League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Alameda County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Council Member; City of Berkeley; Council District 8

The questions were prepared by the LWV Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on District Problems, The City as a whole, Measure R Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What do you see as your District's biggest problem and how would you address it? Answer from George J Beier, Jr: We need slower neighborhood streets, safer crosswalks and more high visibilitypedestrian- and cyclist-activated crossing signals. We also need better incentives to get people out of their cars and on to public transit, their bikes, and their feet. Answer from Mike Alvarez Cohen: My first priority for my District is to be highly responsive to the needs of the neighborhoods, citizens and businesses - especially in making our neighborhoods safer and more family-friendly. So I developed a District 8 plan that will model how government that is transparent and tech-savvy can be cost-effective and highly responsive to neighborhoods, residents and businesses. Here's a link to my The D8 Transparency and Accountability System. Answer from Jacquelyn McCormick: Public Safety Our police and fire departments are challenged with providing great service while facing significant budget constraints. Every day they work hard to do more with less while maintaining standards that reflect Berkeley values. We honor their contribution and are willing to do our part in remaining vigilant. The community could use better tools to enhance public safety. I believe we could do easy things to help bolster communication. Connect neighborhoods through internet groups such as NextDoor, Yahoo Groups, Twitter and Nixel. Provide "real time" information about crimes in progress or just occurred through social media and email alerts. Encourage neighborhood watch programs and provide information to enhance effectiveness (Where do you buy surveillance equipment, who provides the best alarm services?) Assist with pro-active outreach at the start of the University school year to our student population in order to decrease the demand on police and emergency services. 2. What would be your highest priority for the good of the City as a whole? Answer from Mike Alvarez Cohen: In the Mayor's May 2014 State-of-the-City presentation, he stated that the number 1 obstacle to addressing our challenges (including mitigating traffic and maintaining parks) is lack of funds. So one of my top citywide priorities is to increase the number of clean jobs in Berkeley and thereby grow our commercial and retail tax base so that we have the funds to address our challenges. Here's a link to my An Even Better Berkeley 2020 Plan. Answer from George J Beier, Jr: Reviving Telegraph Avenue and Downtown Telegraph has languished for 30 years. Let's scrap the outdated quota system (gun stores are legal, electric scooter stores aren't) and start a blight tax to encourage development. Downtown, let's build the proposed hotel, add parking, and create residential projects to foster vibrancy, create affordable housing, provide jobs, and earn revenue for the General Fund. Answer from Jacquelyn McCormick: Fiscal Responsibility Berkeley's leadership must begin setting policy and planning to ensure a sustainable financial future for Berkeley. We can no longer afford to postpone addressing our infrastructure needs and kick obligations down the road for future generations. There will be no windfall that will get us out from under the billion dollars of infrastructure and community service needs and unfunded liabilities. I believe that when you work hard for a lifetime, it is important to have a retirement nest egg. But our mounting obligations are not just threatening taxpayers + they threaten to steal retirement security from the pockets of the newly hired employee or public safety officer. Action must be taken NOW to ensure we can meet existing demands and ensure that we can attract capable and dedicated employees in the future. Some of the actions I will initiate: Reinstating the Budget Commission Bringing the entire community together to establish priorities and create a short and long term Fiscal Action Plan Honor the promises we have made while providing for a sustainable future 3. The Downtown Initiative, Measure R [Initiative Ordinance Amending Downtown Zoning Provisions and Creating Civic Center Historic District Overlay Zone] proposes detailed changes to the current zoning rules. Do you support or oppose it and why? Answer from Mike Alvarez Cohen: I don't support Measure R. I've been on Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board for eight years, and for the past two years I was unanimously elected as Chair. Accordingly, I have a great deal of experience with our Downtown Plan. Over the past few years our Downtown has been improving, and I'm optimistic about its trajectory under the current Downtown Plan. However, our current Downtown Plan has opportunities for refinement. These periodic refinements are a normal process in land-use, and therefore they should be implemented via the normal planning process. In contrast, Measure R comprises a large, complex set of changes. Implementing those changes as a ballot measure is not prudent because: (1) we have to accept all or none of the changes, and (2) if we approve the ballot, then we can't readily refine the plan through the normal planning process. Measure R will halt the revitalization that our Downtown is experiencing, and it will impede our ability to maintain a normal process of periodically refining our Downtown land-use. Consequently, I don't support Measure R. Answer from George J Beier, Jr: This measure mandates that tall buildings take the "Green Pathway" that was optional in original Measure R (2010). There are many good things in this measure, including an expanded pool of workers earning a prevailing wage, more local hires in construction jobs and, my favorite, public bathrooms in the tallest buildings. The problem with the measure is that it is long (28 pages), complicated, and can only be changed by going back to the voter. Even the smallest items (operating hours for bars, rules for bike parking, etc.) must be changed by going to the ballot. This is too restrictive. Downtown is finally moving forward, and we need new development to fund City services. Answer from Jacquelyn McCormick: See Political Philosophy/ Articles Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.