As a policymaker, the council needs to rely on experts such as our transportation planners, transportation commission, commission on disability issues, traffic safety experts, community groups like Bike Walk Alameda and SPUR, and regional transit agency (ACTC, MTC) staff. I support the pedestrian bridge linking Alameda and Oakland. We can support and fully staff the police force AND hold the police accountable. City responsiveness means everything in a crisis or emergency. Before the pandemic, I went to several Studio 23 events and Second Friday Art Walks. It has $1 million in administrative costs. **Substack suffered an outage for a few hours this afternoon. Candidates & Parties | Victorian Electoral Commission Goal 1: Estuary crossings/decrease drive alone trips at estuary crossings, especially during peak periods, Expand transit, bicycling and walking to/from Oakland and BART, Goal 2: Alameda trips/increase the share of walking, bicycling, transit, and carpooling trips within Alameda, Expand transit and achieve a low-cost or free rider experience within Alameda, Improve bicycle and pedestrian safety within Alameda, Improve mobility for all modes within Alameda, Alameda Shuttle (now replaced by free AC Transit bus passes), Bicycle Master Plan Central Ave. bikeway (was a leader in advocated for Bike Walk Alamedas preferred option), I submitted the original Bike Share referral but weve had nothing since 2019 when Lime Bikes abandoned Alameda, Ferry access, parking improvements, and service expansion, Alameda Point BRT and bus frequency increases (19 line brought back during my time on council, with AC Transit service to the west end ferry stations a top expansion priority), Long term: Bike/pedestrian bridge (see above), BART to Alameda. 5. As the question notes, and council debate has been clear, this is a regional project that will not be funding by the City, but by other sources which I support. However, I would actually like to see an option to remove all parking and buses from Park Street. Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. PW 05-19-26, RFP: Chuck Corica Golf Course Parking Lot Improvements, Preparation of Eng Docs for Upgrade of Sewer Pump Stations, Group 5, RFP for FY 2020 Sign & Striping Maintenance, PW No. As noted in the following paragraph, I have a strong record of helping move this project along and would continue to do more if elected. The Vision Zero Action Plan groups priorities as short-term, medium-term, and long-term. I first go to staffs recommendations and analysis in the staff report and oftentimes ask staff clarifying questions prior to the Council meeting. As president of a homeowners association with 9,000 residents for over a decade, I have shaped community policies covering new development, security, staffing and budgeting. County of Alameda California Secretary of State Voter's Edge Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials Registrar of Voters 1225 Fallon Street, Rm. In response to my questions, staff shared that: See, July 12, 2022 City Council Minutes, pages 3-5. https://alameda.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=919172&GUID=949014E4-DB28-464F-868E-8011CAB0B6BC. My husband and I raised our daughters here. UBI takes advantage of federal or state scale to have low administrative costs. Make decisions based on the public good, not rewarding campaign contributors from public employee unions, developers and other special interest groups. Increase affordable housing and housing at all income levels. We need to make our city more functional. As a city, we face serious challenges: balancing the housing availability/affordability crisis with neighborhoods and traffic; supporting our police force, including restoring full staffing, to address public safety; ensuring that Alameda has the necessary infrastructure for the future, especially as our shorelines become increasingly threatened; and managing our finances effectively for both short-term priorities and long- term sustainability. 6. If the parklets did not exist, I would support option A for both streets. City of Alameda Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, Business Associations & Improvement Areas, Notice to Contractors Special Provisions Proposal and Contract, Plans/Specs: Cyclic Sewer Replacement Project, Ph 16, No. Hannah Groce. This is a regional project, and the study is being funded regionally, specifically by the Alameda County Transportation Commission. Guaranteed Basic Income(GBI) is a variation of Universal Basic Income(UBI) that loses most of UBIs benefits. Hanah Groce. Justin Long Selected as New ARPD Director, USS Hornet Welcomes New Citizens at Naturalization Ceremony, DA Files 28 Felony Charges After APD Arrest, E Clampus Vitus Places New Plaque at Crolls, Alamedas Online News and Information Source, letter to the Editor on September 21, 2022. The challenge of protecting our community and shoreline will take substantial resources and long-term planning. I will work on a sustainable plan to deal with Alamedas large unfunded pension liabilities. -The status of your vote by mail ballot I also serve on the board of the Alameda Hospital Foundation, because I consider Alameda Hospital to be a vital asset in an island city and support modernizing its facilities for the future. We might want to prioritize safe bicycle, and maybe car routes, on Oak and 5th or 6th for those traveling north/south whose destination isnt Park or Webster. The limited capacity of Alamedas stormwater system adds the risk of flooding to the rest of Alameda as well. Please also visit our Voter's Guide for the November 8 General Election for more information on casting and tracking your ballot. I work at home, and I benefit from Alamedas walkability and bikeability. Over the years, I have had the honor of helping our community including as a current Councilmember, current AUSD-City Council Sub-Committee member, former Economic Development Commissioner, and past military base closure commission member. The first measure, if approved by voters, would let the City Council increase the mayor and councilmembers' salaries from $3,600 and $1,200 a year respectively to an amount not to exceed 30% of. The Alameda Post hosted their Alameda Candidate Forum in person, not on Zoom on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Do you support increased or reduced automated surveillance? With Pai out of the running for City Council, there are now five candidates running for two council seats in the Nov. 8 election: Incumbent Tony Daysog, software engineer Paul Beusterien, housing policy fellow Hannah Groce, City of Alameda Health Care District Director Tracy Jensen and former councilmember Jim Oddie. As many of you know, I was in a terrible bicycle accident almost four years ago. P.W. I am also informed by advocacy groups like Bike Walk Alameda and, as Alamedas representative on the Alameda County Transportation Commission, I learn what other cities in our county are doing to increase walking and biking in their communities. I have noticed over the years that many people seem unsure of what the laws of the road are for cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles, which leads to unsafe roads. This would improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and encourage additional parklets. Homeless Outreach Team for the City of Alameda, Request for Proposals for Cultural Art and Arts Programming, Implementation of a School Outreach Program, Automated License Plate Recognition Data System, On-Call Complete Streets Engineering Services, Household Battery and Flourescent Lamp Collection and Drop Off, Request for Proposal - Maintenance of Bayport Stormwater Treatmnt Pond, RFP-Landscape Maintenance Harbor Bay Zone Landscape/Lighting Dist 84-2, Request for Proposal for Maintenance of the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal, Notice of Funding Availability & Request for Proposals FY23-24, Request for Proposal-Bayview Weir Stem & Operator Replacement Project, Alameda Wellness Center/McKay Avenue Project: FAQ, 2019 Water Quality & Flood Protection: Frequently Asked Questions, Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability in Alameda, Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, Converting City Halls to drought-tolerant landscape. ALAMEDA Incumbent City Councilwoman Malia Vella continued her lead as the top vote-getter in the latest election results, but the race for the second council seat remained close, with less . Elections | City of Adelaide PDF Alameda Campaign Finance Analysis: 2008-2012 Mayor and City Council Tony Daysog. Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. However, we have very limited staff, and even the existing workload is often too much, resulting in delays. Tony Daysog. My website is daysog.com We must also continue to add bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the City. Why do you think so many City Managers have come and gone from Alameda in the past decade? This year I rode a snazzy (and fast!) As with the historic racism of Alamedas Measure A, the inattention to all transit options for the West End of Alameda is an historic bias that must be addressed. I support Option A for Park Street, in order to protect bicyclists and allow for continued bus operation. We also need to continue to reduce electricity generation from carbon. Nominating. To ensure we have community buy-in throughout Alameda and Oakland and that people are actually using the Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge, I want to make sure were listening to the voices of all constituents and also able to explain to them how this project will serve the region and improve quality of life here by increasing our connection to surrounding areas and decreasing our reliance on cars. Im running for a second term to continue addressing these challenges, including: providing transitional and permanent housing for unsheltered individuals and families; continuing to create affordable housing for working families, and ensuring kids who grow up in Alameda can afford to live here as adults; increasing public safety; and investing in innovative transit solutions to decrease traffic on our island and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I now commute by bike and ferry to Google in San Francisco where Im a software engineer. not be disqualified from being a councillor. On the board of the Alameda Soccer Club and Alameda Youth Basketball I established recreational programs and activities to keep kids active and safe. For information on becoming a poll worker, please visit the Registrar of Voters'websiteor contact the Registrar at 510-272-6971. We rely on readers like you to support our work by becoming a member of our community or making a donation. However, it is essential to make walking and biking safer in our commercial districts, and all over the city, to incentivize people to choose these options over driving. Incumbent Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft and current City Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer are seeking a second term as Alameda's mayor, while this is Barack D. Obama Shaw's first attempt at holding office in Alameda. If elected, I would ensure that I was apprised of the entire Vision Zero Action Plan and deadlines and that I was not asking staff for information that was already contained in their reports. As noted in the subsequent question, as a policy-making body, the council needs to fund the projects and staffing levels required to implement Vision Zero. Ive been successful by working to gather the facts, listening to stakeholders, and driving smart solutions to completion with tenacity. Statement: Alameda, just like the rest of the Bay Area and country, has challenges ahead: Addressing housing availability and affordability, public safety, and climate change. With the ongoing and projected growth on the west end of Alameda, we need additional travel options between the two cities. Many seniors and their family members expressed concerns with the elimination of the Loop Shuttle and opposed the switch to AC Transit bus passes, requiring them to walk farther distances to catch the bus, switch buses (transfer) rather than stay on the Loop Shuttle, wait at bus stops alone and ride AC Transit which is not as safe as the Shuttle, thus limiting their ability to remain independent as long as possible. Alameda IE vs. The World - by Steven Tavares Are You Ready for the Fourth of July Parade? We need smart growth, homeownership opportunities for the forgotten middle, and commonsense traffic solutions. As Mayor, I helped save Alameda Animal Shelter, Corica Park Golf Complex, and Jean Sweeney Open Space Park, brought The Ocean Cleanup to Alameda, and developed Asian-Pacific sister cities and Art in City Hall. Since leaving the mayors office, Alameda suffered dramatic increases in crime (shootings, assaults, thefts, hate crimes), massive luxury overdevelopment, and dangerous traffic gridlock. Parklets have offered a lifeline for businesses on Park and Webster during the pandemic and I would like any future design for improved street safety to incorporate the parklets. The city of Alameda, just like the Bay Area and the rest of the country, has challenges ahead: Addressing the housing shortage; public safety, climate change, and polarization in society and government. 2021 AD18 Special Election . Serving the public in important roles like City Council is time consuming, and Alameda hasn't adjusted pay since the 1970's. If we want mo Read More. I believe the City should be more supportive of businesses who desire parklets so they can become a permanent part of these two commercial areas. -Your voter registration About Us - A Better Alameda When Im traveling within my neighborhood or in town I try to walk or use my bike as much as possible to do things like go to the farmers market, go to the post office, or go to local restaurants and coffee shops. COUNCIL CANDIDATES Paul Beusterien. I have lived in Alameda for over two decades and am keenly aware of the complex issues facing our city. Weve had four so far this year, with a fifth due to start in November. The Alameda County Registrar of Voters completed their tally and posted the unofficial final numbers to their website on Friday evening, November 18 at 7:55 p.m., although the numbers are not yet certified. As we add housing, we need to find ways to keep goods and services in close proximity. educate and inform Alameda voters about local races, Voters Guide for the November 8 General Election. I walk to the Washington Park Tennis Courts and I walk along Shoreline. To prepare and mitigate the threat of climate change, while on council, we adopted our CARP, which included an integrated approach we called the Climate Safe Plan, which emphasizes reducing GHGs to achieve net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible. Examples include a measurable 1000 houses in a 1000 days goal to reduce urban blight, data driven sewer system changes to end pollution and EPA fines, and collaborating with Governor Mike Pence to bring economic development to South Bend. City Candidate Statements - Alameda Post How will you keep the cost of living in Alameda affordable to prevent long-time residents from being priced out and forced to move? City Council Candidate Paul Beusterien Thursday, October 27, 2022 Paul Beusterien Slogan: Even-Keeled Leadership for Alameda Statement: Alameda, just like the rest of the Bay Area and country, has challenges ahead: Addressing housing availability and affordability, public safety, and climate change. www.Trish4U.com; 510-761-5123 #WorkingTogether4U, My education and qualifications are: As a career software engineer at startups and large companies, Ive proven myself as an even-keeled leader by building and mentoring high-functioning teams to deliver high quality products. That $4.6 million could go a long way towards helping long-term residents stay here. Because we have worked together, Alameda is a more vibrant, thriving city, but there are still more challenges to tackle. Im Paul Beusterien and you can learn more about my campaign at paulb4alameda.com. Tracy Jensen. Thats obvious but what that means is that today too many speeding violations go uncaught resulting in a culture of speeding is ok. (2) As part of Vision Zero, weve included (although have not implemented) limiting traffic speed to 20 miles per hour speed limits in certain areas such as around schools: lets implement that given the connection between the direct relationship between injury\death and speed of a moving vehicle, with higher levels of injury and death beginning with collisions occurring involving cars traveling 25 MPH. We also need more work on infrastructure/engineering. Ive supported Option A (separated bike lanes) for Park Street and Option A (separated bike lanes) for Webster Street as well, as these are the safest, most inviting, and logistically sensible options. Since Vision Zero is one of many initiatives for the city to drive, well need to balance with other priorities to see if we can increase the bandwidth. Since I will vote on the ATP when it comes to Council in December it would be inappropriate for me to support one option over another before the item comes to us in a public meeting, when we hear from City staff and the public, ask questions, and deliberate. Results . I do about three hour-long walks a week for exercise. It is not appropriate under the City Charter for Councilmembers to interfere with the City Managers hiring of staff in the Citys Transportation Department. I hired 2 superintendents and 3 health system CEOs, allowing each of them to do their job without interference. The moderator for the event wasKarin K. Jensen, who covers City Council, Boards and Commissions for the Alameda Post. For example, on Otis, between Bay Farm and South Shore Shopping Center the addition of the right turn only lane at Broadway when heading east on Otis, has resulted in traffic regularly being backed up past Versailles, and even Mound, resulting in cars idling as they wait in traffic and dangerous driving situations to merge onto Otis from cross-streets. I want to bring a fresh perspective and apply my data driven leadership skills to bring collaborative solutions to Alameda. Ideally the city council should set policy and the city manager should be responsible for city operations. City Candidatesfor Mayor and Council have submitted statements that will appear in the guide that will be mailed to every registered voter in the city. Protect working families and seniors and invest in economic development to create local jobs and improve Alameda. I voted to approve the CARP in 2019, which specifically identified the bike/ped bridge as a key project in moving toward the CARP goal of moving toward net zero GHG emissions. My education and qualifications are: I am a proven, compassionate leader and data- driven, outside-the-box problem solver who treats all Alamedans respectfully. Filing open for Alameda mayoral, council election candidates In early 2019, I accepted a job where I work remotely (even before COVID), so my commute is now from the front bedroom to the back bedroom/office. For information on registering to vote, please visit the Alameda County Registrar of Voters'websiteor contact the Registrar at 510-272-6973. Ill strive to transition Alameda to use Ranked Choice Voting to create a more representative, cooperative government. Jim Oddie. If you are already registered to vote, please visitMy Voter Profileto lookup the following information: I support increasing affordable housing across Alameda as specified in the Housing Element, like building the approved all-affordable 586 housing units at the North Housing Site. If I am elected I will ensure that Alameda receives the benefit of Measure B/BB funds to develop projects like the West End Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. My top priorities: Preserve public safety, keep neighborhoods safe, enhance training to eliminate bias in policing, and support the Alameda CARE team pilot. Yes. Election Results . 24% of the allocation is at Alameda Point, 15% on other vacant federal lands primarily in the West End, 24% along the Northern Waterfront, 19% at Shopping Centers, 8% at Park and Webster and 10% in existing residential districts. I will assure our departments, ordinances, policies, and training address inherent systemic racism. Im fiscally responsible, support disclosing all expenditures and oppose unnecessary, expensive consultants. In addition, I support the proposed BART stop in Alameda. Slogan: Even-Keeled Leadership for Alameda. Updated October 6th, 2020 Score Card Key: = Unknown, = Advocated, = Held Position, = Against Citations Endorsements Citations The Issues No on Measure K I would push for both permanent and short-term (e.g. What do you see as the quickest and most cost-effective way to achieve a substantial reduction in transportation-related GHG emissions? Trish Herrera Spencer: Alameda City Mayor - A Better Alameda Theyve been proven successful at crime deterrence, enforcement, and stolen item recovery. Alameda should move towards a automobile free Main Street concept for Park Street. Trish Herrera Spencer. I co-authored the referral to direct grant funding for the construction of the safe parklets, which have further activated parts of the street once used for automobiles. We need to make single occupancy vehicles create less emissions and provide good alternatives to single-use occupancy vehicles. The council should work with the Transportation Board on a finer-tuned prioritization to determine where to make progress. With your support we will build responsibly, develop new jobs, protect our Island environment, and ensure ethical city government. This has the multiplicative effect of getting many cars off the road at times when roads are most congested. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether the bridge will accommodate motorized bicycles and scooters used by disabled persons, to which the Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded in the affirmative. Paul Beusterien. have completed the mandatory Local Government Candidate Training. Candidates also had a minute to introduce themselves and three minutes to make a closing statement. Candidate nominations for the 2023 Fadden by-election have now closed. Do you support using additional regional, state, and federal funds to develop this bridge? Im open to solutions to fixing the unlimited upzoning part of the housing element, but not at the cost of losing state certification. I voted to approve the tentative map for the last phase of Alameda Landing in 2019 the approved master plan for this project required the developer to provide access for the landing of the proposed bike/ped bridge. The nomination period for candidates has closed. Public art can help to bring a shared sense of identity for our community while simultaneously celebrating all of the diversity we have. Data-driven decision making is core to who Ive been as a software engineering and community leader. *Donations to TheAlamedaSun are not tax-deductible. Hannah Groce. (510) 747-7400 *Jim Oddie for Alameda City Council *Terry Taplin for Berkeley City Council, District 2 *Ben Bartlett for Berkeley City Council, District 3 . As a city, we need to think about more systematic solutions with our limited funds than performative ones like the Guaranteed Basic Income program which spends $4.6 million dollars to provide 150 households monthly $1000 for 24 months. City staff and the current council did a thorough job of baking the upzoning into the certification process, after ignoring Alameda voters and ignoring evidence of successful Southern California certifications without similar upzonings. Since the county and state have much bigger tax bases, Id like to see Alameda City funds more focused to addressing Alameda-specific homelessness issues. Tracy Jensen. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired whether there has been no correction and review since the pandemic, to which the Senior Transportation Coordinator responded the consultant will go back and update the numbers during this phase; stated the scenario of the Oakland As stadium being approved will also be reviewed. Now is the perfect time to embark on this ambitious regional project. If you have any questions about the measures, please contact the City Clerk's office by emailing clerk@alamedaca.gov or calling 510-747-4800. Do you support the current draft of Alamedas Housing Element, and will you work to ensure its certification by the state? Statement: A recent survey of Alameda residents showed that most people think Alameda is moving in the wrong direction. We must change course! This planning will help to reduce automotive transportation for these essential trips. As a result, the next council may need to be limited to mitigation actions, like providing support for tenants displaced by the resulting gentrification resulting from the unlimited upzoning. Not too long ago, we averaged 5 to 6 sworn police officers in the Traffic Division; I believe today were down to 2 to 3. Moreover, as a policy body, the council should continue request that our federal and state lobbyists prioritize funding for this project, and work collaboratively with our regional partners in these efforts. ALAMEDA CITY HALL LAWN CONVERSION PROJECT, No. Sorry for the late email. Other trips are a mix of bicycle and primarily solar-powered EV driving. I collaborate with stakeholders. Make streets safer for walking and biking. However, I have concerns with the implementation of road diets in Alameda. I drive from my home near Webster Street to visit my girlfriend who lives on Broadway near Otis Drive. For example, for two months, we might locate increased number of Traffic Division police officers on Fernside Boulevard between High and Versailles; then, move the program to another place such as Fernside between High and Central; then, two months later move yet again to another area such as Lincoln Avenue between Willow and Grand, etc., etc. An active member of the community, Malia previously served on the City's Historical Advisory Board and the Alameda Family Services Board and continues to serve on the Spectrum Community Services Board and assist the Alameda Family Services League with their annual . Alameda Mayoral and Council Candidates' Forums A Better Alameda is a Political Action Committee (PAC) of Alameda citizens who have come together to recommend Alameda City Council candidates who support our following mission statement. Homelessness is a Bay Area wide challenge and Alameda should work with the county and state on solutions and I support efforts like the Wellness Center to provide housing for County homeless seniors.