What do I hope to accomplish on the Saratoga City Council?

By Rishi Kumar

I will keep Saratoga Great by ensuring that choices we make align with our family oriented community - keep it simple, keep it thriving.

With my experience and learning as a community volunteer/neighborhood leader actually launching and implementing things for our city, and serving as a planning commissioner, I will work to enhance the quality of our lives, with prudent decisions, based upon citizen feedback. The most important trait of an elected official is to listen - and I will continue doing that.

My run for city council has a 5 point action plan listed at http://www.RISHIKUMAR.COM #1 Enhance Saratoga's quality of life, nurture a thriving family oriented community, a vibrant commercial district, offerings for our youth as well as seniors. #2 Be your strong voice to address quality of life issues, such as highway 85 noise/pollution, petty thefts/home break-ins and high density housing #3 Enhance and optimize city services for all our citizens; increase "customer satisfaction" #4 Actively engage citizens via partnerships and outreach programs creating strong synergies #5 Listen and then act; actively solicit and incorporate citizen feedback into decisions.

So what is the most important issue that Saratogans care for? This is what I learnt on the campaign trail knocking on thousands of doors.

The most important issue for our community is the quality of life that is largely centered on our families. I will preserve the good that we Saratogans enjoy - the unique charm of Saratoga.

FOCUS ON FAMILIES AND MAKE DECISIONS EASIER: We are a family oriented - largely the reason why we moved into Saratoga - and our offerings and challenges lineup with this core value. What contributes to our quality of life is fast efficient city services for our citizens, a laid-back semi-rural ambiance, protecting our trees, a well maintained park and trails system, and streets that mostly have free flowing traffic, and quiet neighborhoods. On the council, I will continue to enhance that quality of life for all Saratogans, based upon their input, ideas, our understanding of our community, while building a framework of active community engagement. We all love a family conducive environment, happy, contented, relaxed lives. We are invested to raise smart, happy, successful kids and provide the right opportunities for them to thrive and grow. We have a fairly large senior population and we like to address their needs in the community - along with the needs of the young families that are trickling into Saratoga.

Here are some specific ideas on how we can keep Saratoga focused on families, and aligned with what Saratogans want:
- I would like to ensure that we have thriving, vibrant commercial districts that meets the needs of our family. Why do our families have to go to Campbell, San Jose, Los Gatos to have a simple evening dinner? Why do our high school students have to drive to Los Gatos to have lunch in a time crunch, with parents constantly worried? Why can't we have all options in our own downtown? Why do we have empty store fronts in all our commercial district? We just need to ensure that our businesses are thriving and successful, catering to our families. See my vision plan for downtown below for details.
- I will work with our Sheriff's office to create awareness of petty thefts in Saratoga and explore options on reducing home break-ins. I have incorporated specificities in my neighborhood - that has been effective to create awareness and reduce petty thefts. I will look to adopt some of these across our community.- I would like to see VTA NOT expand highway 85, but to address the concerns of our community - to reduce the noise and pollution from 85. The gridlock on highway 85 needs to be resolved. The spillover of highway 85 traffic into Saratoga streets should be minimized.
- Our neighborhood and our community should not deal with high-density development, traffic grid locks or monster McMansions. Transit oriented areas are where low cost housing is meant to be. We are a minimal service city with not that many city employees that need housing. All these critera need to be taken into consideration. One view does not work for all - specially for a bedroom community like Saratoga.
- I will enhance Saratoga's community engagement model with local government. I have brought Saratogans together with my outreach programs and events in the past, and will continue to do so on the council, building a joint partnership to work together for the common good and keep Saratogans unified in their quest to preserve and enhance this lovely city.
- I have been involved in our city to enhance the civic engagement model, informed, collaborated and brought our community together, always encouraging the process of dialogue - in resolving issues or just creating awareness. While doing so, I encouraged the democratic process of open decision making, educating our citizens with the facts to help make choices. I will continue doing that on the council with an active mechanism for dialogue, interaction via town hall meetings and more.
- I will bring corporate like efficiencies to our city government via basic Silicon Valley thinking at a reduced price tag. I am running to ensure that our city is truly working for our citizens, meeting their needs and being held accountable.
- I will use Saratoga's limited funds wisely. Fiscal efficiency is my expertise due to my role as a corporate General Manager - and my stints at IBM, Cisco. I will stretch the dollar for Saratogans and make it work, bring the corporate efficiency and customer focus.
- I will look to enhance the customer experience for our citizens - provide online tracking for their projects and requests. I will incorporate total transparency into the city's process.
- I will explore enhanced services for our citizens like online form submission for tree-permits, sound permits; explore high speed cable/internet options, pre negotiated solar packages for our citizens and more.
- I will preserve, maintain and enhance our parks and trails for our citizens.

I want to continue to make smart choices that works for our citizens, take pride in our city, our homes, our schools ensure that our community is always prosperous and successful! I will listen to our citizens and make prudent choices for Saratoga that will keep Saratoga thriving, successful and a desired community for all of bay area. I will make prudent choices that build upon our success to address the needs of our neighborhood and our community to KEEP SARATOGA GREAT.