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Published on 10/27/1997 All articles from this issue

Full house greets schools, council candidates at LWV forum as Nov. 4 Election Day nears

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

A nearly full house gathered at the Los Altos City Council Chambers last Wednesday to listen to city council and school board candidates speak about issues at the candidates forum, co-sponsored by the Los Altos-Mountain View branch of the League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women and the Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.

The four Los Altos School District board candidates are running for three, three-year seats. The four Los Altos City Council candidates are running for two, four-year seats.

School board issues included questions about growing enrollment, funding, government control and technology.

All four candidates agreed that technology should continue to be updated and used to enrich curriculum.

Mohamed Poonja, 48, said the school district needs to go to private resources to fund projects and should consider naming school fields or buildings after donors to encourage their support.

"The district is diverse, but it has lots of people with lots of money. No one has tapped these sources," he said.

In his closing statement, Poonja said he would initiate a long-term plan and thus eliminate the board's need to rely on consultants.

Incumbent Gerri Carlton, 49, said the district should work with legislation to advance areas of needed funding rather than relying solely on private donations.

When asked about the Federal Government's role in school issues, Carlton said the district has maintained its own high levels without federal interference. She said the district should not ignore the government, but its input does not always "transfer to the energy we need and the plans we have to benefit the children here."

Incumbent Jay Thomas, 46, said he, too, believed in maintaining local control. He said the district should "always be there for the community first."

When asked about the current board's failures and successes, Thomas said the board successfully addressed the overcrowding issue by quickly adding portables to each school. He said the board put the needs of the children first, and as a result did not initiate long range plans at that time.

Victor Reid, 51, said the board needs to encourage the community to add the sixth grade to its intermediate schools as a solution to overcrowding in the K-6 schools. He said this plan could be implemented within one year.

"I recommend education in the middle schools one year earlier than the present time. I think there are students who could enjoy learning algebra or a foreign language a year earlier. This is a program that has to be sold," he said.

City council questions centered around growth, traffic, 401 Rosita and air traffic at Moffett Federal Air Field.

Steven Smiley, 36, said he doesn't want to see Los Altos "turn into a Mountain View," with large buildings lining the streets.

Smiley said he supports the state mandate for affordable housing, but does not feel it necessary to go "above or beyond" the mandate. He said the Tree Farm location on El Camino Real is "most ideal" for affordable housing.

John Moss, 55, said traffic is a growing issue. He said traffic should be channeled from Fremont Avenue to streets better able handle it.

Moss said Moffett Federal Air Field is a regional issue. He said Los Altos does not represent a big population by itself and the city stands to lose unless it bands with its sister cities.

Moss said, "I will represent the community and lead it in the direction the citizens want."

King Lear, 59, said he would fight development pressure and maintain downtown's "village" atmosphere. Lear said he would like to add a parking lot downtown in "an attractive way that doesn't cost tax payers money," in order to alleviate parking issues.

He said two-story houses are an efficient way to use land, and could be fit into certain neighborhoods comfortably while working with the city's guidelines. He said each neighborhood should be considered on an individual basis.

Incumbent, Patti Williams, 54, said her strongest commitment is to make certain Los Altos has affordable housing that meets the needs of everybody.

Williams said her second issue is to address traffic. She said Los Altos could divert commuter traffic by using other city's guidelines, such as limiting left turns during certain hours.

When asked about 401 Rosita, Williams said she was committed to making sure citizens get a vote.