City Council Election '24 Questionnaire: Mia Esperanza Brown and Calvin Dillahunty

 This City Council election season, the Tattler continues its 15 year tradition of  disseminating answers put to City Council candidates for the edification of the voting public.  The upcoming City Council election features six candidates competing for three seats.  The six are: Mia Esperanza Brown, Calvin Dillahunty, Sam Gould, Sukhdeep Kaur, Matthew Solomon and Courtney Welch.  Courtney Welch is an incumbent as well as Sukhdeep Kaur (who was appointed to her position following the resignation of Council member Medina).   Unfortunately, both Ms Welch and Ms Kaur declined to take part in this opportunity to inform the voters about their ideas for our town.  Accountability being an integral part of any democratic polity, voters should take into consideration, candidates who don’t respect the community enough to answer questions.  

We thank each candidate that took the time to answer these questions for the voters to consider.  Our City Council is improved when democratic norms are followed, when the politicians show deference and respect to the voters.  We thank Sam Gould, Matthew Solomon, Calvin Dillahunty and Mia Esperanza Brown.

Each of the other candidate’s answers to these questions will be posted in succession, the names were picked at random.  Next up are two candidates running together as a slate, Mia Esperanza Brown and Calvin Dillahunty.

Mia Esperanza Brown

https://www.miaforemeryville.com/

1)  Name the three biggest issues facing Emeryville right now and what are your ideas to address them?

Decorum: Making our politics in Emeryville better and more accessible to everyone. We need to change how we select our mayors and make it about an election and not a selection

Affordability and lack of tenant protections: Lowering barriers to home ownership in Emeryville & reversing the downward trend of declining Black and Brown home ownership.  Allowing tenants the right to organize, allowing tenants to be first bidders to purchase rental property once it enters the market. This would be similar to Berkeley’s TOPA but before it was weakened.

   

Public safety and working with our officers to ensure the community feels safer and working with Kalimah and Calvin to gather community feedback about a substation (mini police station) in South Emeryville.  I would add more license plate reader cameras but with significant oversight from the public.

2)  Emeryville is the East Bay city with the lowest number of families per housing unit.  Why is that and what do you suggest should be done about it (if anything)?

I’m a mother of two children under three who has had to deal with eviction notices in Emeryville.  I believe the affordability of living in Emeryville is slipping away from us because we haven’t had people in office who are fighting for working families.  Before getting my current apartment, I was on a waiting list for a year.  We don’t have enough units that people can afford, but some developers are tired of this “no-parking” trend that our city council has demanded from them.  Carless cities for families aren't real and aren't pragmatic, practical, or progressive. It’s elitist.

This can be very frustrating and disheartening for families who do not have time to wait and need housing and SPACE!  Also having adequate parks and parking spaces for families can be crucial.  We also need to provide better support for our schools.  I have a friend in Emeryville who may be leaving just because she wants her daughter to attend better schools.  No parent should have to move just to afford opportunities for their children, and it isn’t EUSD’s fault, it’s ours for not coming up with an education master plan as a city.

3)   What do you think about Council collegiality?  Is being collegial with each other important to help facilitate the people’s work?

I think that council members should respect each other’s views even if they do not agree or have the same beliefs.  All council members should be doing what is best for the community and the people of Emeryville.

I’m guessing those who don’t understand why this is important also have the privilege of not being aware of workplace discrimination, especially as a woman, woman of color.  Being passed up for opportunities because you have a difference of opinion or because you are different should not have a place in city hall.

As council member, I would vote to put back in place the rotating of mayors to end favoritism.

4)  Is there enough accountability between Council members and the constituents?  If not, what is the solution?

Absolutely not. The hurdles it takes just for someone like me, for anyone to file a grievance about council members is impossible.  I’ve been in Emeryville for a few years but I used to think like everyone else that Emeryville was like Oakland and Berkeley in how we govern and prevent corruption. It’s not!

We could be better at accountability and responsibility by holding our elected officials to a higher standard.

5)  Is it important to build more park land in Emeryville going forward?  If so, how much do we need and how will you deliver it?

Yes. I would follow the general plan.

6)  What tells you how much market rate housing to build in Emeryville?  Is it knowable (measurable)?

RHNA, but I think we have had more than enough market rate housing. The other candidates are build, baby, build, but we’re not building low-income and low low income units like we should.

7)  Is the ratio of rental housing to ownership housing in Emeryville good?  If not, how will you address this issue for the Black and Brown community there are more renters than homeowners in Emeryville.

I think we are in a renter’s phase that could last fifty years from now, especially when we keep using bonds to borrow money that we’re paying for, for over a century.  As a below-market-rate renter we need to have a voice on our city council.  There is a below-market-rate renter on there but she’s all about the build, baby, build along with the other YIMBYs.  We need real advocacy so the barriers that were created in our BMR home ownership program that reduced the number of new homeowners just to ONE over a span of years, never happens again.

8)  Should Emeryville have a public library?  If so, how?

No. The Golden Gate branch should suffice especially since we are in a budget deficit.

9)  The City Council resolved support for the people of Ukraine, but not for a ceasefire in Gaza.  Was that correct in your view?

I support ceasefires worldwide.

10)  What should be done about all the empty storefront retail space in town?  Do developers have a responsibility to rent out their retail space they built?

One of the reasons why we have empty storefronts is because we don’t support our local businesses like the 40th Street Multi-Modal project that threatens to shut down our legacy businesses.  Calvin and I would join Council member Priforce in proposing a vacancy tax for residences and commercial properties and units.  If you have the space, fill it up, if not, pay a fee that will go to support eviction-prevention and our schools.

.                        .                        .

Calvin Dillahunty

https://vote4calvind.com/

1)  Name the three biggest issues facing Emeryville right now and what are your ideas to address them?

I believe the three most important opportunities for growth in Emeryville that I happen to be focused on are public safety, lack of support for small businesses and their workers, and our climbing deficit. Our slate, “Emery Rising,” is about new city leadership learning from the mistakes of the past so we can govern in a better way than what exists now.

Council member Priforce has been preparing Mia and I for these roles, whereas Mia Esperanza Brown is focused on some areas, I’m focused on others and then there’s some overlap. I believe in progressive policing and that the relationship between the city and our police force should be healthy and Emeryville as a whole should feel safer for everyone. Public safety is more than just policing. It includes fire, hazard, and disaster preparedness systems, but we can’t be prepared for the worst if we are in a deep financial hole.

I was picked to be on the slate because of my business background and maybe I can be considered naive for bringing my customer service and technical expertise into city government to resolve our deficit, but we do have to do a better job of keeping our local businesses around in Emeryville like the 40th Street Multi-Model and how it’s hurting businesses that have been with us for years.

By hearing from them rather than dictating to them, we can come to a better compromise than what they are getting. What’s currently on the books of how we treat people in Emeryville isn’t working, so I would help with better small business support, widen our police presence with a substation in South Emeryville, and fix our deficit by reforming the city’s relationship with big developers. No more of these shady dealings to finance political campaigns.




2)  Emeryville is the East Bay city with the lowest number of families per housing unit. Why is that and what do you suggest should be done about it (if anything)?

We need better tenant protections, and we have to make sure landlords actually rent out properties. This is both for residential and commercial. Emeryville feels empty, like we are building for companies that won’t come and sticking residents with the bill for them not showing up. To support families in Emeryville we have to increase home ownership opportunities and improve our BMR (Below Market Rate) program for owners and renters.

Most of all, we need a Vacancy Tax similar to other cities so properties and units won’t sit empty for long without there being a cost.




3)  What do you think about Council collegiality? Is being collegial with each other important to help facilitate the people’s work?

It is, but not at the expense of independence. If I were a council member, I would represent my constituents, not my own interests. I attended a council meeting last month and several times while I was there it was giving me “high school,” vibes. I probably wouldn’t be in politics if it weren’t for Councilmember Priforce because he showed me that my voice matters.

I admit, Mia and I waited until the last minute to get our paperwork because we heard that politics gets ugly in Emeryville and I stay away from drama. All this talk about Kalimah using us as political tools is disrespectful and the people making these comments (I heard it’s just one guy) are cowards. You have something to say, say it to my face. Don’t be a coward. Keep the drama to yourself and respect that Mia and I want this because it’s time for change in Emeryville.

My building was sold right from under us and my car was broken into, and they act like everything is golden. The way the city council carry themselves, they make it seem like they only want certain people belonging up there. That’s not collegial. It’s high school.




4)  Is there enough accountability between Council members and the constituents? If not, what is the solution?

It’s hard to have accountability when everyone is expected to sound the same and care about the same things. Does everyone have to be so focused on housing and transportation? What about other parts of the city? What about balancing our budget? We need better ethics. Let the people decide.

The best way to have accountability is to have different people on the council so there’s a greater balance of viewpoints and experiences, but that’s not our current council.




5)  Is it important to build more park land in Emeryville going forward? If so, how much do we need and how will you deliver it?

I think we should follow our General Plan that tells us we should be building more parks. We just got a new park extension, which is great, but we are so behind from where we should be. I don’t want to promise to build more parks until we fix our budget, but I’m open to it.




6)  What tells you how much market rate housing to build in Emeryville? Is it knowable (measurable)?

We have the RHNA numbers that informs us how many units we should build, but we are building more luxury housing than affordable housing, and so we’re not even following those numbers.




7)  Is the ratio of rental housing to ownership housing in Emeryville good? If not, how will you address this issue?

I’m a renter so I think it’s good, or else I wouldn’t be here, but I don’t want to be a renter forever, and I would like to stay in Emeryville. The weather is much better here than Arizona.

Home ownership is key to any city that wants to grow, but it’s also a vehicle for economic mobility, a wealth builder, and I was pretty pissed off that we created ways to stop people applying for our BMR ownership program in the past. It was discrimination and it wasn’t during my father or grandfather’s day, it was within this decade. We need more homes we can own in Emeryville and we can protect renters while also protecting single-family homeowners.




8)  Should Emeryville have a public library? If so, how?

My first instinct is yes. It's everyone's gut reaction to say yes because who doesn’t like libraries? When Council member Priforce explained to me the cost of having one rather than supporting the Golden Gate branch, I understood why we don’t have one. I’d rather we focus on the art center instead as a priority.




9)  The City Council resolved support for the people of Ukraine, but not for a ceasefire in Gaza. Was that correct in your view?

I support all ceasefires worldwide.




10)  What should be done about all the empty storefront retail space in town? Do developers have a responsibility to rent out their retail space they built?

We should put a vacancy tax on them until they find a tenant.

City Council Candidates Questionnaire Part II

 City Council Candidates Q&A (Continued) 

November 8th, Emeryville voters will decide on two new four year City Council members who will replace Scott Donahue and Dianne Martinez, both of whom decided to not run for a third term.  This election, voters will select between Sukhdeep Kaur, David Mourra, Kalimah Priforce, Eugene Tssui, and Brooke Westling.

The Tattler has come up with 10 questions we think the people of Emeryville would like to ask their prospective new council members and all but Brooke Westling responded to our questionnaire.   We released the first three questions from all four candidates October 16th and we now follow with questions four through seven.   The first three questions may be seen HERE. 

The order of presentation is random.

Here then are the next questions:

First up is Eugene Tssui.  Eugene’s website is HERE.

4)   Do you support Emeryville’s Minimum Wage Ordinance and the Fair Workweek Ordinance?

Eugene Tssui: Yes. It is fair, and it is morally correct. I am concerned about the quality of life and livelihoods. If elected, I will work to implement intergenerational jobs programs that provide the most robust workforces of the future.

5)   Do you think Emeryville’s City Council members should be directly accountable to the people (by providing personal email addresses and/or telephone numbers) as has been the tradition in our town?  If you are elected, will you be available to the people so they can dialogue with you directly either on the phone, in person or electronically?

Eugene Tssui:   The City of Emeryville needs a Code of Ethics in its government. This is a crucial aspect of a good, stable, transparent, and morally ethical government. We have been asking the City for this for over a year now. A Code of Ethics holds city representatives accountable for their statements and actions. It provides independent oversight if citizens feel excluded or shut down by the council members.

This process is a necessary step toward transparency and accountability.   We needed this last year and now even more!

Not having a Code of Ethics begs the question of why Emeryville has never had one, and more importantly, why haven’t the previous and current City Councilpersons made an effort to create one?   Earlier this year, there was talk amongst the current City Council to initiate a Code of Ethics by August of this year. What happened?  The Zoom distancing mentality relates to staving-off the Code of Ethics issue.

Regarding my personal ethic, I promise access to the residents that vote me into the City Council.   I will be available for people to call call or e-mail me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I am personally honored when people contact me with their concerns. I have already received calls from people complaining about street noise. I recommend that they note when and where the noise takes place and obtain as many other people’s signatures who agree with them and then take this to the City Council. We need to work together. It tells me what they are seeing, and it helps me to see in a different way, and that is always good. That is what I expect of our residents in social democracy, and of myself, and other public officials.

6)   What are your thoughts on Emeryville’s Measure O on the November ballot?

Eugene Tssui: Paying a real state transfer tax when you sell your building and adding $3 dollars per $1000 of real estate value up to $2 million seems fair.   In an extreme case, if you sell your building for $2 million and you must pay an extra $6000 it seems not to be a significant burden to most owners.

7)   Do you think Emeryville’s treatment of homeless people camping here is good?  Are you concerned City Hall’s official explanation that their humane treatment might not always be true?  Are you willing to look into this question if elected and take corrective action if needed?

Eugene Tssui: As I see it, the treatment of the homeless in Emeryville is missing a crucial ingredient:   We are not  addressing the intricate needs of the homeless to find housing, medical, psychological/emotional counseling, and psychiatric examination for harm reduction. The Emeryville dialogue has been concerned with housing which, for many, stems from root causes often tied to drug and alcohol addiction, physical/emotional/sexual abuse, lack of medical help, counseling help, mental disorders, and causes pertaining to our military vets.

Working with local hospitals, the city must provide rapid deployment of medical/psychological care for the homeless so they can become capable of turning homelessness into prosperity. And such individuals must be around others who have succeeded in conquering homelessness and have created a new and contented life for themselves.

To do this, we must direct real estate developers to create housing that allows for short-term stays (for those temporarily unhoused) and long-term housing with integrated social services. How can the homeless break the chains of integrating the unhoused into the society of work and productivity, when possible? What government programs are set up to deliver while understanding the cause and effects of homeless conditions? How can once homeless be encouraged to show the way to rise out of their circumstances?

Working with all aspects of the community, we can create “settlement house” programs fueled by micro-certifications for workers, families, and students that address these issues and concerns for others that are temporarily or otherwise, less fortunate.

I intend to start a research and development commission that addresses and finds solutions to crime, homelessness, domestic violence, sexism, ageism, and family discord. These programs can be implemented as after-school classes and counseling sessions attended by the entire family and done at times of the evening when the entire family is available to attend together.

===================================================================

Next up is David Mourra.  David’s website is HERE.

4)  Do you support Emeryville’s Minimum Wage Ordinance and the Fair Workweek Ordinance?

 

Yes, these are crucial ordinances to ensure that people working in the city have good jobs with sustainable pay and scheduling. These ordinances allow us to focus on recruiting businesses to come to Emeryville and support our existing businesses and know that every job will be a good job. 

 

5)  Do you think Emeryville’s City Council members should be directly accountable to the people (by providing personal email addresses and/or telephone numbers) as has been the tradition in our town?  If you are elected, will you be available to the people so they can dialogue with you directly either on the phone, in person or electronically?

 

I think it is very important for the people of Emeryville to be able to contact the members of the City Council. City staff and city council members are not aware of every issue facing the city and we rely on engaged citizens to reach out. There are different ways of doing this-- email addresses, phone numbers, See-Click-Fix, social media etc. I check my official planning commission email address as often as I do my personal email. I've also shared my personal phone number with numerous people I've interacted with during my campaign and in my work as a Planning Commissioner. This is something I plan to continue doing if elected to serve on the city council. 

 

6)  What are your thoughts on Emeryville’s Measure O on the November ballot?

 

Why is Emeryville collecting less on real estate transfers than Berkeley and Oakland? Measure O brings us in line with our neighbors. More importantly, it is crucial for adequately funding city services. The largest impact is on sale/transfer of properties above $2 million which primarily affects major commercial transactions. Measure O is necessary and sensible and I encourage everybody to vote Yes on Measure O.

 

 

7)  Do you think Emeryville’s treatment of homeless people camping here is good?  Are you concerned City Hall’s official explanation that their humane treatment might not always be true?  Are you willing to look into this question if elected and take corrective action if needed?

 

The issue of homeless encampments is a complicated regional problem. At its core, a lack of housing regionally has made this problem more acute. Recent fires at these encampments have shown that health and safety need to be paramount. I fully expect that the city treats unhoused people with humanity and decency but it is important to recognize that the status quo is not sustainable. People need to be matched with short term and longer term housing solutions that keep them off the streets. This should be a guiding principle for the City Council and its staff.

 ==================================================================

Next up is Kalimah Priforce.  Kalimah’s website is HERE.

4)  Do you support Emeryville’s Minimum Wage Ordinance and the Fair Workweek Ordinance?

 

Yes. I signed a pledge authored by Ally Medina that aligned with the interests of Dianne Martinez. That is how I collected their endorsements and I shared the pledge with Courtney Welch and she provided her endorsement as well. I posted the pledge on my platform page, www.votepriforce.com. Yes, I'm transparent AF.

 

5)  Do you think Emeryville’s City Council members should be directly accountable to the people (by providing personal email addresses and/or telephone numbers) as has been the tradition in our town?  If you are elected, will you be available to the people so they can dialogue with you directly either on the phone, in person or electronically?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  Personal? No. Personal communication is by choice and should be left to the discretion of both parties.

 

Why? It could and usually does lead to harassment, trolling, and other behaviors from the public that make it a hostile work environment when work creeps into the time elected officials set aside to read a bedtime story to their kids, work out their glutes at the gym, or date night with their spouse.

 

Also, we get what we pay for. If Emeryville residents want full-time attention from elected officials, then elected officials should not have to balance their full-time work with their duties in office.

 

Positions should be full-time and I will be working towards drawing up a measure that would make elected city officials full-time public servants and the mayorship an election-based position rather than being chosen by the city council. Most Emeryville residents I’ve spoken to don’t even know that the positions are not full-time and that the mayor isn’t duly elected.

 

With the mayorship cycling the way it does between city council members, it’s akin to student government rather than a transparent engaging system, which is the basis for a democracy.

 

It’s no wonder voter apathy is high in Emeryville and voter turn-out is abysmal.

 

Emeryville deserves an elected city government working full-time with no other professional conflict to consider, whether they be conflict of interests or scheduling conflicts. Emeryville deserves a full-time, four year mayor just like our neighboring cities, elected by the people, for the people, or do we wait until a crisis to happen to change things?

 

As a council member, I will be available in ways that would be surprising to most. As a business leader, I am accustomed to having an open and public life. However, if there is anyone who tries to troll or harass me, I will shut off their access to me and I am smart and creative enough to loophole every Brown Act provision that would prevent me from doing so. I’m a hacker and it’s how I think.

 

I must protect my partner and daughter and I will not, as a Black man in America, allow my family to be harassed or bullied by anyone. The same would also go for my colleagues. I would not tolerate the same happening to them and would defend them vehemently, probably more than I would myself. This isn't my kind of politics and it needs to change and I don't care how things were in the past when that was okay. Harassment and bullying from the city council to the public and vice versa will not be condoned by me. I will gladly pull out my vintage Gameboy and Tetris it away if I am asked to be in a room wherein someone is insulting me. Not happening.

 

 

6)  What are your thoughts on Emeryville’s Measure O on the November ballot?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  100% support it.

 

7)  Do you think Emeryville’s treatment of homeless people camping here is good?  Are you concerned City Hall’s official explanation that their humane treatment might not always be true?  Are you willing to look into this question if elected and take corrective action if needed?

 

Kalimah Priforce:  If there is evidence or reports of inhumane treatment, that should be independently investigated. I do not support dehumanization. I help fund organizations across the country that combat dehumanization, so I wouldn't change that about me because it's part of my values system as a practicing Buddhist for over thirty-three years. Politics won't change that.

 

==================================================================

Last up is Sukhdeep Kaur.  Sukhdeep’s website is HERE.

4)  Do you support Emeryville’s Minimum Wage Ordinance and the Fair Workweek Ordinance?

Sukhdeep Kaur: Yes.

5)  Do you think Emeryville’s City Council members should be directly accountable to the people (by providing personal email addresses and/or telephone numbers) as has been the tradition in our town?  If you are elected, will you be available to the people so they can dialogue with you directly either on the phone, in person or electronically?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  The council members are assigned a public email from the City Council and whenever I have reached out to the council members on their email addresses, they have responded to me unless they are out of town or traveling and if they are, they respond when they are back.  So, I have reason to believe that the city provides council members this public email address to ensure accountability.   In the past, City Council members like Jennifer West would blog on their website and I see that the present council members are active on the social media and available for civil discourse.  I hope to use many of these tools to make myself available to Emeryville.

6)  What are your thoughts on Emeryville’s Measure O on the November ballot?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  I support Measure O.

7)   Do you think Emeryville’s treatment of homeless people camping here is good?  Are you concerned City Hall’s official explanation that their humane treatment might not always be true?  Are you willing to look into this question if elected and take corrective action if needed?

Sukhdeep Kaur:  I have spoken at length with our PD about this issue.  They work with Dignity Operations in keeping our streets clean and safe for Emeryville.  They have even helped many of the homeless people to get back to being productive members of society.  Our ECAP program offers free meals to anyone without question.  We have many good programs.  I am sure more can be done which will bolster the efforts already in place.

Dianne Martinez: Tattler City Council Candidates Questionnaire

The Tattler queried the four Emeryville City Council candidates running in the November 4th election on topics of the day and all four responded.  We asked five questions of each candidate and readers wishing background information on each question may preview the primer HERE.  We presented each survey respondent every other day in alphabetical order.  Emeryville voters will select two from the four.  Fourth up in the cue is candidate Dianne Martinez.

Dianne Martinez: Candidate for City Council

Candidate's website: HERE

1) Will you vote for, support and/or endorse Measures U&V? Yes or no please.  If yes why and if no why not?

I support Measures U and V and will vote “yes” for each on November 4. 

Measure U will authorize Emeryville to become a charter city, just like many of our neighboring cities, including Oakland and Berkeley.  However, the only change that is immediately stipulated by that charter is the city’s ability to levy and manage it’s own Real Property Transfer Tax (proposed on ballot Measure V).  At a rate of $12 per $1,000 of a property’s sale price, our proposed transfer tax beats Berkeley and Oakland tax at $15 per $1,000, so we would remain competitive while taking advantage of a new source of revenue for our community services.

The beauty of our proposed charter is it’s brevity and clarity:  Emeryville will retain it’s current structure of governance, and will be constrained by state law in every way but for the Property Transfer Tax proposed in Measure V. 

Special interests with a financial stake in keeping our transfer tax down will have you believe that the floodgates to corruption will open if Emeryville becomes a charter city.  The truth is that the proposed charter cannot be amended without a ballot measure approved by voters.

2) Do you support Emeryville’s Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan as it pertains to the Horton Street Bike Boulevard?  Would you weaken the Plan or would you defend it as it is?

I support Emeryville’s Bike / Ped Plan and believe that Horton Street should remain a Bicycle Boulevard as defined by that plan, and that we should continue to strive for under 3,000 vehicle trips per day on this street.  In light of the recent community meetings at city hall, I’m personally in favor of “Level 4” traffic calming measures, without going straight to the experimental traffic diverters (part of a “Level 5” strategy) recommended by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). 

As a city, we have collectively agreed that Horton Boulevard should be a designated Bike Boulevard, and our definition of this type of thoroughfare requires it to aim for under 3,000 vehicle trips per day.  I appreciate the time and service of our community members who give their time and influence to our BPAC.  I think they have given serious thought to their recommendation of Level 5 calming, and that given their task of effectively seeking solutions to the overage of vehicle trips on Horton, I understand the logic behind the recommendation.  However, I think it behooves us to discuss Level 4 options that will allow cars and bikes on Horton at this time, with the knowledge that the BPAC may recommend Level 5 in the future, should Level 4 calming measures not get us to our goals.

3) In the future, how should the City guarantee independently owned and locally serving (non-formula) retail associated with residential and commercial development projects, if at all?

There are consultants whose business it is to find and package incentives of all kinds for development, with varied needs in mind.  I would be in favor of directing city staff to engage a firm to package incentives to help locally-serving businesses thrive in new developments.  In the past, the city has itself financially supported new business in the San Pablo corridor, seeing ultimate success with Arizmendi Bakery, and failure with a locally-owned coffee house.  I think it behooves us as a city to encourage local-owned, locally-serving businesses, but I don’t think that the required subsidies have to come out of the city’s budget.

4) How do you define family friendly housing for Emeryville?  How do we get it?  How much is needed? 

I don’t know that Emeryville has adopted a formal definition for family-sized, family-friendly housing.  Where I would start is with two or more bedrooms, ideally in single or multi-family homes (although I know there’s not a lot of realistic space for new developments of this sort).  Another criteria I would add is access to outdoor play and recreation space.  Finally, I would add reasonable access to public transit.  With Emeryville recently named the most walkable city in the East Bay (http://www.eastbayeda.org/ebeda-assets/reports/2014/EDA-QualityofLife-2014.pdf), I would venture that just about any neighborhood in Emeryville (with space to develop) might have a place for more family-friendly housing.

I live with my family in a single-family home in the Triangle neighborhood, between Adeline and San Pablo. Emeryville just doesn’t have the room to create more homes like the one I live in.  There is, however, the opportunity to create new apartment and condo complexes.  Some projects are in the planning phase, some construction is underway.   For those that are still in a phase where the city may weigh in, I would like to see city council’s influence and direction aimed at creating more family-sized, family-friendly housing. If I am elected, I will make this a priority.

I have a deep interest in attracting and retaining families with children in Emeryville.  Why?  Because when my husband and I decided to stay in Emeryville to raise our small children, we became more invested in our community.  Our children give us a different perspective when it comes to the many benefits of living in this city by the bay, and they make us want to make Emeryville even better. 

5)    Should the City actively encourage residents to enter into Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) with  large development projects? How?

I think there’s always room for improvement when it comes to encouraging dialogue.  The city seems to be headed in the right direction, with union and worker voices in advisory committees.  But when it comes to Community Benefits Agreements, I think there can be more done to educate the public on exactly what CBAs are, and how they might influence development.  Right now, there’s nothing barring interested citizens from requesting CBAs from developers, but at the same time, if you ask 99% of the people on the street in Emeryville what a CBA is, they won’t know what you’re talking about. 

This is an area where public outreach and a media plan could be helpful.  We live in a digital age, and I can imagine a future where the city engages with citizens using surveys, polls and other web-based data collection to understand more about what the public considers to be “community benefits.”  Once that is gleaned, the city can take a more active role in incorporating those ideas into new developments. 

Scott Donahue: Tattler City Council Candidates Questionnaire

The Tattler queried the four Emeryville City Council candidates running in the November 4th election on topics of the day and all four responded.  We asked five questions of each candidate and readers wishing background information on each question may preview the primer HERE.  We will present each survey respondent every other day or so in alphabetical order.  Emeryville voters will select two from the four.  Third up in the cue is candidate Scott Donahue.

Scott Donahue: Candidate for City Council

Candidate's website: HERE

1) Will you vote for, support and/or endorse Measures U&V? Yes or no please.  If yes why and if no why not?

I will vote "yes" on both Measures U and V.  I enthusiastically support both measures because they will enable our city to create capital funds for infrastructure - - crucial to our growing city.  With the loss of our Emeryville Redevelopment Agency, this tax is needed to keep our city going strong.

The sole purpose of the charter city Measure U is to provide a legal mechanism that would allow the voters to pass a property transfer tax, Measure V.  This transfer tax, is 20 percent less than Berkeley and Oakland and will keep our city very attractive to future business and development.  Don't let the National Association of Realtors scare you with their upcoming anti-Emeryville no on U and V campaign.

2) Do you support Emeryville’s Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan as it pertains to the Horton Street Bike Boulevard?  Would you weaken the Plan or would you defend it as it is?

I strongly support Emeryville's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan overall, including maintaining Horton Street as a bike boulevard.  I helped craft the plan, having spent more than 10 years on the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.  It is a balanced plan and addresses the needs of all stakeholders. 

The plan calls for traffic calming on Horton Street.  This street is our main north-south bicycling Street through our city.  It needs a slower traffic speed then Hollis Street or San Pablo Avenue to be safe for bicyclists.  Horton Street is getting regional vehicular traffic looking to avoid Interstate 80 and this is starting to endanger our bicyclists and pedestrians.  Our bicycle plan provides a variety of street designs to keep this route safe for all users.  I have advocated that we should use grant money we received for this purpose to try some designs that will slow automobile traffic.  These will be temporary structures installed on Horton Street which we will study the effects on traffic and safety.  If it proves successful and we like the results, we can make these structures permanent. 

3) In the future, how should the City guarantee independently owned and locally serving (non-formula) retail associated with residential and commercial development projects, if at all?

Our city has wisely specified a certain amount of commercial space designed for retail as a part of new residential developments.  What it has not done is create a way for much needed independently owned, locally serving retail to thrive in our residential neighborhoods.  We should require developers to structure rental agreements that provide for subsidies and other support to help smaller, locally serving businesses to succeed.

4) How do you define family friendly housing for Emeryville?  How do we get it?  How much is needed? 

Successful family friendly housing is housing that allows families to put down roots in Emeryville.  We can do this by providing incentives to developers to provide affordable and adequate space, good design and public space.  Brooklyn NY, a very dense and family friendly urban area, has many homes and apartments with small private backyards that provide critical outdoor space for children to play, while being in a safe environment where they can be closely supervised by their parents.  Permitting apartments or condos to be built above these ground-level spaces would be the developer incentive to build these town home family oriented units.  Parking could be provided in an adjoining structure.

Our supply of family friendly housing is not sufficient to meet the minimum needs of our school district, which is forced to recruit students from outside of Emeryville.

5) Should the City actively encourage residents to enter into Community Benefits Agreements (CBA) with  large development projects? How?

Emeryville needs to do a better job educating its residents about Community Benefits Agreements.  These agreements allow residents to get directly involved in requesting and managing community benefits of new development projects in the city.  By encouraging residents to enter into a Community Benefits Agreement with large developers, we will help address the needs of our neighborhoods.  At no cost to our city, we can reap the same neighborhood improving benefits of what larger cities create in their precincts, neighborhood councils and urban political districts and this will create better neighborhoods (and a more actively engaged citizenry) here in Emeryville.

Ken Bukowski: Tattler City Council Candidate's Questionnaire

The Tattler queried the four Emeryville City Council candidates running in the November 4th election on topics of the day and all four responded.  We asked five questions of each candidate and readers wishing background information on each question may preview the primer HERE.  We will present each survey respondent every other day or so in alphabetical order.  Emeryville voters will select two from the four.  Second up in the cue is candidate Ken Bukowski.

Ken Bukowski: Candidate for City Council

1)  Will you vote for, support and/or endorse Emeryville Measures U&V? Yes or no please.  If yes why and if no why not?  

YES, I support the Charter City Measure U. A charter city confers more power to the residents to control city government. We should have done this a long time ago.

YES, I support the Real Estate Transfer Tax Measure V.   It is something the City has been trying to accomplish for a long time. Every city should have the same powers for taxation.  A portion of the money collected should be used to upgrade the antiquated street lighting in East Emeryville.

2)    Do you support Emeryville’s Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan as it pertains to the Horton Street Bike Boulevard?  Would you weaken the Plan or would you defend it as it is?  

The proposed traffic calming measures for Horton Street are unnecessary.  There doesn't seem to be a problem.  The goal of reducing the number of vehicles is totally contrary to all the projected growth in the area and the region.   How much will safety be improved?   If safety on Horton Street is improved, does that mean other streets in the area are less safe?  If a biker thinks Horton is not safe, how could you ride on other streets?

A dedicated bike lane along the whole route makes more sense, and perhaps a few traffic circles.  The City is also is mishandling delivery vehicles.  The market for Internet sales is growing all the time.  The City should be working with the delivery companies to accommodate the market demand.  Delivery vehicles are an essential part of life and should be accommodated.

The process is broken.  Why did the city obtain a grant for traffic calming before asking the community if they want traffic calming?  If the community says NO, will the city return the money?  The city should be required to do an environmental analysis.  I also don't think the statement in the [primer section of the] question is accurate.   I never heard the business community agree to any number [of vehicles permitted on the Boulevard].   We are going to create traffic congestion, and I don't know how that can be a benefit.  We should not allow any new development in the area, if we are going to impair access.

3)  In the future, how should the City guarantee independently owned and locally serving (non-formula) retail associated with residential and commercial development projects, if at all?

I have been advocating for the creation of affordable retail condominiums for a long time.  The ability to pay rent is the biggest obstacle for a local merchant.  Once an affordable condo is created, it can be affordable forever.  The city has to subsidize the retail units or it will not work.

4)  How do you define family friendly housing for Emeryville?  How do we get it?  How much is needed? 

The City's program to attract families is a failure.  If the units are not affordable, families will not be attracted.  The quality of the schools is the key to attracting families.  I don't have a specific definition for family friendly housing.

5)  Should the City encourage residents to enter into Community Benefits Agreements (CBA's) with large development projects? How?  

Community Benefit Agreements should NOT be encouraged.  It is circumventing the role of the City Council.  Neighborhood groups like RULE should not have back door meetings with developers seeking to make deals for the rest of the city.  Why would the City Council encourage something which is only necessary if they are not doing their job?