Candidate for
City Council; City of Redwood City

Downtown Precise Plan Our initial investments in our downtown have been great. Thousands of residents and visitors come to Redwood City to see the San Mateo Historical Museum, attend concerts on the courthouse plaza, see a movie at the downtown theatre, hear great music at the Little Fox and the Fox Theatre, or catch a bite to eat at one of our great restaurants.

However, the Downtown Precise Plan also envisioned hundreds of people living downtown providing vitality and energy to the downtown neighborhood that will exist all week long. Developers and builders are ready to start building in the downtown. However, the plan has now been set aside due to a lawsuit. We need to get the Downtown Precise Plan moving quickly and have our investment and vision of downtown realized.

Hwy 101/Woodside Road Interchange The 101/Woodside Road interchange is one of the worst traffic bottle-necks in Redwood City. This interchange does not meet any current traffic engineering standards, and residents are stuck in traffic throughout the entire day when they should be home with their families. We need to move forward and negotiate a solution with CalTrans to design an interchange that moves traffic efficiently, improves safety, and reduces negative impacts on the neighborhoods around it.

Woodside Road Along with the 101/Woodisde Road interchange, the most heavily traveled east/west corridor in Redwood City is Woodside Road. This boulevard is actually a state highway and has been neglected by CalTrans . We need to work with CalTrans to re-vision Woodside Road into a Grand Boulevard, which not only moves traffic, but is safe, bicycle and pedestrian friendly, and compliments our neighborhoods and business community.

General Plan The update of the City's new General Plan is underway. The General Plan is more than a city map with colors on it + it is a vision for our city's future growth and development. As a Planning Commissioner and a City Councilmember, I will work to create a plan that improves our quality of life + not one that just sits on a shelf collecting dust. The vision that is created through the General Plan process must be supported by the community, be guided by input from residents, businesses, and community groups, and must have the policy and implementation strategies to make the plan become reality.

Stanford University In addition to the recently opened Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford University is proposing to building 1.5 million square feet of new space in Redwood City. Is this good for Redwood City? What will be the economic benefits be to our community? What will the impacts be to our neighborhoods? Can our city roads and streets handle the increase in traffic? As your city councilman, I will involve residents and neighborhoods in this discussion and ensure that no one is caught by surprise as this process moves forward. I welcome Stanford's interest and investment in Redwood City, but we must make sure it is a good deal for Redwood City.

Cargill Lands On May 19, Redwood City received a project application for a proposed project on the Cargill properties. City staff is in the process of reviewing the project application. In an effort to promote transparency, the City has added a section to the City's website where the project application, an outline of the City's review process, and additional information can be found at http://www.redwoodcity.org/saltworks

At approximately two square miles in size, the Cargill Salt Flats are the largest privately-owned properties in Redwood City. The project that has been submitted to the City proposes to develop approximately half of the site and restore the other half to wetlands. According to the documents submitted, on the half that is proposed for development is a mix of housing, retail and commercial uses. The other half is dedicated for wetlands restoration, open space and recreation.

Now that we have a project application, we need to decide as a community, if the proposed project makes the most sense now and for future generations. The review process needs to be inclusive, transparent and deliberate. I will make sure that this process is not rushed and that all voices will be heard.

Protecting Our Local Economy and Creating Jobs Our national and state economies are facing uncertain futures during this economic crisis. While Redwood City has not been totally immune from the crisis, the peninsula and Redwood City have been fortunate in that the economic downturn has not been as severe here as other regions in the Bay Area.

We have benefited from having a diverse economy that is not based on any single industry or market-segment. However, as storefronts are boarded up and auto dealers leave empty lots, we need to be proactive in helping our local businesses be successful and attracting new businesses and jobs to Redwood City.

As the immediate past president of the Redwood City Chamber of Commerce, I will bring my business experience to make sure City Hall is using the best economic development strategies to protect our local economy and jobs.

I will also make sure that Redwood City remains on a solid and stable financial foundation without compromising public safety and public services. I will review the budget line-by-line and make sure your tax dollars are invested wisely.

New County Jail In mid-May, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department released their initial list of sites for a new County Jail. Of the seven sites listed, the top two are in Redwood City: the County Motorpool lot, and 640 Veterans (the former Dodge Dealership). The remaining five sites are in Burlingame, San Carlos, Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto. The complete of sites and other locations that were considered can be found on the San Mateo County website at http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us under the Sheriff's Department.

The list of sites was developed with a citizen task force comprised of individuals from around the county. On Tuesday, July 21, the Task Force will be meeting to consider these sites in further detail. I will be following the discussions of the Task Force closely to make sure that our issues and concerns are raised and heard.

If a site in Redwood City is selected, candid and proactive conversations with our city leadership should occur throughout the entire process. I want to make sure that our community is involved in all major decisions, that complete and thorough discussions happen, and that our review committees (e.g., Architectural Review, Planning Commission, etc.) are involved.

Water This year may likely mark the return of water-rationing. Our City has been fortunate to have the vision to foresee that weather and nature are not constant + that cycles occur, and that we need to plan for our community's future water needs. The recycled water project has started providing recycled water to commercial, industrial, and residential customers and conservation efforts have also made a difference.

Police and Fire Services The men and women in our public safety departments work hard every day to protect us and our families. My priorities on the City Council will include ensure that our police and fire departments are fully-staffed and equipped to respond quickly to 911 calls.

Supporting Our Local Schools In partnership with our local school districts, Redwood City can support our local schools by providing quality after-school recreation programs that keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. Increasing gang intervention efforts will also reduce youth crime and violence and keep kids safe.

Providing Quality Recreation and Senior Services I will work to ensure we continue to improve our community facilities, libraries, and parks and provide recreation and wellness programs that keep children and seniors active and healthy.

Protecting Our Neighborhoods Our Redwood City community is comprised of many unique and special neighborhoods from Hwy 280 to the Bayfront. I will enhance neighborhood services like pothole repair, graffiti removal, and traffic calming to improve our quality of life. I will also seek neighborhood input and listen to all sides of an issue to develop consensus solutions that ensure existing residents and neighborhoods are protected from any negative impacts.