The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

City Council candidate Jim Roberts

Roberts runs unopposed for second term

By Natasha Collins

Running unopposed, Jim Roberts will likely follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become the mayor of Sunnyvale.

Roberts has served on the council since 1993 and believes his consistency and his ability to listen to people are what make him a good councilman.

"People know where I stand on an issue even if they don't agree with me," Roberts said. "I research the issues, listen to both sides and make the best decision I can. I also always explain why I am voting the way I am."

For instance: What to do with Moffett Field is a complex issue that is technically out of the city's jurisdiction. The city can try to influence the federal government's decision, but ultimately the decision is out of the city's hands, he said. "If I had my way, I would leave it the way it is now with NASA and the reserves," Roberts said. "I would like it to stay a federal airfield."

Because Town Center and Town & Country Village are privately owned, the city cannot force anything to be done at the downtown centers, Roberts said. Roberts would like something to be done downtown and said he will push to make sure the area is improved. He was a member of the City Council when the city tried to purchase Town & Country, but the owner refused to sell.

Sunnyvale does not need to draw more people into the area, Roberts said. The city is already too successful, with plenty of jobs and the beginnings of traffic gridlock.

The city cannot continue to supply roadways, so it needs to go to the demand-side, or businesses, to help alleviate the traffic problem, he said.

"In reality how do you widen Mathilda anymore? You can't, so we need to find ways of getting people off the road at peak hours," he said. "I plan to meet with local business, to discuss the possibility of telecommuting and flex time."

According to Roberts, the government's role is to make sure that property owners' development plans fit the community. There needs to be a balance between growth and the limits of transportation, he said. It is also necessary to keep the suburban feel of Sunnyvale and not let the city become too urban as it is developed.

"Residents are the ones that are going to have to face the traffic and other problems urban development brings with it every day," he said.

Roberts is in favor of the utility tax because it is revenue-neutral and allows the city to maintain services. If it is not passed, the city will be forced to reduce services offered at the library, City Hall and the Department of Public Safety.

"People are really going to be voting on whether they want to maintain service levels or not," Roberts said.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, September 24, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.