Faravelli unendorses Lieber Faravelli unendorses Lieber (February 22, 2002)

By Bill D'Agostino

In another combative turn for Mountain View politics, Council member Ralph Faravelli has rescinded his endorsement of Mayor Sally Lieber, who is running for the State Assembly this year.

Lieber is currently campaigning against fellow Council member Rosemary Stasek and Santa Clara Council member Rod Diridon Jr. for the Democratic assembly nomination. The primary is March 5.

Faravelli - who donated $150 to Lieber's campaign in March of 2001 - said he decided to take back his endorsement after he came to recognize the two had less in common than he originally thought. "I realized that my philosophy of governance was quite separate from hers. I thought it would work but I realized we were miles apart," he said.

"I'm not in favor of trying and shooting off into some uncharted waters until it's proven to me that it can work well," Faravelli added. "Sally seems to go in areas that I wouldn't have gone into."

Last week, Lieber said she wasn't aware Faravelli had rescinded his endorsement. "This is the first I've heard of it," Lieber noted. Faravelli countered that he sent her a letter telling her about it last week.

Faravelli said he was upset when Lieber, along with Stasek and other council members, questioned the nominations of the council's Appointments Review Committee - of which Faravelli was chair - to city boards and commissions.

Lieber did not approve the applicants for the board whom Faravelli's committee had nominated, angering Faravelli during a council meeting last November.

He was also disappointed that Lieber, as mayor this year, had removed Council member Matt Pear from the ad hoc committee studying mobile homes despite the committee being in the middle of its work.

Faravelli said he also objected to Lieber's continuing to push the day workers issue upon the council. "She keeps bringing it up," he said. "I know it's an issue we've got to face but there are other problems in Mountain View that have to be solved. Sometimes you have to let go of something to go on and solve something else."

Noting that he is a Republican and she is a Democratic, Lieber said Faravelli's change of heart "doesn't surprise me now that we're in a partisan race."

"I respect his ability to make the choices he wants to make," Lieber added.

Lieber said the two council members should continue to have a productive working relationship on the council. "He wants things to go the right way for Mountain View," Lieber said. "so that is something we both share."

Mary Lou Zoglin, the only other council member to make an endorsement in the race, has supported Lieber.