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Candidates face first district elections www.concordpioneer.com
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
August 24, 2018
DOMINIC ALIANO
JUDITH HERMAN
LAURA HOFFMEISTER
RON LEONE
Contributed Photo
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
Herman. In District 3, Planning Commission chair Dominic Aliano is facing Bike Concord enthusiast Kenji Yamada in the newly formed Monument area district. Tim McGallian is running unopposed for the District 5 slot. He was appointed to the council two years ago when Tim Grayson was elected to the State Assembly. City treasurer Patti Barsotti is also running unopposed for a four-year term.
FOCUSING ON DOWNTOWN Leone, who ran unsuccessfully for county Superintendent of Schools in June, had said publicly that he was not going to run. But he then said candidly: “I changed my mind.” He says there is too much “unfinished business” in front of the council that he is involved in, and he wants to help move it along. “It’s unfortunate that with districts I have to run against
another council member, but someone has to win and someone has to lose,” he says. One of his major goals has been the revitalization of the downtown around Todos Santos Plaza, especially making sure it retains an early California flavor. He was instrumental in obtaining the statue of Don Salvio Pacheco that stands at the southeast entrance to the plaza. But his work reflects more than that. He and former
Councilman Tim Grayson “convened committees to ensure that the look in and around downtown was inviting, walkable and convenient to transit users. Now I see building going up that does not reflect our vision,” he says. “I want to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He also is interested in a new soccer stadium/hotel complex that Mark Hall is proposing near the downtown BART station. “That will
change the flavor of downtown,” Leone says. “I want to make sure that happens right.”
Two hotly contested races highlight this fall’s Concord City Council elections, making the choices dramatic – thanks to the arrival of district elections. In District 1, current City Council members Laura Hoffmeister and Ron Leone square off against each other and political newcomer Judith
From the desk of...
Contributed photo
Contributed photo
925.672.0500
TIM MCGALLIAN
KENJI YAMADA
A POLITICAL POWERHOUSE AND A NEWCOMER
Hoffmeister’s 20 years on the council have made her an unofficial encyclopedia of the city’s issues. She doesn’t believe the change to district elections will impact her campaign. “For me, districts allow the
See Candidates, page 8
Farm Bureau project nears completion TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer
Edi BiRSAn
MAYOR
Getting to the heart of issues in election
Election season is upon us, or as I sometimes call it: Silly Season. Yet, there are some important decisions to be made in two city districts in Concord: District 1, Clayton Road/Concord Boulevard east of Farm Bureau to Ygnacio, and District 3, north side of Monument Boulevard to Concord Avenue. In the past, the races are many times “beauty contests” where candidates stay away from hard-core issues and preJennifer Ortega/City of Concord fer vague, fluff statements like A major repaving project on Farm Bureau Rd. should be complete by the first week in September. The road has been “Reduce crime” and “Make closed since the beginning of August for the construction. The northbound lane will open in time for school for access to families first,” complete with Wren Avenue Elementary. pictures with their pet dog or cat, families and some trees in the background. For many voters, there is not a big engagement with specifics. This is where the role of political parties comes in as the screeners and brand-makers of candidates whom they endorse in local races – even Mayor Edi Birsan and council city manager Valerie Barone. Putting the tax increase on PEGGY SPEAR members Laura Hoffmeister Godbe and Associates the November ballot was one Concord Pioneer See Mayor, page 14 and Tim McGallian were in conducted a survey of resi- of those rare issues that all The residents of Concord favor of sending the tax dents, asking about the quali- four public speakers supportty of life in Concord, what ed. will not be voting on a half- increase to the voters. Measure Q has been a fisthey thought Measure Q “To quote (former Councent extension to Measure Q Inside in November, despite the fact cal lifesaver since it passed in money should be spent on cilman) Dan Helix, ‘If you Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .17 that a majority of the Con- 2010 and was extended in and whether they would sup- want services, you have to Community . . . . . . . . . . .4 cord City Council approved 2016. It has helped stave off port a half-cent sales tax pay for it,’ ” said speaker Ray many budget woes, improve increase, bringing Concord’s Barbour. the measure. From the desk of . . . . .14 Kenji Yamada, who is Due to a little-used may- infrastructure and keep the total to 9.5 percent. More Hearts and Hands . . . . .2 city on solid footing. But than 70 percent of responrunning for the District 3 oral ordinance, such tax plans Schools . . . . . . . . . . . .15 need a 4-1 vote to pass. that’s about to change next dents said they would sup- council seat, concurred. “It’s Senior Living . . . . . . . .20 Council members Carlyn year – when the costs of pen- port the increase, whether the not popular to ask to increase Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Obringer and Ron Leone sions rise and construction election was held in 2018 or taxes, but this one makes Performing Arts . . . . . .16 sense,” he said. opposed the measure, while costs skyrocket, according to 2020.
A major upgrade of Farm Bureau Rd. from Wren Ave. to Walnut Ave. should be complete by early September, said city engineer Kevin Marstall. The project, which began in early August, hit a few minor delays in working with the underground utilities. Although it won’t be finished, until the first week in September, the northbound lane will be open by the time school starts for access to Wren Avenue Elementary. The repaving is Phase II of the city’s Complete Streets study completed in 2014. Theproject’s $4,215,000 is funded the Measure J Gas Tax and will use a fairly new method of street rehabilitation called Full Depth Reclamation. In this process, cement is mixed with the old asphalt and is pulverized in place, saving weeks over the conventional method which requires digging up the old asphalt and hauling everything away. Cost for both methods is about the same, Marstall said.
Half-cent sales tax hike won’t be on Nov. ballot
Barone stressed that the longer the city waits to improve roads, the more expensive it will be. “Now we don’t have a plan for the infrastructure improvements, because we don’t know how much money we’ll have,” she noted. Finance manager Karen Reid said some funds, such as grants, were not available for residential street improvements.
See Sales Tax, page 6