It took a personal experience with the Saratoga city government to spur Neil Malhotra into running for the city council.

Several years ago his parents decided to remodel their home. After watching his parents try to get the necessary approvals and permits through the planning department and planning commission, Malhotra came to a conclusion.

"There were a lot of requirements that people had to abide by that weren't always serving the interests of the people," Malhotra said. "But I just don't see a whole lot of huge benefit. This is just more of a hindrance than anything else."

Concerned about what he saw as too much city regulation of its residents, Malhotra—who describes himself as "more for the rights of the individual than the rights of the city"—said he would prefer that the city operate with less oversight, as it has in years previous.

To bring about such change, he said, he determined that his best course of action was to be elected to city council. It doesn't hurt that, as an Indian twentysomething, he could also help the city council better represent its younger and Asian populations, he said.

Malhotra was quick to say that while he doesn't support overdevelopment, he would like to streamline the process for obtaining residential remodeling and construction permits. Such changes, particularly in the construction of secondary units, could also help remedy Saratoga's lack of low-income housing and help families find the space for their older members, he said.

Malhotra would also like to address the city's management of its finances. Malhotra said he isn't entirely supportive of the city's rebuilding the Saratoga Library—he thinks the city could have done a project on a lesser scale or reviewed other options for providing library services to its residents.

He said the city should learn from its experience and seek better ways to handle lawsuits, like the one regarding the cleanup of Saratoga Creek. He also said he is concerned about the city's purchase of the North Campus Facility. He pointed to the fact that the city had a large surplus before it made the purchase.

"I think it was kind of spent unwisely," he said. "Just because you have the money to do something doesn't mean you should do it. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way." He adds that he hasn't yet seen a real plan for the property and is uncertain that most Saratogans would have supported the plan had they known about it in advance.

Which brought him to his other big concern: the city's ability to communicate with its residents and get their input on important issues. He said that many of the city's decisions are influenced by a small number of individuals who follow what the council is doing. He said it would be better for the city to reach out more to those who don't always pay attention to its latest actions and get their opinions as well.

"I think it should be going above and beyond," he said. "You have to do things where you come to the people. It shouldn't be based on those who show up. You should be protecting people who don't even care."

He proposes that the city council host weekly "town hall meetings" in different venues throughout the city, at which the council would mostly listen to its constituents rather than make decisions.

He also said he would not necessarily support a neighborhood's stance on a particular issue but would rather take issues on a case-by-case basis and determine what would be best for the city as a whole rather than just for a particular community.

He said he opposed West Valley College's Measure E; he believes he is more pro-business than the current council and could better work with the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce; and he supports exempting the Saratoga Fire Station from the city's zoning code.

Asked whether a busy young professional like himself would have the time to do the job of a council member, he said his youth gives him the energy and enthusiasm to do the job even though he has many other responsibilities.

"I'm definitely going to make time for this," he said. "I can do a lot of work. I wouldn't be doing it if I couldn't."

Neil Malhotra

Age: 21

Occupation: Corporate finance analyst for investment banking firm Goldman Sachs in Menlo Park.

Education: Graduated from Yale University in New Haven, Conn. in 2002 with B.A. in economics.

Family: Lives with father, Vino, and mother, Neema