Candidate for
City Council; City of Millbrae

I grew up in San Mateo County and moved to Millbrae in 1991 with my husband Richard and our two children. Our first son, Reuben, was in pre-school, getting ready to start kindergarten. Our second son, Evan, was just three months old. We chose Millbrae as a perfect place to raise a family because of Millbrae's exceptional schools, safe neighborhoods and small town feel. We fell in love with the green hills and bay views. We picked a house that had a big backyard to build a swing set and plant a vegetable and flower garden.

My parents immigrated to America from our family's native Italy. I am the first member of my family to be born in the New World, and the first to graduate from college. I received my Bachelor's degree from U.C. Berkeley and went on to earn my Law Degree from U.C. Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

After moving to Millbrae, I became active in our community. I served as an officer in the Green Hills PTA and Mills High School PTO. I served as a member of the San Mateo County Planning Commission from 1993-1999, and as President of the Millbrae Soroptomists in the mid-1990's. In 1996, I was appointed as the citizen representative on the Downtown Process Committee, charged with developing a revitalization plan for the downtown. That same year, I was appointed Chair of Millbrae's 50th Anniversary Committee and worked with many wonderful Millbrae residents to put on a year-long celebration in 1998 of civic events that included all ages and ethnicities.

Community service is a strong tradition in our family. My husband Richard is an elected member of the San Mateo County Community College Board, and a past Trustee and President of the Millbrae School Board. Both of our sons served as Student Commissioners of Millbrae's Sister Cities Commission.

I have served two terms on the Millbrae City Council, winning election in 1999 and 2003, and I served as Mayor in 2003-2004. Millbrae's election law prevented me from seeking a third consecutive term in 2007. I am running again to put my experience back to work for the benefit of the residents of Millbrae during a difficult period for local government funding.

The most pressing need of our City is to return to a balanced budget without further depleting our hard-earned reserves. I served on the City Council when revenues plummeted after the horrific attacks of 9/11. The City faced a deficit when I assumed the office of Mayor in 2003, and I am proud to say that the City's Budget was balanced by the end of my Mayoral term, and we began to create a rainy day fund.

With the recent implementation of term limits, our City has a very new Council now. I will bring to the Council my experience in resolving difficult budget situations through working with all affected parties--residents, businesses, decision-makers and City staff. The challenge will be instituting further cuts while maintaining City services that residents need. Millbrae is a safe City, and it must remain a safe City, with strong police and fire services.

I am proud that the Sierra Club has endorsed my election to the City Council. I will work to keep Millbrae an innovator for environmental sustainability. During my term as Mayor, the City Council approved the City's grease co-generation plant, which diverts waste by recycling restaurant grease into energy. Beyond its environmental benefits, the facility saves tax dollars. It generates energy that is used for other City operations, thereby reducing our costs. As the representative of San Mateo County cities to the California League of Cities Environmental Quality Policy Committee, I worked to approve climate protection measures to be adopted by all California cities, and brought these proposals back to Millbrae for adoption by our City Council.

Millbrae is a city where middle-class working families and retirees have found an excellent quality of life. I honor the hard work of our City's residents and our excellent City staff, and I am proud to have earned the endorsement of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.

As Councilmember, I represented Millbrae on several regional government agencies that matter to our City. I Chaired the San Mateo County Library Board, and secured $450,000 in funding to furnish our new library. My regional activism has given me the opportunity to work closely with elected officials throughout our County, and I am proud to have earned the endorsement of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, State Senator Leland Yee, County Supervisors Richard Gordon, Adrienne Tissier, Rose Jacobs-Gibson and Carole Groom. I add these to the cherished endorsements of hundreds of our Millbrae residents.

I respectfully ask that you endorse my hard work for the resident of Millbrae by voting for me on November 3.