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For Mountain View, at least, political experience seems to be what voters want in their leaders. By the end of election night, it became clear that returning councilmen Chris Clark and John McAlsiter would see another term in office, and they would be joined on the dais by former Councilwoman Margaret Abe-Koga and Planning Commissioner Lisa Matichak.
“This tells us that experience is important and that the issues we identified are important for voters,” Matichak said, noting she was “cautiously optimistic” her lead would hold.
She was probably being modest. Once the first voting results came out at 8 p.m., Matichak had a sizable buffer over any threat of losing a council seat. By the end of the evening, she emerged as the top vote-recipient. She received 7,721 votes as of the Wednesday morning election report. She was trailed by Abe-Koga with 7,640 votes.
In third and fourth place, respectively, were Clark and McAlister. Clark held 7,061 votes while McAlister had 6,968.
“This was one of the best fields we’ve had in Mountain View in a long time,” Clark said. “That made it hard to define yourself as a candidate.”
The next closest candidate was Human Relations Commissioner Lucas Ramirez, who trailed 515 votes behind McAlister at 6,453. Ramirez pointed out that he was always something of a dark horse candidate, going against two incumbents as well as a former mayor.
“I don’t feel like I should be too surprised. It was always an uphill battle,” he said. “I still want to look forward at the best way to serve the community.”
Behind Ramirez was Parks and Recreation Commissioner Thida Cornes, with 5,845 votes. Speaking early in the night, Cornes said she didn’t want to presume the vote results, but she confided that name recognition was working against her campaign.
Trailing the pack were Mountain View Whisman School Board member Greg Coladonato with 3,877 votes, and Cisco Systems manager Ken “Kacey” Carpenter, who had 3,106 as of Wednesday morning.
For coming in last place, Carpenter was exuberant on election night as he watched the results trickle in. While his campaign didn’t succeed, he counted the win of Measure V as a victory for his principles.
The council election has huge stakes for Mountain View’s direction as the city prepares to review dozens of ambitious housing and office projects. More than 70 large projects are currently in the queue for review by city planners and these development proposals will likely be decided on by the new City Council.
Among the significant projects ahead, the new council will play a major role in shaping how the North Bayshore tech community is transformed into a dense new residential neighborhood. The city’s largest corporate denizen – Google – is preparing to begin construction on its new showpiece headquarters, a move that could put worldwide attention on Mountain View.
Yet the City Council race was surprising in that all eight candidates largely framed their campaigns around the same set of issues. Across the board, the candidates agreed the race boiled down to Mountain View’s severe problems surrounding housing and transportation.
It was indisputable among candidates that Mountain View needs to pursue housing growth. The question is how strongly the city should press on this priority, and at what sacrifice. Ramirez emphasized building homes as quickly as possible, but other candidates couched their support for new housing with some caveats. Clark, Abe-Koga and Cornes warned that new housing had to come with new services or possibly environmental mitigation. McAlister warned that housing shouldn’t impact other residents’ quality of life.
Reflecting concern over housing, the most controversial items on the Mountain View ballot were the two rent-control initiatives. Carpenter and Ramirez were the only candidates to back charter amendment Measure V. McAlister, Clark, Matichak and Abe-Koga signaled their preference for Measure W, and Coladonato and Cornes were opposed to both measures.
The transportation issue was far more complicated and the candidates’ stances reflected that. Pretty much across the board, candidates backed new bike lanes and alternatives to solo driving. McAlister and Cornes both highlighted the need for road safety, especially for children on school routes. Coladonato urged the city to give more latitude to allow companies to solve the transit problems on their own. About the only consensus on the issue was that it is a big problem.
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California State Assembly District 24 candidate Marc Berman, center, is congratulated by Todd Burke, right, and State Assemblyman Evan Low, left, as he leads the assembly race on November 8, 2016. Photo by Veronica Weber. -
With results showing her trailing Marc Berman in the Assembly race, Vicki Veenker talks to supporters at her campaign headquarters on Nov. 8, 2016. Photo by Gennady Sheyner -
From left, the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustee candidates who appear to have secured three open seats: Peter Landsberger, Laura Casas and Gilbert Wong. -
Aisholpan, a 13-year-old nomadic Mongolian girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter in documentary, “The Eagle Huntress.” Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. -
Amy Adams plays Dr. Louise Banks, A linguist recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications, in the “Arrival.” Photo courtesy of FilmNation Entertainment. -
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After drilling 36 feet deep, water samples are collected for TCE contamination testing in front of an apartment complex located at 250 Evandale Avenue, Feb. 14, 2013. Drilling operator Nick Lackey said the same operation was conducted in early January of this year on Evandale Avenue, a few blocks from Whisman Road. Photo by Michelle Le -
John Singer Sargent’s oil-on-canvas “Portrait of Sally Fairchild.” Image courtesy of Cantor Arts Center. -
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder’s “Flowers in a Glass Vase” (oil on panel) Image courtesy of Cantor Arts Center. -
Huang Binhong’s “Mountain Landscape” (ink and color on paper). Image courtesy of Cantor Arts Center. -
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After the home has been removed and all materials disposed of or recycled, the site is graded, trip hazards are removed and holes are filled in with dirt. A final vacuuming will be the last thing on the list. Palo Alto Weekly file photo. -
Deconstruction involves salvaging materials for reuse. Crews have giant checklists to refer to for recycling materials. Palo Alto Weekly file photo. -
Workers sort out materials to be recycled, such as metal and concrete. Palo Alto Weekly file photo. -
A “surgical demolition” involves using hand tools to take the home apart piece by piece. Regulations and permits differ by city and region. Deconstruction involves salvaging materials for reuse. Crews have giant checklists to refer to. Palo Alto Weekly file photo. -
J. Robert Taylor, J. D., a real estate attorney and broker for more than 20 years, has served as an expert witness and mediator and is on the judicial arbitration panel for Santa Clara County Superior Court. Photo by Nicholas Wright.
Y’all ‘ready know son
As a resident and voter in MV, I would like the city to adopt what has been successful for better representation for all neighborhoods in other cities, that is having representatives from local district. In this case, seven districts that would each vote and elect their own representative to the city council, instead of all the city voting for all the representatives. I feel this would bring the representative closer to the citizens they represent and less needy for donations from large developers, etc. And everyone would probably know and live near their representative.
Measure V won! So glad that more compassionate and forward thinking folks prevailed against the kind of attitudes responsible for our current president. Take that as a lesson NIMBYs who (thanks to Prop 13) had all the time in the world to rail against the measure on this board. You are outnumbered badly, and your ideas are old and tired.
I’m so glad Coladonato didn’t get elected. Maybe he’ll re-evaluate how he talks to people on the school board and elsewhere.
rtygh
@Good I’m so glad Coladonato will continue on the school board. Maybe we in Slater area will get an elementary school in our back yard! YIMBY So nice of Coladonato (Slater neighborhood) to run, and so nice of Carpenter (on opposite side of town) to run. Both of these candidates ran campaigns that brought up new approaches that ‘mainline’ candidates did not. Perhaps they will get more “political experience” in the next several years.
Thanks again Greg and Ken.
Of the four top vote getters, I voted for three of them. Amazing.
Only two-thirds of the ballots have been counted – according to the Registrar of Voters website yesterday. Amazing how fast ballots were counted on election night across the country. But what country?
It was an honor to run as a candidate for Mountain View City Council.
After traveling around the country the past year to get out the vote (GoTV) for Bernie Sanders and three months here in Mountain View, I enjoyed the opportunity tremendously. Most importantly talking with people about the issues and debating these topics with the other candidates in the town hall forums and debates.
I recommend strongly two priorities for Mountain View.
First, residents continue to participate and ensure that the future of Mountain View reflects the diversity and community as the rapid growth continues. Advocate for safer streets and routes to schools and parks. Advocate for lower and middle income housing for those who need to live close to families, schools, and small businesses. Advocate for sustainability. I am so proud to have helped the residents advocate for Yes on Measure V.
Second, this city council needs to create a new public campaign financing model. This is critical to ensure that the outcomes are not dictated by special interest groups financing the campaigns but based on the issues and candidates who walk the talk. I recommend limiting to small individual contributor donations ($27 should do it) and if special interest groups wish to contribute they can help fund programs and services that are most critical for our community.
My focus will now shift back to my family for the next few months.
Do not ever forget that #TheRevolutionStartswithUs.
Thanks
Kacey