City Council Experience for our Community

By Aileen Kao

"Experience for Our Community: A Proven Record of Accomplishments"

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I have been deeply honored to be your City Council Member since 2004 and your Mayor in 2007. I have worked diligently to represent you and the City of Saratoga with dignity, integrity and with respect for all the diverse interests in our community. The past four years have been busy and productive and I have enjoyed them.

I found it particularly rewarding to reach out to individuals and groups in every area of Saratoga, whether to solve problems, to establish dialogue, to understand residents' concerns with potential development projects in the city, or to just informally talk about our community. Although gradual change is in progress in our City, the fundamental desire of having a great neighborhood to raise our family, enjoy our life and retirement remains the core value of our community. I have learned a great deal about Saratoga through those various discussions. It has taken a lot of time, but it has strengthened my determination to protect the special quality of life in Saratoga. More importantly, I have met many great people.

I continue to insist on fiscal responsibility in our City's budget; there were times I voted to oppose projects that would exceed the amount that was budgeted. Some people commented that it would be easier to write personal checks to fund those projects than to debate how public funds should be allocated to support them. I think residents prefer that we take the time to manage our public money carefully and rationally. With my working experience at BASF, Eastman Kodak, Bell Atlantic, Cisco and start-up companies, I truly believe in operational efficiency and that we should get the greatest benefit we can from Saratoga's hard earned revenue.

During the past four years, I have become more familiar with city government and I certainly realize many challenges remain. I want to leverage my first-term city council experience to achieve my continuing goal of making Saratoga the most neighborhood oriented, cost effective, sustainable and inclusive community possible; where we integrate our differences and celebrate our unity as one whole community.

Finally, I want to thank you for placing your trust in me these past four years. Even during the most difficult issues, it has been an extraordinary and life-changing experience representing you and your neighbors. I seek your continued support for my re-election and hope to have the privilege of serving Saratoga again with commitment, respect and humility.

Thank you, sincerely,

Aileen Kao http://www.aileenkao.org