Slate is set for local elections Slate is set for local elections (August 13, 2004)

Council election field much smaller than in 2002

By Jon Wiener and Julie O'Shea

Fewer candidates than expected filed papers by last Friday to qualify for the November city council election. Only six of the nine who originally took out nomination papers in mid-July will appear on the ballot.

Candidates include:

Margaret Abe-Koga, a human relations commissioner and county Board of Education trustee;

Nick Galiotto, an incumbent and former police captain;

Laura Macias, an environmental planning commissioner and business consultant;

Tom Means, a parks and recreation commissioner and San Jose State economics professor;

Matt Pear, an incumbent, the current Mayor and co-owner of an economic consulting firm;

Stephanie Schaaf, community activist and SGI software engineer.

Kalwant Sandhu and Gene Cavanaugh decided last week not to file papers. Neither could be reached for comment. Tram Tran made the same decision not to run earlier.

In the 2002 council election, 13 candidates competed for four seats. Greg Perry, who ran in 2002, said he believes the $1,500 increase in the cost of ballot statements is a significant reason fewer candidates emerged this time.

The makeup of the candidates ensures at least one woman will be serving on the council next year, after the retirements of Rosemary Stasek and Mary Lou Zoglin. State Assembly member Sally Lieber has endorsed all three female candidates for council.

School board candidates

In a last-minute move, Rosemary Roquero pulled papers Monday for the Mountain View-Whisman school board race, where there are three seats up for grabs. Roquero joins four other candidates: incumbent Gloria Higgins, former board member Juan Aranda and newcomers Michael Kelly and Fiona Walter.

The filing period for the November election was Wednesday at 5 p.m., after the Voice went to press. As of Tuesday, only Roquero had not filed her campaign papers. She could not be reached for comment.

The campaign filing deadline was extended by five days because incumbents Rose Filicetti and Carol Fisher decided not to run for re-election.

Aranda, who resigned from his board seat in 2002, said he has been encouraged to run again by many community members and decided to give the position another shot.

There will be no election this fall for the Mountain View-Los Altos high school district. Both incumbents, Susan Sweeley and Phil Faillace, had filed for re-election by Aug. 5. Their only potential challenger, April Flowers of Los Altos, decided last week not to run.

Hospital board incumbents win

All three hospital board incumbents up for re-election in November, Wesley Alles, Dominick Curatola and Edward Bough, have filed their campaign papers for four-year terms.

Challengers to the hospital board, Leonard Doberne and Laverne Saxbury, did not file their campaign papers by the Aug. 5 deadline, according to the Santa Clara County elections office. There will be no hospital board election this fall.

Candidate forums

Chamber of Commerce and Tri-County Apartment Association

Aug. 18, 5-7 p.m., Mountain View City Hall council chambers The city council candidates will discuss a range of issues with each other and answer questions from the audience. Time will be dedicated for questions from local businesses and school districts.

Mountain View Voices for Peace

Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m., Willow Park Condominiums clubhouse at Moffett and Middlefield The second of two "Conversations with the Candidates," featuring Laura Macias and Tom Means, will be a discussion of how war, peace and social justice issues relate to local government.

League of Women Voters

Oct. 14, 7 p.m., Mountain View City Hall council chambers The League will ask prepared questions and questions from the audience to the candidates. Candidates from all local races are invited to participate.

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