer have been very effective in this regard. Over the long term, we need congressional legislation that provides federal funds for regular dredging. top Public safety and parks The police department has undergone reduction in staff and programs. What would you do to restore staffing and programs, or do you feel the existing staffing and program levels are adequate? I made sure three police positions were preserved in our last budget cycle. I look forward to the time the mortgage crisis subsides,allowing our local and national economies to once again move forward and we achieve the implementation of already approved projects such as the Target store and the Silk Mill hotel, which will add considerably to our local revenue stream. Do you support a sales-tax increase or other tax measure to pay for public safety? No. I do not believe at this time the voters would support such a measure. Do you consider gang activity a serious problem in Petaluma? Yes. What should the city be doing to combat it? We are part of the county gang task force. Our police chief is best qualified to answer this, as I am sure he has done by implementing the best policies with the available resources. Do you feel the city has sufficient parks and playing fields to meet the needs of its residents? No. If not, what should the city do, and what would you as a councilmember do, to provide more parks for Petaluma residents? We need a designated revenue stream to provide for the construction of the East Washington Park project. We will also have an opportunity to address much of this need if we negotiate properly with the Fair Directors an extension of the city owned property at the Fairgrounds site. What would you do to ensure adequate maintenance of existing parks in Petaluma? We also need a dedicated revenue source for maintenance of our parks. Perhaps the Petaluma card I mentioned earlier and additional revenue from the Fairgrounds property could be sources of such revenue. I would rather employ creative marketing strategies than attempt to convince voters to tax themselves during this global economic crisis that affects us all. top Other Do you support or oppose Measure U (wastewater rate rollback)? Oppose. Why? Not only will it bankrupt the city, but it will cost the ratepayers a much higher charge for the service they are currently receiving in the near future. The city will default on a State loan, which allows us a 2.4 percent interest rate. Putting this measure on the ballot has already cost the ratepayer thousands of dollars in legal fees and finance charges. Do you support or oppose Measure T (extension of urban growth boundary to 2025)? Support. Why? The elimination of the sprawl model of development allows us to maximize the use of our infrastructure, and as such is the best tool for holding down are long term costs on street and sewer maintenance. It also has the added benefit of preserving our agricultural heritage and quality of life we all have come to love and appreciate. Do you agree with the City Council’s position opposed the proposed asphalt plant by the Dutra Group at the south end of town across the river from Shollenberger Park? Yes. Why? This is the wrong location. It will harm the quality of the Shollenberger experience, which is a major draw for Petalumans and tourists as well. An asphalt plant at this site would also severely depress the value of housing in the area. This would have the effect of putting more houses financially underwater, and who knows what effect that would have on our local mortgage portfolio and local banks. I doubt homeowners would welcome another hit to their housing equity and some might just walk away. |
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Troubles you about local politics Resolve Petaluma’s short-term and long-term budget Support or oppose Lowe’s proposal Regency settlement with Petaluma
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Why are you running? I want to contribute to my community. While there are challenges to be sure these are also very exciting times for Petaluma as our town is at a defining moment. Petaluma is uniquely positioned to move forward by implementing Smart Growth transit oriented development that will create jobs, improve our local economy and protect our environment with a sustainable ecological and economic future. What sets you apart from your opponents? Experience If elected, what would be your top three priorities in office? Creating jobs while improving our infrastructure, protecting the charm, character and environment as we achieve economic and ecological sustainability. What would you do to strengthen the economy in Petaluma? Create jobs by implementing transit oriented smart development of our project development areas as defined by the city and currently being planned by a nationally prominent firm. The implementation of this plan will allow us to increase our employment opportunities, augment our tax base, improve our housing stock, comply with the requirements of Senate Bill 375 which will allow us to be in a priority position to receive transportation funding from the state of California which will enable us to build transportation infrastructure which creates jobs and has the dual benefit of moving traffic and getting our economy going. What would you do to improve the quality of life in Petaluma? Every action taken will be with the goal of improving the quality of life in Petaluma. Action steps include the implementation of smart growth principals in our transportation corridors. As mentioned above, this will spur our economy by creating jobs which will improve the quality of life in Petaluma. With the arrival of SMART and freight rail service, Petaluma is uniquely positioned with an abundant supply of underutilized land which needs to be developed in a manner that provides an attractive unique and prosperous outcome for our town. I was good to my word, keeping promises made when I advocated for this type of development in our Theatre District and we need to implement a continued vision of excellence as we move forward. As we work to improve our quality of life with additions we must also be aware not every project will meet the standard of adding to our quality of life or our economy. I am pleased that my candidacy is endorsed by Mom's for Clean Air. This is a group of Petaluma mothers who are concerned about the possibility of an asphalt plant being located at the gateway to our community in close proximityof Shollenberger Park. I agree with the mothers and many others within our community that this addition would not improve the quality of life in Petaluma, and would harm tourism which is our number one growth industry in Sonoma County. top What troubles you about local politics? It is unfortunate that sometimes the politically convenient path is pursued due to a lack of political courage without careful consideration of long-term consequences. On those occasions it is important to stand up for our community rather than bow to special interests. It is imperative that we make decisions based on long-term economic and environmental sustainability. How would you resolve Petaluma’s short-term and long-term budget problems? Some of this challenge is caused by the deepest recession of our lifetime. There are signs the impacts of the recession may be receding and that could provide some relief. In the past 7 months the Petaluma city council has reviewed, improved and approved two major projects that will add about one and a half million dollars per year to the General Fund when constructed. The Regency/Target site is currently being designed, and it is estimated at build-out will account for more than one million dollars per year in sales tax. The Silk Mill Hotel also has been approved by the current council after years of delay and will bring in an estimated 400 thousand dollars in transit occupancy tax. There are other projects in the pipeline that will bring additional revenue as well. So we know help is on the way and we have prepared well for the turnaround. What we don't know is exactly when it will arrive. The arrival date is up in the air because of the global economic crisis which we simply can not control. It is realistic to expect at some point in the future sales tax will rebound and housing prices will stabilize which will allow for something approaching the historical rates of revenue from sales tax receipts and property taxes. This is not a time to panic but rather a time to move forward laying the groundwork for our local recovery. As the global economic mortgage crisis, which created this unstable situation, subsides Petaluma will be positioned to recover quickly. Be specific: If you support spending cuts, what departments or programs would you cut? At this time many cuts have been implemented. 80 percent of the budget is salaries and benefits. More than 70 percent of the budget is allocated to salaries and benefits for police and fire services. It is expensive to train vital service employees and in the time of need of their services experience can be one of the most important factors in achieving a successful result. I therefore favor keeping as many of these services and valuable employees as possible. That is why I voted to use all available resources and monitor revenues and expenditure closely knowing we have the ability to make adjustments as necessary. If you support revenue increases, which taxes/fees would you increase? Revenue increases from taxes are not possible to implement without the consent of the voters and I do not believe the voters would consent to much in the way of taxes particularly if it required a two thirds approval. We can grow revenues through such endeavors as reducing our sales tax leakage and increasing our number of hotel beds. That is one of many reasons why I supported the aforementioned Regency/Target project and the Silk Mill hotel. top Do you support or oppose Measure U, which would roll back sewer rates in Petaluma to 2006 levels? Please list your reasons. I oppose the measure. It will bankrupt the city. It will cost the rate payers much higher sewer rates when the city defaults on the 2.4 percent interest rate loan from the State of California and we are forced to borrow money in the financial markets to pay off the state. As currently proposed, do you support or oppose the Lowe’s-anchored Deer Creek Village proposal on North McDowell? This project as required under the California Environmental Quality Act is currently being analyzed by city staff. The General Plan which was unanimously adopted by the prior city council promised an Environmental Impact Report would be required specifically for this parcel. (volume 6A page 143 of the environmental analysis) That legal requirement is in the process of being met. If an adequate Environmental Impact Report is not produced it is my understanding the council could not make a finding that the project is consistent with the general plan. Without such a finding of consistency with the General Plan it would not be possible to approve the project. The proper time to have an opinion as on any project as a councilmember is when the facts are known and the public has been heard from at a duly noticed meeting. Therefore, I will reserve all specific comments on this project for that point in time. Do you think the Regency settlement with the Petaluma Community Coalition was the right thing to do? Yes. Without council approval of this settlement we may have had to wait two years for a court decision. This would have delayed the Regency project and its associated revenue to the city for an unacceptable period of time. It is estimated the city will receive more than one million dollars per year in sales tax and almost 500 thousand dollars per year in incremental property taxes to our city's redevelopment agency which is money we can use to produce jobs for needed infrastructure. It also would have delayed collecting more than 10 million dollars in impact fees some of which will be invested in the near future creating construction jobs. A failure to approve the settlement may have precluded the opportunity to even consider Friedman Brothers return to Petaluma. In addition to lost revenue the city would have continued to bear past and on-going legal expenses which were eliminated by this private party settlement between a neighborhood group and Regency. The city council also needed to consider, on advice from our attorneys, that the city could not unreasonably withhold an approval of the settlement. To do so could have meant more legal exposure. That was a risk I did not feel the people of Petaluma should be subjected to. I am not happy about some of the terms of the settlement but I understand why Regency did what they did. It was a business decision made by Regency and because of all of the ramifications and possible ramifications of failure to approve the settlement I cast a vote for approval because it was clearly the best decision for the people of Petaluma. What would you do in a similar situation in the future? Evaluate all of the conditions, legal advice, ramifications, and then make the best decision for the city of Petaluma regardless of the political consequences. The Accountable Development Coalition has been active in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park. How would you feel about it taking a role in Petaluma? I favor public input from all sectors and believe better outcomes are achieved when all the stakeholders are heard from as early in the process as possible. top |
| Background Qualifications Views about the role of Government Ethical Standards Biggest challenges Implementation of ideas Why should people vote for me |
1. Please tell us about yourself and your background. I am David Glass, the former mayor of Petaluma (2003 through 2006) and the current Vice Mayor. I have served in various governmental capacities for ten years including serving as a Director of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, and the Petaluma planning commission prior to my four year term as Mayor. I am a former broadcaster mostly known for my five years in the San Francisco Giants radio booth with Hank Greenwald from 1981 to 1985. After serving a four year term as Mayor I left office without seeking re election in 2008 to host a popular eclectic radio talk show with guests ranging from Dusty Baker in the world of sports to Presidents Clinton and Carter in the political arena. After two and a half successful years on KSRO radio I returned to elected office receiving more votes than any other candidate in 2008. 2. Why do you believe you are qualified to hold this office? I am the only candidate in the Mayoral field that has any governmental experience. During my prior term as mayor we fixed more streets than any other time in Petaluma's history, began construction on a water recycling project that has now been completed and was recognized as the Project of the Year in northern California, and revitalizing our downtown with a movie theatre. 3. Please tell us your general views about the role of government. I am a democrat and endorsed unanimously by the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee. I believe government has a role to play in providing vital services, and providing a hand up to those in need at certain points in their lives. 4. What ethical standards do you believe an elected representative should be held to? Very high standards. 5. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing your community and what will be your highest priorities if elected? Like all communities we need revenue, and we need to continue to provide the vital services of police and fire protection. Our city is in position for a fast recovery as we have approved many projects that are awaiting funding to become available. Such projects include a Target Store, a major hotel, and a downtown housing project amongst others that will provide construction jobs as they are built and revenue to the city when they are occupied. 6. How will your ideas be implemented? Petaluma has a wonderful opportunity and future. We will have two train station locations with the arrival of the Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit system. (SMART). As such we have received a grant to develop the blue print for transit oriented development within a half mile of each of these transit stops. This will allow us to implement the vision of vertically integrated mixture of land uses in proximity of the rail stops which will comply with state law under Senate Bill 375. By complying with this legislation we will be positioned to receive bonus funding for transportation infrastructure improvements which will put people to work and provide the transportation infrastructure we need. Where will the money come from? As we create more vitality through compliance with Senate Bill 375 as mentioned above we will also be increasing a sustainable revenue stream of property taxes and grow our sales tax receipts. This is exactly what we did during my first term as mayor with our downtown theatre district project. We are in the early stages of implementing this wonderful vision and I am confident we can carry through with this establishing Petaluma as a desirable location at the gateway to Sonoma County's wine country. 7. More than anything else, what do you think is the most compelling reason why people should vote for you? I have the experience and the track record of getting the job done for Petaluma. I am a strong advocate for a vibrant economy as demonstrated with the implementation of our Theatre District while respecting the importance of enhancing our community character and protecting the environment as evidenced by my leadership position in ending two decades of gridlock and getting an award winning wastewater treatment facility under construction. I am the only candidate in the field of mayoral candidates who has the experience as well as a proven track record of getting the job done for Petaluma. |
Vote on Asphalt Plant location Personal Level of Participation Mayor Priorities for Petaluma and So. Sonoma
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1. Given what you currently know about the proposed Dutra Asphalt Plant,
under what circumstances would you support a vote to approve the asphalt
plant at Haystack Landing? I could not approve such an inappropriate project at this site. It is
totally inconsistent with the county and the city general plans. This
location is simply the wrong location for a plant of this nature. It needs
to be at another site. 2. Describe your understanding of the County review/approval process that has occurred regarding the Dutra Asphalt Plant proposal and whether you believe it has been satisfactory. The county should be embarrassed by the way this project has been processed. If not why not, if so why? 3. What has your level of participation been, what actions have you taken with regard to the Dutra Asphalt Plant proposal? When this issue first came to light in December of 2008 I was preparing to come back onto the city council. I answered hundreds of e-mails expressing concern and informing the public through correspondence how to reach the Board of Supervisors who will ultimately resolve this issue. I have attended many public meetings, attended and supported rallies conducted by Mom’s for Clean Air, and supported many actions by the new city council standing up for this town in an effort to force the county to do an adequate review of this project. 4. What do you envision doing regarding this proposal in the future? I envision staying with this cause until the project is denied and the General Plan of the city of Petaluma and the County of Sonoma are respected. This is the gateway to our community. Tourism is a large part of our economy. This gateway combined with the proximity of Shollenberger Park is a special amenity that already is a tourist destination. The General Plans of both the city of Petaluma and Sonoma County should be respected. It should not be changed on a whim to accommodate special interests at a severe cost to the rest of us. 5. If you are elected, what are your priorities for environmental well-being in Petaluma and South Sonoma County? I am a strong advocate for the environment, and as a former mayor of Petaluma, worked hard to enlarge our economy and protect the charm and character of our community. This asphalt plant would be detrimental to our attractiveness as a destination. The Audubon Society identified the Shollenberger site as one of the top four expansion sites in North America in 2003. That was before our improvements at the Ellis Creek water recycling facility, which restored 171 acres of wetlands. If we protect and continue to enhance this treasure it will bring prosperity to our town, as well as our entire region. We have every reason to believe that tourists with large amounts of disposable income will come to Petaluma from around the world to enjoy this experience. 6. Please elaborate on your values and goals related to environmental protection and enhancement? The environment and quality of life is the bottom line when it comes to the uniqueness of the south county. It is a treasure that can enrich us all, unless we allow one entity (an asphalt plant) that could go anywhere to destroy our adopted vision of a general plan, which was studied for years and adopted unanimously just over two years ago. Ironically the asphalt proposal is also in violation of the vision of the county general plan, which was also adopted recently. |