This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information.
LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
Smart Voter

Ronit Bryant
Answers Questions

Candidate for
Council Member; City of Mountain View

[photo]
 
[line]

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the city council?

Relevant public experience (incumbent, city commissions, etc.):


3. What would your general policy be with respect to maintaining current levels of service during these difficult economic times?

The City Council on which I serve spent a full year, since the passing of the 09-10 budget, working to achieve a structurally balanced budget for 10-11. We opted for a three-prong strategy of expenditure reductions, fee increases, and containment of increases to employee compensation and benefits. This was accompanied by organizational changes that helped reduce costs. Working with the employee groups, this process resulted in the passing of a structurally balanced budget + without cuts in service. I believe that in difficult times, cities must focus on maintaining services to residents: safety, of course, but also library, recreation programs, park maintenance + all services that become even more important to residents in times of financial challenge. I am proud to say that in Mountain View we have enhanced services for youth + where other cities have opted to cut services.

4. What changes do you want to see between the current General Plan and the revision now in progress? Some issues that have been brought forth by the community and the current Council and the Grand Boulevard initiative, environmental sustainability, inclusivity in the City's population and access to essential services for people who don't drive.

I spearheaded the updating of the City's General Plan (which had not been updated since 1992). I am very proud of the result of our visioning process, in which hundreds of residents and business owners participated, in four different languages. The vision of a green city, proud of its diversity, financially healthy, with a lively downtown and vibrant neighborhoods, balancing preservation with innovation, is one I wholeheartedly support. The idea of a network of walkable and interconnected villages with services at their center is very attractive. The Plan also identifies areas of focus for change + mainly along major transportation routes such as El Camino Real. Themes of sustainability and healthy living will be woven through the fabric of the document. Adaptation to climate change will be analyzed. I look forward to putting in place the policies and actions that will get us to that vision.

Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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

Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 23, 2010 23:24
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://www.lwvc.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.