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Published on 11/10/1999 All articles from this issue

Polls send mixed message

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue

Special to the Town Crier

Voters keep incumbents, vote down utility tax hike they supported

Los Altos voters sent a mixed message to city hall from the Nov. 2 election. They returned all three city council incumbents for second four-year terms, but they turned down the increase in the utility-user tax that would have funded the projects supported by these incumbents.

"If they elected us, you think they'd pass the tax, too," said incumbent Councilwoman Kris Casto. She finished third in Tuesday's election, with 22 percent of the vote.

"The voters know us, they like what we're doing," said incumbent Councilman Francis La Poll, who finished second with 23.9 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Councilman Lou Becker, currently serving as mayor, said he sees the election returns as "an expression of confidence in the existing council." He thinks voters have "no interest in changing the way the council is working."

Becker was the top vote-getter with 25.6 percent of the vote.

Ron Knecht, who finished fourth in the field of five with 16.5 percent of the vote, ran on an anti tax-increase platform. He was pleased with the returns.

"I didn't get elected, but I didn't lose," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, the election was not about me but was about the issues. And I won on the issues. My showing was better than a lot of people expected."

Knecht began the campaign as an unknown, who has lived in Los Altos not much more than a year. He didn't file his candidate papers until just a few hours before the deadline.

Yet he garnered 3,095 votes. "The fact that we could even be in the ball game is a testament to the thoughtfulness of the voters," he said.

Knecht plans to continue being involved in city government, telling both Becker and Casto he was willing to work wherever needed.

"I can help," Knecht said. He fashioned a "fiscal watch dog role" for himself during the campaign. Now he "leaves in their hands" where he might volunteer, he said.

The fifth candidate, Noah Mesel, came in last with 12 percent of the vote. He also has been a Los Altos resident for just over a year.

His political activities began when he joined with his neighbors last spring to oppose construction of a 14,000-square-foot multipurpose gym at Miramonte School, a private school in his neighborhood. He became spokesman for the group and spoke regularly at city council meetings.

Mesel also opposed the increase in the utility-user tax, but he was "extremely surprised" the tax hike didn't pass. "The voters sent an interesting message," Mesel said. "On the one hand, they said they like the working style of the existing council. But the voters are inherently suspicious about raising taxes."

Mesel's council campaign was a "first step" for him, "a very positive experience," and he plans to remain active, he said. He is already considering "another shot at city council" if the right opportunity presents.

In the meantime, Mesel said he will soon be announcing the formation of another organization in Los Altos.

"I was heartened that over 2,000 people voted for me and agreed with what I had to say. There are enough to form a nucleus to work for all of Los Altos, not just one neighborhood."