League of Women Voters of California
Santa Clara County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
	Christopher Lee "Chris" Kuszmaul Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Mountain View; 4 Year Term

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Do you see any links between local traffic congestion and cuts in public transit services, "help wanted" signs and insufficient low cost housing? If so, what might the Council do to improve the situation?

I think the council can improve the situation by experimenting with intraneighborhood transit solutions, targeting commute communities, and telecommuting solutions.

With roughly 15,000 people in the city unable to really afford housing here, any attempt to build low cost housing, or to subsidize it, would be like using a washcloth to try to clean up an oil spill. Such an effort may well squander valuable tax dollars and open space.

Zoning for higher density, development, and a reduction in the number of regulatory barriers to development could ease the problem, but eventually we will have a city that cannot take on more residents in it's physical space.

But a revolution is beginning in the very definition of a city. On-line Communities exist now, and they are loosely governed. I consider it critically important that cities find their proper place to exercise jurisdiction there to serve as a balance against the federal government, and to continue to grow even after we are done adding bedrooms.

2. What specific concerns, if any, do you have about the recommendations in the NASA Ames Development Plan which was released in late July?

The NASA plan has a poor jobs/housing mix. The simplest solution is to generate more housing on base. The present plan will result in an escalation of housing costs here. This sounds bad, but it is obviously good for land owners, and anyone who wants more tax revenues. We need approaches that put land owners on the same side as renters. Rent-to-own methods are a start.

3. As a Councilmember, how would you bring together members of the community to address local issues?

I am a strong believer in the use of the internet as a way to develop consensus. However, there is no substitute for walking door to door to solicit concerns. I have learned how to do this well during my campaign, and I plan to continue.