The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper


Fred Fowler	Kayvan Navai	Joseph Martin

Julia Miller	Michael Szymanski	Jim Roberts

Decisions, Decisions

Six of your neighbors want your vote--who will it be?

The exciting life of a Sunnyvale City Councilmember: weekly meetings stretching until way past midnight; rooms full of concerned residents wanting you to vote their way; stacks of paperwork to study--on everything from pothole repair to multi-million dollar developments.

Unbelievably, six of your neighbors are competing for this very job. Only three of them will succeed.

This week, The Sun has given each of the candidates for Sunnyvale City Council a forum to ask for your vote. The next council will make decisions concerning the air space above your home, the traffic surrounding it, the parks down the street, the jobs down the freeway and the health of the economy--downtown and throughout the city.

Read what they have to say about these challenges--and then go to the polls Nov. 4.

Fred Fowler, Seat One

My name is Fred Fowler, and I am a candidate for seat No. 1 on the Sunnyvale City Council.

I'm running for this office because I want to keep our city what it is: the best place in the Bay Area to live, work and raise a family. I've worked hard for our community since my wife and I moved here in 1989. I've been a volunteer for the Public Safety department and a registered disaster service worker for the city since 1994. I'm in my second term as president of the Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association. I spent nine months in televised public hearings as a member of the Moffett Field Citizens Advisory Committee, and I am currently serving on the Sunnyvale Housing and Human Services Commission. As my track record indicates, I care a great deal about our city, and I'm willing to put my heart and soul into working for it. All of my efforts have given me the leadership skills and the experience I've needed to work for it effectively.

My vision for the future of Sunnyvale involves keeping our balance in these times of great change. We have to balance the demands of business and industry with the needs of our residents. We have to anticipate changes at Moffett Field and act to influence their shape and scope. We have to work to keep Sunnyvale a city that is both old and new, reaching back with one hand to the time we were the center of the Valley of Heart's Delight and reaching forward with the other into the 21st century as the center of Silicon Valley. Ours is a unique city with unique challenges. I feel that it is a place that deserves hard work from all of us to preserve, protect and improve. I'm running for office because I am ready to do my part.

My candidacy has been endorsed by current City Councilmembers Jack Walker, Manny Valerio, Robin Parker, Pat Vorreiter, Landon Noll and Mayor Stan Kawczynski. That is six out of seven current councilmembers. I've also been endorsed by former mayors Pat Castillo, Larry Stone and Dianne McKenna, county Planning Commissioner Terry Trumbull, county Supervisor Joe Simitian and state Sen. John Vasconcellos. I've been endorsed by organizations ranging from the Sunnyvale Employees Association to the Alliance for a New Moffett Field. All of these people and organizations have faith and trust in me that I will fill the role of councilmember well. I'll carry on the tradition of excellence that has characterized our City Council as we forge ahead into the new millennium.

I ask for your vote for seat No.1 on the Sunnyvale City Council. Vote for me, Fred Fowler, on election day, Nov. 4. Thank you.

Kayvan Navai, Seat One

I, Kayvan Navai, am a local businessman and am running for City Council seat No. 2. For the past two months I have been ringing doorbells and meeting the voters of Sunnyvale. Being a City Council person means meeting the citizens and addressing their concerns. By meeting the voters through door-to-door campaigning, I have discovered that the issues with which I started my campaign fit with what I have been hearing from constituents.

While the local economy is doing well, voters understand the prudence of enhancing the city's business profile to meet the long-term needs of the community. Our former city manager warned that our expenses will soon outpace revenues. We need to take action to replenish the coffers before it's too late. We must maintain and enhance our business base to assure our financial position.

Citizens recognize the need to build programs designed to give the community's youth positive alternatives to the gangs, drugs and violence that have crept into our city. This issue has been buttressed by recent decisions regarding the development of a teen center. We need to make a real effort to improve education. Through education, we can take the "glamour" out of drugs and gangs.

Citizens have echoed strong concerns regarding the future of Moffett Field. No one is offering any assurances that Moffett Field is going to remain as it is currently formatted under NASA. The only way to assure that Moffett will be a good neighbor into the next century is to gain control of the property and develop the space in a fashion that we, as residents, design. It's not acceptable that Sunnyvale suffer the devastation of uncontrollable air cargo operations. The purchase and redevelopment of the land is a viable solution.

Traffic on Sunnyvale's main arteries stands out as a continuing concern. I promote such innovations as job sharing, ride sharing and telecommuting to address these issues. Another road or stoplight isn't going to stop the traffic congestion and air pollution. We need to take action to inspire the major employers in the area to stagger work schedules, job-share and telecommute.

I would like to stress that my business and community involvement are keys to my ability to shoulder the responsibilities of the City Council. I have to make tough decisions every day to keep my business operating in the black. Besides my own business experience, I have served on the boards of a variety of public entities. I have served on the San Jose Library board, the board of birectors of the Spartan Foundation and the board of fellows at the University of Santa Clara. I have also served as a law enforcement officer and recognize the need for the safety of the citizens in our community.

We own Sunnyvale, and it is time we acted like owners. I entered the political arena to fight for Sunnyvale's future. That's it, pure and simple. Just take a hard look around. It is easy to identify the issues attacking the prosperity of our fine community. Whether we choose to address the Moffett scenario, traffic, congestion, air pollution, youth crime or sagging revenues isn't nearly as important as how you intend to resolve the potential fiascos. It would appear, of late, that we have somewhat abdicated our own ownership responsibility. We now have a city government that comes at us, not from us. They are our servants, and it's up to us to remind them of that fact. That is why I am running for seat No. 1 on Sunnyvale's City Council.

Joseph Martin, Seat Two

My name is Joseph Martin, and I am running for seat No. 2 on the Sunnyvale City Council. I would like to share with you some of my personal business background.

I am a registered investment adviser (RIA) and a general securties principal with my own firm, with offices in San Francisco and here in Sunnyvale. Prior to coming to Sunnyvale I worked at two major Wall Street firms, where I left a position as senior vice president to come to California and take over as a branch manager, and later resigned to open my own business.

While a senior in college, with less than $5,000 to my name, I founded and six years later sold my company with 350 employees in six countries for more than $4 million. All before the age of 29.

While a student in college, I worked as a reserve police officer and left as a sergeant and the second-most highly decorated officer in the city before the age of 24. Among my 26 awards are the Medal of Valor and the Medal of Commendation (second-highest award), which I won nine times.

How I see the councilmember's role

The purpose of the City Council is to set policy and to use good and sound judgment based on the facts and people he represents, not on any special-interest group's campaign contributions. I see myself, as do many others, as the most qualified candidate. I am the only candidate to become a self-made person. I put myself through school and founded not just one successful company, but two. As an RIA, I make serious split-second decisions every day that affect my clients' investments. And I am the only candidate running for Seat No. 2 who is both fiscally conservative and an old-school Republican (old-school Republican = liberal.)

Issues facing us, the citizens of Sunnyvale

*I would like to protect our quality of life into the 21st century.

*I would like to support the development of affordable housing that can be owned, such as single-family homes or townhouses.

*I support NASA's Six-Point Plan for use of Moffett Field. I want to keep the airfield federal because it would limit the number of flights over homes.

*I support measures K and L to adjust utility tax rates as a result of utility rate deregulation. Without the change, our general fund would have a $1 million per year shortfall.

*I would like to promote a focus on youth and teen activities.

*I would like to continue to preserve our mobile home parks because they provide excellent housing for all citizens.

I would like to note that all three candidates for Seat No. 2 have the same platform and the same positions. So the only other measure should be based on their nonpolitical life.

My only flaw in my suit of armor (according to my two opponents) is that I have lived in Sunnyvale for only two years. The main question that I would like you to consider is, do you want someone who must answer to special-interest groups, someone who has never owned a business sucessfully or owns one that is still in its infancy, someone who, as many people already know, may have some hidden agendas, or would you rather have the most qualified candidate representing you? I hope I can earn the right to represent you on the City Council. So please vote for Joe Martin for Seat No. 2 on the City Council Nov. 4.

Julia Miller, Seat Two

I want to thank The Sun for this opportunity to communicate with you, the voters. I'm Julia Miller, candidate for seat No. 2. I have deep roots in Sunnyvale--39 years! I picked apricots, attended Sunnyvale High, De Anza and San Jose State, and my high-tech business career was here--32 years. I am a homeowner--24 years--and raised my son Jason here--18 years. I was involved in all his school and sport activities.

I entered this race to represent you. I have the time and energy to do this job. I love Sunnyvale; I've seen it grow and prosper and become the heart of Silicon Valley.

Now I will list my leadership experience, which will allow you to know me better.

I have served two full four-year terms on both the city's Housing and Human Services Committee and the personnel board. I was elected chair of both. I am a graduate of Leadership Sunnyvale, served on its board of directors and was president of the Alumni Association for six years. I am also the past president of my neighborhood homeowner's association.

I was a congressional staff associate in Washington, D.C., and learned how government works and how to get things done.

I was a loaned executive for United Way for three years and learned the needs of the community concerning housing, transportation, child care, the homeless, domestic violence and service for the seniors.

As a high-tech employee of a large corporation and an ambassador for the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, I understand the needs and roles of both large corporations and small businesses.

My contributions to these organizations gave me an understanding of how to solve the issues we will face in the future. I support the following issues and actions:

*maintaining Moffett Airfield as a Federal facility with NASA stewardship; opposing air cargo and general aviation flights. I support extending the Bay Trail along the inside perimeter. I will support ballot initiatives that allow you to vote on Moffett's future;

*preventing encroachments of high-density housing into our single-family-home neighborhoods and maintaining our suburban character. I support zoning for our mobile home parks, a vital place for affordable and first-time housing;

*finding solutions to our traffic problem;

*maintaining a strong Public Safety Department;

*earlier council meetings to provide you better public access;

*a feasibility study for a Teen Center to give teens a place to "hang out";

*and maintaining the economic viability of Sunnyvale, a balanced community consisting of industry, retail stores and housing. I support redevelopment of Town & Country.

My supporters include a state assemblyman, a former county supervisor, the mayor and former and current commissioners. I received the endorsements of 10 organizations, most of them citizen-based, e.g., the Sunnyvale Employees Association, the environmental group California League of Conservative Voters and the Alliance for a New Moffett Airfield.

The majority of my financial support comes from Sunnyvale citizens who appreciate my style and have seen my results. They know I have attended every forum and completed all questionnaires submitted to candidates.

You need strong leadership, with experience, to make some tough choices to be an effective councilmember. I am that strong leader. I am an individual who gets involved, seeks solutions, resolves issues and gets things done! I am a people person, a good listener with problem- solving and decision-making skills and a can-do attitude.

I am well prepared to serve you.

Web page: http://www.efaxinc.com/~juliamiller. Email: juliaelm@aol.com. Phone: 739-8789. Thank you for reading about me. Please vote for Julia Miller.

Michael Szymanski, Seat Two

I have always believed that a councilmember's job is to improve the lives of citizens in his community. As Sunnyvale enters a new era with a new city manager, I see a need for strong and experienced leadership that understands the problems of today and has a vision for the future. I seek public office so I may help shape the future of Sunnyvale into the next century. We all know that it is too crowded, that the streets have too many cars on them and that no one seems to go the speed limit. Sunnyvale is a town in transition. Already the second-largest city in the South Bay, with a population of 128,000, we are desperately trying to retain our suburban flavor. It is a lifestyle that we must fight to maintain. We cannot return to the "City of Heart's Delight," but that does not mean that we have to race to be another San Jose. However, we must plan for the future, and this takes knowledge, education, experience and lots of common sense.

Eleven years ago, with my wife expecting our first child, we took a serious look at where we wanted to raise our children. After surveying all the neighboring cities, we realized that Sunnyvale was the best place: great schools, great city services, unbelievably great opportunities for our kids to participate in activities and great neighborhoods. From the first time I opened my utility bill and read the flier asking for volunteers, I have been active in the city. I volunteered for the Public Safety Department, I have coached youth basketball, I tutored in the classroom, I was "Principal for a Day" in the three different school districts, I graduated from Leadership Sunnyvale and finally, I was appointed to the Planning Commission.

As a business owner here in Sunnyvale, I know how to manage large-scale projects with complex plans and budgets. As a planning commissioner, I am fully aware of the intricacies that are tied to the management of city resources. As a citizen of Sunnyvale, I am greatly appreciative of the quality of life we enjoy here. Sunnyvale is a $140 million business enterprise and needs a councilmember who can understand the complexities of the issues that confront our city on a daily basis, yet understand that our city is a mixture of young and old, who all have a voice in how we continue to evolve as a city and as a community. My academic and professional background has provided me with the skills to listen to the citizens and to make the decisions that will benefit all Sunnyvale.

Since the beginning of my campaign, I have received unprecedented bipartisan support. I have also received broad-based support from our business community and our neighborhoods. I have been endorsed by councilmembers Walker, Valerio and Parker; former mayors Castillo, Stone and Mercer; planning commissioners O'Conner, Bricker, Howe; and many other Sunnyvale citizens, as well as the San Jose Mercury News.

People have supported me because they seek leaders who are knowledgeable, objective and visionary and who can be team players while maintaining a sense of independence. Together we can ensure our quality of life continues to be the best in the Bay Area. Together we must guarantee that our neighborhoods remain safe, our children and seniors continue to receive the services they deserve and our economy remains strong.

For our future, I hope you will vote Michael Szymanski on Nov. 4.

Jim Roberts, Seat Three

This November we will be deciding much more than who will represent us on the City Council. In fact, we will decide whether or not our award-winning city services will be maintained at present levels or severely cut. Measures K and L on our ballot provide us with just that choice.

Beginning in 1998, electric rates will drop substantially because of electric-utility deregulation in California. While this is a very positive development which will save us hundreds of dollars annually on our utility bills, it also means a huge loss of revenue to our city's general fund. This loss of revenue occurs because the 2 percent tax we pay is calculated as a percentage of the dollar amount of the bill. As we pay less for electricity, we also pay less in tax.

The net effect of this change is estimated to be about $1 million per year. While we pride ourselves on innovation and productivity improvements as a government agency, we can only do so much. If this reduction in revenue is not replaced, there will be no choice but to cut general fund services. General-fund services include police, fire, parks, libraries and street maintenance.

Before making huge cuts in these core city services, our City Council decided to give us a voice in determining the future of service delivery in our city. This was done by placing Measures K and L on our November ballot. What these measures do is allow us to replace the revenue lost due to electric utility deregulation.

These measures are absolutely revenue-neutral and may only replace lost revenue. The amount of tax we pay will not go up, and our overall electric bills will go down substantially. This is a critical point. While this rate will change slightly, the dollar amount of tax we pay will remain the same.

Voting yes on K and L is truly a win-win situation for all of us in Sunnyvale. We maintain our high-quality city services, while our electric bills go down. Voting no means huge cuts in our police, fire, parks, libraries and street maintenance.

As someone who is fiscally conservative and hates taxes, I find myself in the strange position of supporting these tax measures. The reasons are quite simple. First, K and L are revenue-neutral and only replace money which is lost. If they were for service expansion or to raise new money, I would oppose them. Second, the language is permissive and does not mandate the rate increase. This means that if something changes and electric rates don't fall, everything remains as it is presently. Third, and most important, if we don't replace the lost revenue we will have no choice but to cut our core city services. These services are a big part of what makes up Sunnyvale, a model city, and without them our quality of life will deteriorate.

This November we will make decisions which have a direct impact on the city services we will be receiving in the future. A yes vote on K and L tells our city government to maintain our police, fire, parks, libraries and street maintenance services. A no vote says we want these services cut. It's simple. I hope you will join with me, the City Council, every City Council candidate and the business community and vote yes on Measure's K and L.

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