Los Gatos Weekly-Times


Jan Hutchins	Egon Jensen	Frank Jones	Linda Lubeck

Breaking the Silence

Quiet was the calm before the storm

By Clarence Cromwell

It's been so quiet in Los Gatos lately, it's hard to believe there's a race on for two seats on the Town Council. On the surface, it's been calm as can be, with barely a campaign poster to hint at the power play bubbling beneath the surface.

Now, with just three weeks until the Nov. 5 election, the cauldron is about to boil over.

The ingredients of the race changed when Councilmember Pat O'Laughlin announced in July that he would not seek reelection, leaving Linda Lubeck as the only incumbent in a race for two seats. Egon Jensen, a former councilmember and mayor, energized from his success in leading the opposition to last spring's utility-users tax, entered the mix. He was joined by Frank Jones, another utility-tax foe and frequent council critic, and Jan Hutchins, who got his feet wet in local politics working for the utility tax. Hutchins, however, maintains that he's not "running" for office as much as offering to serve if people elect him.

Although each of the new contenders claims he will enhance the town's current recipe, the election of Jensen and Jones together has the potential to dramatically shift the balance of power on the council. The two candidates worked with Councilmember Steve Blanton to defeat the utility-users tax in March.

When Blanton, Joanne Benjamin and Randy Attaway ran for reelection two years ago, the race could best be described as a lovefest. All three were returned to office. But last year, when Blanton, who was then vice mayor, defected from the rest of the council to oppose the utility-users tax, his colleagues passed over him when it came time to select the new mayor.

Some say Blanton has been smarting ever since, and council-watchers claim Blanton is behind the Jensen and Jones candidacy. He's made no secret of his support of the two. In fact, Hutchins says that when he approached Blanton to seek his support, Blanton told him he was supporting Jones and Jensen because he wanted to unseat Lubeck.

Candidates finally met face to face during an Oct. 9 Lions Club forum at Villa Felice. And the race above the surface began to take shape.

Linda Lubeck faced off with Measure C opponent Jensen over the utility tax, fiscal responsibility and what Jensen calls the town's bureaucracy. Meanwhile, Hutchins stepped back from issues and emphasized his positive attitude and desire to draw residents into important decisions. Jones, who wasn't able to attend the forum because he had to teach his math class at DeAnza College, sent a letter for event organizers to read that explained his position on a handful of issues.

Hutchins, a former TV newscaster, proved he can be witty and charismatic with frequent jokes and a polished speech. He's notable for being the only candidate with no agenda. Hutchins said he doesn't want to tell voters how he'll improve the town; he wants to hear from them. His Web page states that he wants to look for solutions rather than have a "deadening focus on problems." He's said he won't send out campaign fliers, but he was the first candidate out with a mass mailing--not a flier but a questionnaire to find out how residents feel about various issues. His cover letter indicates there'll be at least one more mailing to send out the results of his survey.

Hutchins told the Los Gatos Weekly-Times that he won't raise taxes or cut the police department budget--ideas that have proven unpopular in Los Gatos. He's also said he favors small government.

Hutchins pledged not to ask for money, not to campaign door-to-door and not to ask for campaign endorsements. On the other hand, he won't reject support if it's offered. The cover letter to his questionnaire says: "I am not seeking endorsements from interest groups, although I may get some." And while he's not asking anyone to host a coffee for him, he says in the same letter: "I am seeking your vote and would enjoy visiting with you and a few of your neighbors if you invite me over to exchange ideas."

Meanwhile, at the Lions Club forum, Lubeck and Jensen hashed over the fiscal issues and the size of the town.

Jensen, who served on the council until 1970, blames the council for the budget shortfalls of recent years and says the town's development approval process is cumbersome. He wants to simplify building processes and eliminate the Finance Department, which the town set up in 1985. Jensen said he'd like to get rid of the finance director position and let the town manager write the budget, as was done in the past. The clerk would write checks and scrutinize budget items.

"This is not something revolutionary," Jensen said of the plan. "This is putting it back the way it was."

To the "bureaucracy" comments, Lubeck countered that, compared to a company with the same sized budget, the town has fewer employees and at least the same amount of work. She also said the town has already undertaken efforts to streamline permit processes.

Lubeck, an accountant, said she wants to see the town run like a business. In the candidates survey that accompanies this story, she said the council needs to learn which services residents want and find ways to provide them for the least amount of money.

She says the fiscal position of the town can be improved by stimulating business--to generate more tax money--and by a performance audit--to find inefficiencies.

Frank Jones, another opponent of the utility-tax measure, favors simplifying town regulations and improving the town's fiscal health without raising taxes.

Blanton isn't the only councilmember endorsing candidates. Patrick O'Laughlin has endorsed Lubeck and Hutchins.

The League of Women Voters holds a Los Gatos Town Council candidates forum Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers, 110 E. Main St.

Taking on the Issues

The Los Gatos Weekly-Times asked the four candidates for Town Council to respond in writing to several questions. Their answers appear below.

What qualifies you for the job?

Hutchins: Please forgive the immodesty, but relatively speaking, I'm healthy, emotionally secure, intelligent, reasonable, innovative. I have experience as a mediator, negotiator and public and private sector decision-maker. I care about the well-being of our town and its future. I respect myself, others and things. I enjoy the process of research and reasoning, and I know how to listen.

Jensen: Over the years, I have been involved in community affairs. I feel I have gotten to know the community and the problems facing Los Gatos.

Jones: I think it is clear that I have a much wider spectrum of qualifying experiences than any other candidate. Especially when one adds my profound and enduring interest in current affairs. A brief summary of my assets will, I hope, support and verify this claim: a good education and general knowledge; very good technical, logical and analytical skills; extensive managerial skills; the ability to grasp and understand legal concepts; experience in serving on committees and the ability to organize, lead and moderate committees and other meetings; longevity in Los Gatos.

Lubeck: The qualities that qualify me are: a keen, analytical mind; an ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people; an understanding of business that no other candidate or current councilmember has; a good sense of humor; the understanding that reasonably intelligent people can look at the same set of facts and circumstances and disagree as to the outcome without taking it personally; an abiding love of Los Gatos as the best place on earth to live, raise a family, and feel a part of a community.

Why should the voters pick you over other candidates?

Hutchins: My communication skills and my emphasis on a positive vision for the future of Los Gatos are unique in the race and, I believe, especially needed right now. I represent a fresh start, a more reasonable and balanced perspective less identified with past problems and contentious positions.

Jensen: My involvement in the community has given me an insight. I do not have to go through a learning process, but will be able to get started on a solution to solve the problems facing Los Gatos immediately upon being elected Nov. 5, to the Town Council.

Jones: The vote on the utility tax showed incontrovertibly that the views of the majority of the present council is diametrically opposed to that of the majority of citizens. Their surprise at the result shows that they are out of touch with the electorate. This is an unanswerable reason why the incumbent should be replaced by someone who does represent, and is in touch with, the majority of the electorate. I believe that my views are consistent with those of the electorate and that I am in touch with their opinions.

Lubeck: I represent a positive force--I pro-actively seek solutions. It is easier to attack and complain than it is to find solutions that are reasonable and fair to all concerned. I am also the only candidate who really has a working business background, having worked with many different businesses with the same types of monetary issues facing the town. Someone running a small, sole proprietorship or a company division is not the same as someone running a $14 million business or the town of Los Gatos.

What is the most important issue facing the town, and what should the council do about it?

Hutchins: It is the development of wiser, more loving, respectful, more involved and responsible citizens. The council must model those attitudes in its interactions with each other and the community. Processes should be in place to remind citizens and public officials about the ideals we stand for and the high standards we expect from one another. Because the bonds of community are strengthened by working together, the council should embrace a vision capable of inspiring Los Gatans to work together to achieve goals we consider a legacy worthy of having lived.

Jensen: The most important issue facing the town is fiscal in nature. It is of the utmost importance we take a look at our operating cost and implement a policy of efficiency and accountability. We must set a goal of cutting the operating budget with a minimum of $1 million and spend that money on bringing our streets and sewers up to acceptable standards.

Jones: I do not think we have one single issue. We have a complex of interrelated issues. Fiscal issues, over-regulation, and a less-than-acceptable business environment are all part of the picture. Improved business helps the revenue issue and a sounder fiscal status in turn encourages investment. With improved prosperity, there is more opportunity to obtain the type of investment that preserves the town's charm. With a less friendly attitude, we may desperately have to take whatever we can get or drift into financial difficulties. In both cases, the ambiance of the town would suffer.

Lubeck: The issue facing the town is how to allocate its limited resources for the next few years. We have to attack this from many angles: understanding the priorities of the citizens for the services they want, actively looking for ways to provide those services with the fewest dollars, and also finding ways to increase business--and thus town revenues--without negatively affecting who we are as a town. The council has to set the direction for staff to look for ways to achieve all of the above, and has to affirmatively vote for policies, actions and budgets that do the same.

If you could make a single change in the way the town works, what would you change?

Hutchins: Attitude. I would change the emphasis on what is wrong with the town, its government, its processes, to a more realistic perspective. In the big picture, this is one of the most beautiful, livable places on earth. We should be building on our successes. I would rather see the community coming together to augment the work of groups like the Community Foundation than pointing fingers and placing blame. We should be focused on how we leave a grand legacy for our children. Positive attitudes would make it easier to work together to solve existing problems.

Jensen: Simplify and streamline the planning and permit procedure, without sacrificing the standards the community requires. The procedure has become cumbersome and unyielding. At the present time, it seems like the rules of planning change from day to day, resulting in confusion and unnecessary expense. One can wonder if the planning process in Los Gatos is an employment act for the bureaucrats, rather than protection for the interest of Los Gatos.

Jones: My primary objective will be to maintain and improve the town's fiscal health without raising taxes. Another candidate's suggestion to improve the form of, and details contained in, the budget merits serious consideration. With the help of extensive public input we should initiate a review of existing rules, regulations and ordinances with a view to rationalization and simplification.

Lubeck: A hundred small changes that would add up to one big change in the way we view government. We are government. We trust ourselves, so why don't we trust government? Government is here to help us pool our resources so that we can better take care of ourselves, our families, our children and their families. When we become involved in our community, when we work together to better our community, when we understand that our local government is nothing more than a tool to accomplish that which we cannot accomplish alone, then the town will work better.

Why do you want to be on the council?

Hutchins: I am willing to serve because my skills, interests and fresh perspective are ideally suited for the current task. I want to fulfill my responsibility as a citizen and have an intense, educational life experience.

Jensen: I was involved in defeating the utility tax, as I felt it would not bring a solution to the town's fiscal problems. I'm willing to dedicate my efforts in the next four years to bring accountability and fiscal stability to Los Gatos, yet maintain the services we now enjoy.

Jones: We must change some paradigms. Government exists to serve the needs and requirements of the people. The people are not there to satisfy the whims of government as so many seem to believe. Government must also learn that in today's environment it is necessary to produce more and better products and services, with higher quality at a lower cost. I believe I could help bring about this change of attitude. Most of the current incumbents want to preserve the unhealthy status quo.

Lubeck: I feel as if I still have a lot to accomplish as a councilmember in affecting policies and procedure that would allow us to act more like a business and less like a bureaucracy. We have made a lot of improvements, but we can do more. I believe we need people on the council who are going to pro-actively look for multiple solutions to the issues we face and who will positively work with our town staff (not against them) to accomplish the goals that we set for ourselves as a town.

It's necessary to balance growth with preservation of Los Gatos' small- town charm. Can the council do that?

Hutchins: I have no ideological agenda. I understand this is not an either/or question. To attempt an easy answer here might cause readers to infer I am ignorant about the complex factors affecting a potential decision. The council can stand firm on existing boundaries.

Jensen: I don't believe any members of our community wish for Los Gatos to become just another metropolis. I am convinced we should strive to maintain the small-town charm. The growth of the town is very limited as we don't have much space available for new development.

Jones: The problem is that there are as many opinions about exactly where the balance should be drawn as there are citizens. The council should make efforts to efficiently collect as many constructive inputs from as many sources as possible. After this, however, it must make bold, informed decisions and lead the town and the community along what appears to be the best path. It will never be possible to satisfy all the people all the time.

Lubeck: During the '60s, the town more than doubled in population, partly from building and partly from annexations. Today Los Gatos has very little available land, so most of our hard decisions center around in-fill projects, renovations, or changes in use. We have in place many well-thought-out policies and zoning ordinances to control "growth" and to review projects for their potential effect on our "small-town charm." This comes at a price--both financial and emotional. The real challenge is to balance our desire to maintain our charm with an understanding of the costs involved to do so.

How can the town deal with future budgetary shortfalls?

Hutchins: Dealing with shortfalls is a matter of making hard choices. It is preferable we plan so we do not have shortfalls. We should join with counties and other municipalities to lobby against additional "takebacks" by state government. This will be important during the debate on how the state deals with welfare reform. In areas we directly control, we should continue the processes already under way to streamline town government, increase efficiencies, recruit volunteers and privatize services. We should rebuild our reserves to protect against emergencies. We should continue efforts to make the planning process fair, efficient and business-friendly.

Jensen: First and foremost: take inventory of the needs of the community with an estimate of the cost at the same time we implement a plan of a policy of efficiency, accountability in the daily operation of the town. The savings will help budget deficiencies.

Jones: With good management, shortfalls are not inevitable. Shortfalls can and should be avoided and then there is nothing to deal with. The very nature of the question demonstrates what is wrong. It will not be changed without a change of representation. That is why I find it necessary to run for the council.

Lubeck: There are a number of ways the town can and does deal with budgetary constraints--either by increasing revenues or decreasing expenditures. The revenues we can have the greatest impact on are sales and transient occupancy taxes. By stimulating good realistic business growth--making processes easier, recruiting new business, supporting businesses that are here--we can increase our revenues. We are always looking for ways to do more with less. I believe we could use a professional performance audit to help us find more ways.

Is the town doing enough to support downtown merchants?

Hutchins: Enough? No sector of the community should be considered in isolation. The town has to allocate its resources to serve the entire community. There are concerns about the balance of business types, cleanliness, landscaping, traffic and parking, access for town residents, etc., but these are complicated and are being worked through. I think a privately funded old-fashioned trolley system looping along Santa Cruz, Main, Los Gatos Boulevard and Blossom Hill or Lark could ease parking problems, enhance the charm of the town and connect our various business districts. Public toilets and drinking fountains would be welcome additions.

Jensen: The role the town can play in a successful and prosperous downtown is very limited. The incentive must come from the merchants and property owner in the downtown area if any improvement is needed.

Jones: This question should not be limited to downtown merchants. There is far too much valuable property sitting unattractively vacant and nonproductive in various parts of the town. This is prima facie evidence that the answer to this question is no. We are not giving the merchants sufficient support.

I would like to see a general review of rules and regulations. I would also want to initiate information gathering from the town's merchants (and customers) before I made a full commitment on this point.

Lubeck: There are things that the town and redevelopment district are planning to do to beautify the downtown, such as implementing the improvements under the Downtown Streetscape Plan and funding infrastructure projects with redevelopment funds. The town is also working on an enhancement to the Town Plaza Master Plan. While this may take a few years to fund, we are going in the right direction. While the downtown is one of our major assets, we have to remember that it is not our only business district and that we need to support all of our business areas.

Is there anything else voters should know?

Hutchins: Voters should know I will not vote to raise their taxes. I will vote to protect the police services that mean so much to our quality of life. I will speak the truth about what's going on in town government. A vote for me will mean a town government that will reason together rather than argue apart. If voters want to be asked rather than told and want to concentrate on what we can do rather than what we can't, I am their best choice.

Jensen: I would like to be given the opportunity to serve on the council. I do not have a vested interest, just a desire to serve Los Gatos and make my contribution to make this the best possible place to reside and bring up our children.

Jones: There are many things I would like the voters to know as I believe in a well-informed electorate but I would particularly like them to know that as a council member my primary job is to serve the people of the town and this means all the people, not just a particularly vocal clique or special-interest group here and there.

Lubeck: This race is really about vision--being able to step back and see the big picture; to see the forest and not just the trees. I have that kind of vision. I am a firm believer that government functions better when it is run more like a business. Local government exists to deliver the services which we must provide together as a community--police, land planning, infrastructure, parks, libraries, etc. Under our council and our manager, our town provides those services now and plans for the future. I want to continue to bring this philosophy to the council.