Town Crier Staff Report
Following on its commitment to monitor the volatile Los Altos Hills election landscape, the Los Altos-Mountain View League of Women Voters has found validity to two complaints filed against town council candidate Jim Steiner.
After investigating the complaints, the League on Monday announced that Steiner had unfairly criticized opponents Steve Finn and incumbent Toni Casey in his campaign kickoff invitation.
The complaints questioned Steiner's reference to "a pair of candidates who believe in unrestricted 'property rights' (meaning anything goes in housing construction) ... "
Steiner acknowledged to League officials that he was referring to Casey and Finn.
Steiner felt valididated, saying Casey in her ballot statement called for eliminating the planning commission.
Casey said she's called for taking the approval process for new housing and remodels away from the commission, not eliminating the commission itself.
Casey and Finn denied that they believe in unrestricted property rights or that "anything goes in housing construction."
"The issue he raised is a legitimate campaign issue," said the League's monitoring committee. "However, although Mr. Steiner's points might support his own judgment about the beliefs of his political opponents, his points do not establish that they actually hold those beliefs."
The League of Women Voters of the Los Altos -Mountain View Area officially activated a compliance committee to monitor the upcoming campaign for filling two seats on the city council of the Town of Los Altos Hills on Sept. 15.
The Los Altos Hills Town Council passed a campaign code of ethics in August which has been signed by all four candidates and asked the League to monitor the campaign.
The League committee developed a set of guidelines for operation. The committee comprises League members Coeta Chambers, Joanne Dyall, Vanya Sloan and Emily Thurber. No member of this nonpartisan committee may live in Los Altos Hills or have ties with the candidates.
"The goal of the project is to encourage fair and honest campaigns," said League president Carol Watts.
"We hope all campaigns will focus on the important issues in the Town of Los Altos Hills."
For more information, call Watts at 948-2091.
Complaint forms and the committee's procedures are available at the Los Altos Hills Town Hall and the Los Altos Main Library reference desk. Findings also are available on the League's Website: www.losaltosonline.com/lwv
This complaint challenges the truth or accuracy of a statement in Jim Steiner's campaign kickoff invitation. The statement refers to "a pair of candidates who believe in unrestricted 'property rights' (meaning anything goes in housing construction)...." Steiner acknowledges that he was referring to Toni Casey and Steve Finn.
In support of his statement, Steiner cites Casey's ballot statement in which he claims she proposes the elimination of the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission. He then attributes this belief to Finn claiming Casey and Finn are "running as a slate" based on the fact that they conducted a joint campaign kickoff and have published a joint newspaper ad.
Casey and Finn deny that they believe in "unrestricted property rights" or that "anything goes in housing construction". Casey denies that she advocates the elimination of the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission. Casey's ballot statement reads in part: "My objectives include: (1) eliminate the unnecessary level of permit approval by the planning commission. . . . A dedicated town staff of experts and a town council elected and accountable to the residents are the only layers of approval necessary in our small town..."
Our finding is that Steiner did not provide factual support for his statement that Casey and Finn believe in "unrestricted property rights."
The issue he raised is a legitimate campaign issue. While Mr. Steiner's points might support his own opinions about the beliefs of his political opponents, the evidence he cites does not establish that Casey and Finn believe in "unrestricted property rights."