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Published on 08/25/1999 All articles from this issue

Sher addresses crucial transportation issues at Los Altos meeting

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By Leslie K. Martin

Special to the Town Crier

Addressing an Aug. 14 town hall meeting in Los Altos, state Sen. Byron Sher (D-Redwood City) reviewed accomplishments over his last four years, including saving a forest of ancient redwoods. He noted effectiveness in dealing with a cautious Gov. Gray Davis.

Sher, who is seeking reelection in 2000, spoke before some 45 residents at Los Altos Hillview Community Center. He said some people had expressed frustration at a less than dramatic turnabout by the new governor. Sher described Davis as a "cautious, well-balanced" governor who moves slowly to ensure thought-out changes to established law.

Sher said Davis' personal public education agenda has spurred passage of four bills to improve California student test scores. The bills included establishment of peer review of teachers and accountability of school districts.

Sher said he worked with Davis to get a bill signed to save the 1,500-year-old coastal redwoods of Headwaters Forest from being logged.

In discussing health care, Sher noted insurance companies which deny medical treatment prescribed by doctors have created a backlash against health care maintenance organizations. Sher said that so much health care reform legislation has been written (even bills to change the structure of the state agency that oversees HMOs) that Davis asked a task force to organize and combine all the bills into five or six manageable packets.

As a member of a Senate select committee on Bay Area transportation, Sher said high technology businesses have brought unprecedented growth to the area, with estimates for 8 million people by the year 2020. Since most of these people will commute, Sher said his committee is looking for a multi-tiered approach to solutions.

Transportation legislature includes using a current $4 vehicle registration surcharge for building alternate thoroughfares such as pedestrian and bicycle pathways; applying tax credit to employers who reimburse employees using public transportation; and a bill to provide a bond for the rehabilitation of the state highway system.

Following a summer break, the state Senate session resumed Aug. 16.