Saratoga News Gillian Moran Erna Jackman John Mehaffey Evan Baker Nick Streit Candidates debate issues of traffic, creeks, Measure G Gillian Moran defends her voting record By Sarah Lombardo Incumbent Gillian Moran heard a lot about previous City Councils at a candidates forum Oct. 6. The second-term hopeful--in addition to candidates Erna Jackman, John Mehaffey, Evan Baker and Nick Streit--fielded a number of questions from audience members related to decisions made by previous councils at a forum at the Saratoga Community Center sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Saratoga, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno. The issues raised ran the gamut from programs and fiscal responsibility to street maintenance and traffic--subjects on which all five candidates shared similar views. The event went fairly smoothly, without the divisiveness associated with forums in years past. But several members of the audience did laugh at comments Moran made when asked her opinion of Measure G. Moran, who with current councilmembers Don Wolfe and Paul Jacobs and former councilmembers Ann Marie Burger and Karen Tucker opposed Measure G in 1996, told the crowd of about 40 that she had always supported sending proposed Measure G projects through the city's planning process first before taking a public vote. "I think voters are entitled to a fully informed opinion, and that's been my consistent view about how to carry out Measure G," Moran said. "First send it through our city process, and then send it to the voters." Although city records indicate Moran was the single councilmember in May 1996 who went on record saying that some city analysis of projects should take place before they go before voters, Measure G supporters present Oct. 6 laughed at Moran's defense of her voting record. When asked about the Saratoga Creek and the lawsuit against the city over its cleanup, Moran said she was in favor of clean creeks and a quick settlement--a comment with which creek supporters also seemed to take issue. "I want to find the source of the bacteria and work to eliminate the source of bacteria flowing into the creek," Moran said. "In terms of the lawsuit, I found it prudent, when the people who are suing the city ask for $500 billion--that's $55,000 per household--I found it more prudent to spend $4 per household per year to hire a lawyer." To date, the city has spent more than $170,000 in legal fees in the creek lawsuit. Mehaffey, Baker and Jackman all said they were in favor of settling the lawsuit; Streit said he would have to learn more about the issue before he could decide if the case should be settled. But Saratoga Creek and Measure G seemed to be the only issues to stir up any controversy. All candidates were in favor of attempting to reduce traffic on Saratoga Avenue, opposed to the possibility of a proposed stadium at West Valley College and in favor of maintaining a balanced budget. The seemingly civil tone of the LWV forum was a far cry from council election forums two years ago, which drew controversy before they had even begun when then-council hopefuls Jim Shaw and Stan Bogosian refused to attend forums sponsored by the Saratoga Good Government Group and the board of Realtors. Shaw and Bogosian claimed they would not attend forums sponsored by political action committees. The GGG did not sponsor any forums this year. The next candidates forum, sponsored by the Saratoga News, is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Saratoga Community Room. Candidates will begin opening remarks at 7:30 p.m. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, October 14, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.