That's why we believe that it's time for a change in the leadership of Saratoga city government. For that reason, the Saratoga News recommends newcomers Aileen Kao and Andy Barnes for the Saratoga City Council in the Nov. 2 election.

Kao and Barnes are contending with incumbent Ann Waltonsmith in the 2004 campaign. And while Waltonsmith has served the city well in her four years on the council, we believe that she represents the status quo in the city and is part of a council majority that needs to be broken up to maintain independent views in city leadership.

Waltonsmith's vision for Saratoga is that of a "quiet, beautiful, safe residential" area, she said in the League of Women Voters forum. No one can argue that point. However, she added that to maintain that setting, "We need to pass the utility tax."

That's where we disagree, and her rigid, very public stance on the tax—Measure V—makes it impossible for us to support her in this campaign. At every possible opportunity while on the campaign trail, Waltonsmith championed the importance of the passage of utility tax. Since we believe Measure V is flawed and are recommending a no vote, it would be inconsistent for us to support Waltonsmith in this race.

What's more, her stance on the North Campus facility is to "hang on and slowly develop it," she said. "We've only just begun out there." We disagree there, too. We say use it or lose it.

Barnes made a failed run for the city council in 2002, but we believe he has used the past two years wisely to prepare for his 2004 council run. He seems to have a better understanding now of city politics and policies and, given his background as a successful business executive, has a vision for how best to improve the city's fiscal situation.

Barnes opposes Waltonsmith on both the utility users tax and the North Campus. He doesn't believe the city needs the new tax, and he further believes that the North Campus could be sold to get the city through its current crisis. We agree with him on both points.

Beyond that, we appreciate the common sense approach Barnes brought forward during his campaign for city council. He would be an independent thinker at a time when all other members of the council were elected on Saratoga's infamous "slate."

Kao, too, is a slate candidate, but she also appears to be a free thinker who would vote her conscience. While she echoes much of the same theme presented by Waltonsmith, we believe that she will bring a fresh, new voice to city politics, and she will certainly bring a long-needed diversity to the council dais. After a successful stint on the Saratoga Union School Board, Kao chose to continue her service to the community by running for city council.

Kao has a vision to pull together the different segments of the community, and we believe she has what it takes to live up to that promise. Her hope is to "preserve the integrity and compatibility of the neighborhoods" by involving people of all ages from youth to senior citizens—and the Chamber of Commerce and the school districts as well—"to revitalize city climate." And we think she can do it.

The Saratoga News is recommending that voters support Aileen Kao and Andrew Barnes on Nov. 2—new voices and independent thinkers.

H elp starts with "H," and that's just the message that the West Valley­Mission Community College District hopes to get out to the voters in time for the Nov. 2 election.

The community colleges need help and because of it have placed Measure H on the ballot. The bond measure would provide funds for much-needed repairs and renovations at both schools. We urge a yes vote.

The campuses at West Valley and Mission colleges are generally in disrepair. All it takes is a visit to either facility, and the proof is right there in the open.

Monies raised through the bond would go to upgrade facilities, renovate science and computer labs, replace roofs and upgrade technology. Upgrades in energy, plumbing, heating and ventilation are also planned.

No one questions the need for repairs to the campuses. Even opponents of the bond won't dispute the deteriorating conditions of the two schools. Their concerns are that students come from outside of the district where the tax would be levied, that the bond targets property owners and not all residents, that the community college district should better manage its resources and that the state should come to the aid of the schools.

First, there is no apparent evidence of mismanagement of funds by the college district, and it is inconceivable to think that the state will come to the district's aid any time soon—or ever, for that matter—with money for infrastructure repair.

The open-enrollment policy in community colleges was passed many years ago by the state. Since that time, neighboring districts have passed similar bonds to improve their facilities, no doubt accommodating many students from this district, so Measure H is not unfairly targeting residents here in the method by which it is proposed.

The situation at the colleges is poor, and the atmosphere there is not conducive to learning. "H" is for help, and we urge a yes vote on Measure H so that the community college district will get the help it needs.

Few will dispute the importance of road and infrastructure repair and maintenance in the city of Saratoga. And no one will dispute the fact that such repairs and maintenance cost money. But the question is, does the city need to pass a tax to make it happen? We don't believe so, at least not in the form of Measure V, the utility users tax on the Nov. 2 ballot.

We believe that the measure is flawed and that the companion Measure U, an advisory directive giving the city council an indication as to how the funds should be used, is not enough of a mandate to future city leaders. The tax percentage is too high, the 10-year period of the tax is too long and the method by which it would be passed discredits Saratoga voters.

Measures that would target tax revenue for a specific purpose require a two-thirds vote. Saratoga voters should have been trusted to pass the tax at that percentage if they perceived the need to be that great, and then the money would be available for road repairs for 10 years to come. However, it feels like the city is attempting an end-run around the voters by placing the tax dollars in the general fund, thereby necessitating just a simple majority passage on election day.

Money in the general fund could then be used for any purpose, and the only protection against that is Measure U. We don't feel that's enough protection against a city council diverting the funds in the 10-year span of the tax. We think the city should have been honest with the citizens, told them what they needed the money for, then asked for it with a two-thirds vote.

Measure V supporters claim that the tax will cost the average household just $16 per month, and we don't believe that to be an accurate figure. But don't take our word for it—do the math yourself. The utility users tax would levy a 4 percent tax on electrical, gas, telephone, cell phone, water and cable television services, and to reach the $16 figure the combined monthly fees for those services would be just $400. We believe that many taxpayers would face monthly utility fees at least twice as high.

The supporters also indicate that other cities have levied utility users taxes, and that many are 5 percent or higher. What they don't say is that many of those cities don't tax all utilities. In Cupertino, for example, the utility tax includes just telephone and gas and electricity, and then at just 2.4 percent.

Saratoga's roads now rate a grade of 70 on the 100-point scale defined by the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The grade places the city streets at the bottom of the "very good" range, so there is certainly concern to maintain or improve that rating. Roads need maintenance and will need it soon, and that will cost money. But we believe the city has other options right now instead of levying another tax.

If the city is indeed in dire need of funds it should consider selling off the North Campus facility, purchased just over two years ago for $4.5 million. While it may not be the best solution—selling off real property to pay for ongoing maintenance—it would buy the city time to see how much money would be returned by the state should Proposition 1A pass on Nov. 2.

Should Prop 1A—the ballot proposition that would severely limit the state's ability to raid local budgets—pass, the city may not have as serious a financial problem as it now thinks it has. Should it fail, and the city's revenue stream be insufficient to maintain the city streets, Saratoga could place a new utility users tax on the 2006 ballot—and do it right.

We recommend a no vote on Measure V—it's the wrong tax at the wrong time.