Council readies to pick VTA board member Council readies to pick VTA board member (December 02, 2005)

By Jon Wiener

For the first time in four years, a representative from Mountain View will sit on the Valley Transportation Authority Board of Directors, giving the city a say on, among other things, the VTA's controversial project: the proposed extension of BART to San Jose.

The deadline for council members to nominate themselves is Friday afternoon, and no council member had done so as of press time. The full council will discuss the nominees and vote at its Dec. 13 meeting.

Council member Greg Perry, who has been a liaison to the VTA since joining the council three years ago, says he is planning to nominate himself. His chief sparring partner on the council, Mike Kasperzak, said Perry could expect a challenge from at least one of his colleagues.

"I think there are conduct issues that members of the council still have concerns with," said Kasperzak, referring to accusations he raised during January's vice mayor election that Perry had misrepresented the council's position to the VTA.

Perry lost that election -- and his outspokenness against the proposed BART extension has ruffled more feathers than just Kasperzak's -- but since then the council has become increasingly critical of the BART-to-San-Jose plan.

Council member Laura Macias said during her campaign for city council last year that she would be interested in the VTA board position. Macias was not immediately available for comment on this story.

The VTA board was scheduled to discuss the BART project at its Thursday meeting (after the Voice's press time). One VTA proposal asks voters to approve another sales tax -- in addition to 2000's Measure A -- of a quarter-cent.

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

E-mail a friend a link to this story.