Election '02 Election '02 (October 30, 2002)

Significant races will impact Palo Alto, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto
Voters in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and the Ravenswood City School District will go to the polls Tuesday in elections that may have far reaching consequences for all three local governments.

Palo Alto voters will decide whether to approve a $49.1 million bond measure to build a new library and community center in Mitchell Park, and to refurbish their venerated Children's Library. But much more is at stake, with other potential bond issues lining up silently in the wings: new storm drains and a new police station, to name two.

The success of Measure D on Tuesday could signal the way for other bond measures to follow. Its failure would force city officials back to the drawing board to figure out what to do about all the issues needing bond measures to be financed.

East Palo Alto voters will elect two new City Council members as two long-time incumbents, Sharifa Wilson and Myrtle Walker -- with a combined 21 years on the council -- decided to not seek re-election. At stake in the election is the future direction of the city, including redevelopment plans for the Ravenswood Industrial Area along Bay Road.

East Palo Alto needs the Bay Road area redeveloped for financial reasons and to complete the vision of the city's future that began with University Circle and the Ravenswood 101 Retail Center, soon to include a giant IKEA store.

But the traffic generated from the stores and office buildings are creating headaches in nearby Menlo Park and Palo Alto neighborhoods, and East Palo Alto residents themselves badly split over the IKEA store.

The most important decision of the new City Council there, however, will be hiring a new city manager to lead the city as it continues to grow and prosper in close proximity to its neighbors.

Voters in the Ravenswood City School District -- which includes part of Menlo Park -- may have the future of their schools at stake, at least who runs them. Long-time Superintendent Charlie Mae Knight has been much criticized for failures in the district, while a federal judge waits to decide whether the state should take over running the schools.

Knight's leadership has emerged as an issue in the Ravenswood election, with some of he candidates saying she must go to save local control of the schools.

With three seats open, Menlo Park is in the midst of one of the most hotly contested City Council races in the community's recent history. The council majority could change drastically as three of the eight candidates have formed a slate challenging the city's "status quo."

The articles over the next several pages will examine each race in depth. We hope you will exercise your democratic right to vote on Nov. 5.