Palo Alto residents looking to jump into the City Council and school board races can start picking up their nomination papers today, as the filing period officially gets under way.
The candidate filing period for the Nov. 4 election is set to conclude at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8. In races where an incumbent did not file the election documents, the period is extended until Wednesday, Aug. 13.
The election season will be particularly busy in Palo Alto this fall, with five council seats up for grab and two ballot measures. So far, only two incumbents – Mayor Nancy Shepherd and Councilman Greg Scharff – said they will seek a second term. Councilwoman Karen Holman has yet to declare her intention, while Councilwoman Gail Price has opted not to seek a fresh term and Councilman Larry Klein will be termed out.
At least four non-incumbents will be seeking seats on the nine-member council: Tom DuBois, Eric Filseth, Claude Ezran and Seelam Reddy.
In addition to the council race, voters will be asked to consider an increase in the city’s hotel-tax rate (which would be increased from 12 percent to 14 percent) and a City Charter amendment that would decrease the number of council seats from nine to seven. If approved, the shift to a smaller council would take effect in 2018.
The Palo Alto school board will have two open seats, with President Barb Mitchell and Dana Tom both electing not to seek another term. So far, four candidates have declared their intention to run: Catherine Crystal Foster, Ken Dauber, Terry Godfrey and Gina Dalma.
I would say that any fewer than 10 candidates for City Council, five open seats, and Palo Alto has basically thrown in the towel on Democracy.
Sadly, Mark….you are correct.
As Patti Smith says, people have the power…
http://markweiss86.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/oh-donna/
So, Mark, are you running? How about you, anonymous 37 year resident?
Judith tosses the ball right back at anyone who mentions the obvious mismanagement in City Hall.
News Flash: Not all of us are suitable to run for Council. That does not mean we don’t recognize greed and mismanagement and point it out.
Are you also going to defend the decisions of the ARB and the outsized developments it approves, or the scandal of Planned Community zoning? You seem satisfied with our local mismanagement and try to silence critics.