ALAMEDA POINT The top issue facing Alameda's future is the appropriate development of Alameda Point. Alameda Point has been vacant for over 10 years, and while there have been ongoing discussions about the future of this valuable asset, little has been done to clean up the site and move forward. Development of Alameda Point can only be done after the City Council has revised existing transportation policies. Citywide transportation principles that improve egress from the West End must be in place before any development is approved at Alameda Point, or elsewhere in Alameda. I

ALAMEDA POWER & TELECOM I work for the City of Oakland, where I manage a multi-million dollar budget, four facilities, more than fifteen staff and numberous service contracts. I have long been a government manager, and I understand the decisions that governments must make to support agencies and provide public services. The solvency issues at AP&T are the result of decisions that the City Council and City staff made some time ago, when economic conditions were different. Now that conditions have changed, specifically the competitive environment, earlire deicisions must be reviewed and revised. I have an MBA from a top Business School, and I have found that gives me an advantage in making business decisions at the governmental level. During the past 6 years as a member of the Alameda Unified School District Board of Education I made many fiscal decisions that had a direct impact on students and staff. Some of those decisions were unpopular, and some of those decisions were eventually revised. But, as with the situation at AP&T, all of the decisions were made using the best data available at the time, and were intended to support the success of Alameda public school students. AP&T continues to move forward, and as a partner in the eventual development at Alameda Point AP&T can be a regional leader in energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction. That is where the City Council must focus now - on making a plan to move away from the telecom business and moving towards a plan for effective, economical, and efficient power distribution. OPEN SPACE I am committed to retaining and expanding the open space in Alameda. It is imperative for any Alameda Point development to recognize the environmental fragility of certain areas, and preserve those areas for the future. The 2006 court decision affirming the city’s right to the Beltline parcel gives Alameda a tremendous opportunity to provide more parkland, with pedestrian and bicycle trails. Alameda Point, the Beltline, and the completion of the Bay Trail around Alameda are projects that will make this city more livable, while increasing the opportunities for residents to get out of their cars.

ISSUES

volunteered to be a member of the Transportation Subcommittee reviewing policies for pedestrian and bicycle traffic because I am committed to expanding the use of those healthy transportation options. I support development that encourages public transportation but I don’t believe that “encouraging” ridership is enough. There must be incentives to make it attractive to take public transportation and leave the car at home. Like health care, transportation must be viewed by employers as a benefit that pays dividends to both parties. Employers in Alameda and elsewhere must see a benefit to providing a tax-free subsidy to employees which will encourage them to take public transportation. But employer subsidies and expansion of public transportation options will not ensure the success of Alameda Point, Alameda Landing or any other development on the West End. Expanded transportation options in the West End must be part of the solution. With the approval of the Transportation Element of the Alameda Master Plan the city can move forward in development of transportation options. Then Alameda can apply to receive state funding for development projects that will increase traffic. As demonstrated in San Jose and other local cities, there is funding - Measure A1 and other state bonds, available for development that includes innovative transportation options. The voters of California supported these measures two years ago and Alameda can be on the cutting edge of transportation policy as we move forward to develop Alameda Point. Once our transportation plan is in place I will enthusiastically support economically and environmentally appropriate development at Alameda Point. It is critical that any development take place only after a viable, community-driven transportation plan has been established. Development is critical to Alameda as a whole, but it is also necessary for the success of West End residents. Recently a group of Alameda youth under the direction of Alameda Point Collaborative staff undertook a study of the opportunities to purchase fresh produce and other food west of Webster Street. The unfortunate results of the analysis was that many West End residents, particularly those at Alameda Point did not have easy access to fresh, healthy food. Economic improvement at Alameda Point will benefit everyone on the West End - and across the island.