League of Women Voters of California
Santa Clara County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
	Tom Frankum Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Mountain View; 4 Year Term

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Do you see any links between local traffic congestion and cuts in public transit services, "help wanted" signs and insufficient low cost housing? If so, what might the Council do to improve the situation?

There's an unmistakable link between "help wanted" signs and our chronic lack of affordable housing. The people who provide our vital services can't afford to live here, and we can't expect them to commute from the Central Valley!

In my eight years on the Environmental Planning Commission, including two as Chairman, we created a trust fund for affordable housing. We enacted a Below Market Rate (BMR) ordinance, so developers set aside 10% of new housing units as BMR or pay into the trust fund. We also completed a vital revision of our General Plan Housing Element.

2. What specific concerns, if any, do you have about the recommendations in the NASA Ames Development Plan which was released in late July?

Like many others, I thought NASA's initial plans combined too little toxic cleanup and housing with too many jobs and cars. But few in our community appreciate how far NASA has come in addressing those concerns. Their latest plan includes more housing and fewer jobs, and although it's still inadequate, it demonstrates to me a breakthrough in NASA's willingness to listen and respond. My pledge to the people of Mountain View is to always be at the table when these issues are discussed, seeking a plan with the best outcomes for all.

3. As a Councilmember, how would you bring together members of the community to address local issues?

I would meet with all the stakeholders in our community, specifically seeking a broader range of participation. Many issues lend themselves to study by broad community task forces before entering the City's formal decision-making process, as we've seen with Stevens Creek Trail and the GTE/Whisman site. In both cases, neighborhood and community concerns were heard and addressed. This process works and can be expanded to other areas. I propose that we appoint such a task force to develop the long-awaited master plan for Cuesta Park, including the annex, and the same process if and when HP vacates the Mayfield site.