League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
	Stephanie Schaaf Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Mountain View

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Passing a balanced City budget each year has become a major challenge. What specific strategies will you promote in response to a continuing revenue shortfall?

Economic development is key to increasing revenues, and I will continue to make that a priority. In addition, the city should ensure sustainable ongoing operating costs by making investments today that will pay for themselves and eventually save the city money.

We should invest in sustainable environmental policies that will also have a positive financial effect. The city saved $92,000 in one year by installing energy efficient stop lights, and I will expand that to energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems. Investing in recycled water infrastructure will save on ongoing water utility costs. The city should make green building techniques a standard for new public facilities. Such policies would also stimulate development of new technologies and business opportunities.

2. What would you do, if anything, to make home ownership possible for more families of local public safety workers, other City employees, District teachers and medical personnel?

It clearly benefits the community to have workers who serve the community live here. In the long term, the best way to achieve housing affordability is to increase the supply of housing. Mountain View should pursue a sustainable balance of jobs and housing, focusing on putting new housing near transit options. In the meantime, I support continuing to give these families preference for our affordable housing units. The city should also pursue creative loans for first-time homebuyers, such as those programs already in place at the county level for teachers.

3. On which local and regional committees, boards, and task forces would you like to serve? If your personal views on issues before these bodies do not coincide with those of the Council as a whole, how will you handle this?

Many of the issues we face are truly regional. I am interested in serving on regional bodies, such as the VTA board, Association of Bay Area Governments, League of California Cities and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. I would also like to serve on the Council Transportation Committee and the Community Health Awareness Council. I will advocate for my views at the council level, and then take the sense of the council to the boards.