Candidate for
Council Member; City of San Rafael

Dear Neighbor,

I've been honored to serve for the last four years as your City Councilmember.

I've worked hard to sustain our vibrant local economy, protecting vital public services, and balancing our budget.

I've made sure City Hall is more responsive to the needs of our neighborhoods.

I've helped create more transit, bicycle, and pedestrian options for our residents, and worked to reduce San Rafael's contribution to global warming.

These are the things I pledged to do when I was elected. And these are the values I commit to continuing to fight for in the years ahead. We must continue to work until everyone in San Rafael who wants a job can find one. We must continue smart budgeting and saving. We must expand our alternative transit options, and continue to make San Rafael an environmental leader in Marin County and California.

I hope you will join me in working to make our great city even better, and I would be honored to have your support for my re-election.

Thanks!

Damon

Making Progress for San Rafael

Over the last four years, we've done much that we can be proud of in San Rafael.

Creating Jobs, Protecting Vital Services, and Balancing Our Budget

Despite these extremely difficult economic times, we balanced our City budget by aligning the city's priorities with necessary cuts and cost saving measures.

On the Council, I'm currently working to lay the groundwork for a local business incubator program, which will attract start-ups and entrepreneurs to San Rafael and create good local jobs.

I also helped pass Measure C, keeping our library adequately staffed and expanding its hours, and Measure I, ensuring we fund our paramedic services at the level the general public expects and deserves.

A Partnership Between City Hall and Our Neighborhoods

I have worked hard to strengthen the relationship between City Hall and our neighborhoods. I conduct frequent outreach and meetings with neighborhood leaders and residents, to stay in touch with their unique issues and concerns. Whether those concerns involve impacts of proposed development projects, graffiti abatement, park maintenance, enforcement of neighborhood speed limits, health concerns over the operation of the Dutra Rock Quarry, or preserving rent protection for mobile home park residents, each neighborhood is unique, and each deserves a unique approach from and partnership with City Hall.

During my tenure on the City Council, we have implemented a number of innovative programs designed to be more responsive to neighborhood concerns. Our San Rafael Connects program provides a venue for city staff, neighborhood groups, and businesses to work together to plan our future. We have also instituted a popular Planning Academy which trains citizens in city planning.

Creating More Transportation Choices

I have been a leading advocate for providing our residents with more transportation options. We have made tremendous strides in creating bicycle and pedestrian paths in San Rafael and recently updated our Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. We completed the Northgate Promenade in Terra Linda and the opening of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, enabling unprecedented bicycle and pedestrian access between San Rafael and Larkspur.

I continue to support the SMART passenger rail line that will permit transit between Sonoma County and downtown San Rafael. I also sit on the Civic Center Station Area Plan Advisory Committee, where I work with community stakeholders to develop plans for the rail station in north San Rafael.

Reducing San Rafael's Contribution to Global Warming

During my tenure on the City Council, San Rafael has taken the lead in Marin County on fighting climate change. San Rafael was the first city in Marin County to adopt a Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), and I served as a leader on the Green Ribbon Committee which developed the plan.

To date, we have taken several steps toward implementing the plan:

San Rafael took the lead in adopting a Model Green Building Ordinance which has been used by neighboring jurisdictions and establishes some of the toughest green building standards in the United States.

San Rafael has also joined the Marin Clean Energy (MCE) program, which enables participating jurisdictions and their residents to purchase electricity with significantly more renewable content than PG&E's, and at competitive prices. I serve as San Rafael's appointed member on the Marin Energy Authority Board, which oversees the program, and was recently elected Chair.

San Rafael recently adopted a food waste recycling program for residential garbage customers and will be implementing a commercial food waste-to-energy program that will further increase local renewable energy, divert landfill waste, and reduce San Rafael's carbon footprint.

San Rafael is also the first city in Marin that will be installing electric vehicle charging stations in its parking facilities.

I'm proud of what we have accomplished for our environment over the last four years.