This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/alm/ for current information.
Alameda County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
Smart Voter

Priorities

By Marge Atkinson

Candidate for Council Member; City of Albany

This information is provided by the candidate
Fiscal Responsibiily Climate Action
During the last four years, the city budget has been balanced with no staff lay-offs. A projected short fall three years ago was successfully addressed. The projected $300,000 deficit projected for 2011-12 can also be successfully addressed in the next year with the many tools available to the city, in a thoughtful and carefully balanced manner. As an incumbent, I have the experience to bring to the table, to work with staff on this. I will continue to work with city staff to be fiscally responsible. I have worked with the leadership of the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Solano Avenue Association on economic development and business outreach.

Notwithstanding the ecomomic situation most cities are currently in, I think once we get past this downturn, that my priority is how to make sure Albany citizens are aware and engaged in the many changes and decisions that need to be addressed and implemented in response to climate disruption. We have a city Climate Action Plan that we need to start implementing as soon as possible. This will involve community outreach, education and engagement because without the community's support and actions we will not meet our Action Plan goals.

I am an initiating member (co-founder) of our local Transition Albany group, part of a world-wide movement started in the U.K., to work along with local government and residents to foster community resilience and sustainability. Besides working from within the City, I plan to work with community groups to educate the residents on ways to lower carbon emissions, share resources and build community resiliency by being proactive about the steps we can take to ameliorate the effects of peak oil and climate change. I envision ways to partner with residents to find alternative modes of transportation and I will work with other government agencies and businesses to encourage mass transportation between Albany and other sites like Berkeley BART, El Cerrito BART, Solano, San Pablo and the businesses along frontage road and Golden Gate Fields.

The City of Albany is in the forefront of initiating and supporting sustainable development and "green" practices. We have instituted green building codes, are a the top of cities in recycling and have received an award as the "Greenest" city in California. I would continue these practices of being in the forefront of protecting the environmental and a civic leader in encouraging other cities to do the same.

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2010 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


ca/alm Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 1, 2010 13:20
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.