Publication Date: Wednesday Oct 28, 1998

EAST PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL: Six candidates jostle to separate themselves from field

East Palo Alto, which is on the road to economic redevelopment, won't face any major changes in direction as a result of who wins the Nov. 3 City Council election. There is little disagreement about current redevelopment policies among the candidates. But there is a subtle subtext to the race, which features six candidates battling for two open seats.

One incumbent, Myrtle Walker, has endorsed a challenger, Donna Rutherford. Since only two seats are up for election, this means Walker would like to send the other incumbent, Vice Mayor Sharifa Wilson, to defeat.

A second challenger, Marguerite Philips, thinks both Wilson and Walker have been in office for too long and would like the voters to elect her and Rutherford.

And the third of three challengers, Hugo Bravo, is hoping the voters will look kindly on him and Philips.

Which means everyone but Wilson is trying to be identified with another candidate.

If there are differences among the candidates, they seem to be more in terms of how well the City Council listens to the public than what policies to put in place.

Walker has publicly distanced herself from her four council colleagues, saying she alone has been denied committee assignments. That prompted Mayor R.B. Jones to respond, just as publicly, that he offered Walker two committee assignments, both of which she rejected.

But if there is a fissure between Walker and the rest of the council, then, as Walker points out, it hasn't prevented the council from doing its job: She has generally voted with her colleagues on the important issues of redevelopment. And, Walker contends, she has worked well with Wilson, even if the two women haven't exactly been close allies.

The city is relatively free of controversy. Crime is ebbing, and the long-standing issue of refunding a property tax that has been ruled illegal may be close to a negotiated settlement.

Looking ahead, the key issues for the city are implementing its redevelopment policies and, most importantly, hiring a replacement for former City Manager Jerry Groomes, who left in September to take a job in Southern California.

Achieving financial stability is the overriding goal for the city, with almost everything else--repairing streets, providing services and paying higher police salaries to reduce turnover--flowing from it.

The council race also has a late addition of a write-in candidate, Earl Testy.

Hugo Bravo

Age: 61

Occupation: Self-employed bookkeeper

Residence: Garden Street

Comments: A newcomer to city politics, Bravo is critical of the City Council for passing the parcel tax later ruled unconstitutional. He is also frustrated, he says, that the property owners have not yet received their refunds. But while Bravo criticizes the council for the parcel tax, he supports its efforts to increase the tax base through the two redevelopment projects it has approved. Bravo, a longtime resident, says he is running to give something back to the community. He cites his business experience and accounting degree as assets if elected.

Police services: "I would rather let the county sheriff provide police services at a savings of $1 million or more. Now there is a duplication of services."

University Circle redevelopment: "I love the project. It will be long overdue. But I don't think the City Council did very much to explain the traffic plan. The City Council should have done a better job of planning for the traffic, so there will be no more misunderstanding (with Menlo Park residents)."

Marguerite Philips

Age: 58

Occupation: Sales (retired) Residence: Illinois Street

Comments: Philips, another newcomer to city politics, also chides the council for enacting the parcel tax and doesn't see much progress from how the city has spent money over the years. She wants the city to work harder to be more frugal and stretch its budget. She also favors using Cooley Landing for a ferry service and would like to see the Four Corners site at Bay Road and University Avenue developed with a smaller grocery store than is now planned. She also favors changing the city's name to help give it a more positive image, a prospect the City Council is actively considering.

Police services: "I would like to look at the numbers" before deciding whether to turn police services over to the sheriff. "It would depend on the revenue."

University Circle redevelopment: "I would have done it the opposite way. I would have gone to the other communities first and asked what their concerns are."

Donna Rutherford

Age: 47

Occupation: Social rehabilitation coordinator

Residence: Myrtle Court

Comments: Rutherford is also a longtime resident and is trying to make the crossover from the Ravenswood City School District board, where she has served for 10 years. She criticizes the City Council for its approval last year of a concrete batch plant for the Bay Road industrial area and believes council members don't adequately listen to the concerns of residents. She thinks the parcel tax drove a wedge into the community, largely because people didn't see evidence of how the money was spent.

Police services: "I think Chief (Wes) Bowling is doing a very good job. We should continue to utilize the sheriff's department until we can sustain our own department. I don't believe we should give up our own department."

University Circle redevelopment: "We're all impacted by the traffic. We need that project to go forward, but people (in Menlo Park) should be a little more sensitive to our need for revenue. This is just a small group of people doing the lawsuit. I hope they will drop the lawsuit."

Myrtle Walker

Age: 63

Occupation: Education consulting firm owner

Residence: Green Street

Comments: Walker is seeking her second full term on the City Council after serving for nine years on the Ravenswood district board. As a City Council member, she supported the city's redevelopment efforts but voted against issuing a use permit for a concrete batch plant because of potential health hazards. She also opposed starting negotiations with a grocery store developer who had not made any appearances before the City Council. Walker has clashed publicly with Mayor Jones over council committee assignments, but says she has worked well with her colleagues on the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center project.

Police services: "I strongly believe it should remain under local control. The sheriff's department would not be accountable to the community. For a person who had never been a chief before, (Bowling) stepped in and did an excellent job."

University Circle redevelopment: "I really believe we did all we could (to work with Menlo Park). Many people from the Willows came and gave us their support. We have this little core group who said they don't want any more traffic."

Sharifa Wilson

Age: 47

Occupation: Child care program Administrator

Residence: Glenn Way

Comments: Wilson, first elected in 1990, is seeking her third term on the City Council. For the past four years, she has chaired the city's redevelopment agency during the planning process for the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center and University Circle redevelopment projects. She says she wants to stay on the council as the city completes the projects. Wilson is optimistic about hiring a qualified replacement for former City Manager Groomes, largely because the city's economic situation is much stronger than when it recruited him five years ago.

Police services: "The professionalism is much higher now. The police department will be more community oriented than the sheriff's department." New performance standards for Bowling means "he has to clearly understand what's expected of him."

University Circle redevelopment: Menlo Park residents "wanted something that is impossible to guarantee, that not one car would go down their streets. Nothing was going to satisfy those people."

Earl Testy

Age: 45

Occupation: Custom jewelry salesman

Residence: Manhattan Avenue

Comments: Testy, the write-in candidate, moved to East Palo Alto three years ago. He says he has always been involved in the communities he has lived in and that he decided to run for the City Council because of his concerns over public safety. Testy says gang graffiti is prevalent near his home and that the presence of gang members makes taking a nighttime stroll in his neighborhood a risky proposition. He previously worked as a counselor at Juvenile Hall in San Jose for five years and for 10 years has been part of the volunteer chaplaincy program at the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Police services: "I want to praise Chief Bowling. I think he's doing a fine job. I support the city-county police agreement. They are not arguing now, and that sounds positive."

University Circle redevelopment: "I favor the hotel project, and I'm thrilled with the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center. Maybe the city is only just now listening to (Menlo Park) concerns."