Mountain View Voice October 3, 2014 by Mountain View Voice

VOTER ★ GU DE ★ 14 ★2 0 SCHOOL BOARDS 12 | ENDORSEMENTS 18 OCTOBER 3, 2014 VOLUME 22, NO. 36

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MOVIES | 24

City Council to vote on minimum wage raise RALLY PLANNED BEFORE OCT. 9 MEETING AT CITY HALL By Daniel DeBolt

MICHELLE LE

Emily Klemm wipes teammate Alysia Capote’s cheek while other members of the Crittenden Panthers varsity softball team watch before their game starts on Sept. 24.

Softball team back in the swing of things AFTER A 12-YEAR HIATUS, CRITTENDEN FIELDS GIRLS TEAM THIS YEAR By Kevin Forestieri

he girls softball team is back at Crittenden Middle School after a 12-year hiatus, and it didn’t take long for the team to kick off a winning streak. After some fancy

footwork by the school to play softball with a different league, the varsity team has gone 9-0 this season, beating out Sunnyvale Middle School earlier this week. Crittenden dropped softball more than a decade ago when

the previous athletic director decided to change leagues, according to Marco Arce, the current athletic director for Crittenden Middle School. He said the Santa Clara Middle See SOFTBALL, page 6

ith no organized opposition in sight, Mountain View City Council members could adopt a minimum wage ordinance on Oct. 9. leading to a bump in pay for the city’s low-wage workers. Labor leaders and local activists are set to rally in front of City Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 9, before the City Council meets. The Council may consider approving a draft ordinance based on San Jose’s minimum wage ordinance, though it’s unclear how much of a raise will be passed. If a significant number of Mountain View businesses oppose a minimum wage increase in Mountain View, they have yet to speak up. City Council member Margaret Abe-Koga said she has seen no evidence of organized opposition to raising the minimum wage in Mountain View, even from the California Restaurant Association, the key opponent to the minimum wage bump in San Jose to $10 an hour, which was drafted by a San Jose State sociology class and approved by 59 percent of voters

in November of 2012. It went into effect in March 2013 and an automatic adjustment has since boosted it to $10.15 an hour. University of California at Berkeley professor Michael Reich has been studying the effect of the minimum wage increase on San Jose and says restaurants were most affected, raising prices by 1.75 percent, on average, to compensate. Perhaps because of the ability of tech workers to pay higher prices, he says there was no discernible impact on employment from the higher wage. There’s been a steady drop in San Jose’s overall unemployment since it was at 8 percent in 2012 — it is now at 5.5 percent. The number of downtown restaurants in San Jose increased by 20 percent in 18 months, the San Jose Downtown Association reported over the summer. Among those working to mobilize supporters for the Oct. 9 meeting is the Service Employees International Union’s Brian O’Neill, who is advocating a $15 an hour minimum wage for Mountain View, where the cost See MINIMUM WAGE, page 9

Teacher pay impasse triggers district budget meeting By Kevin Forestieri

mid heated discussions over teacher compensation, the Mountain View Whisman School District will host a special meeting to report on district finances an hour before the regularly scheduled board meeting next week. Currently, contract negotiations between teachers and the district are at an impasse over salaries, with teachers union

INSIDE

officials calling on the district to demonstrate that it can’t afford the cost of living increase they seek. The meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, in the district board room, will serve as an information session for parents, teachers and community members to learn more about the district’s finances, with the intent of giving some context to the recent negotiations between teachers and district administra-

tors. The district announced the budget meeting after a special closed session board meeting on Friday, Sept. 26, when board members met to discuss teacher contract negotiations and how they are affecting teachers, staff, parents, community members and students. The district’s chief financial officer, Terese McNamee, will be at the meeting to present a report on district finances, and

will include an opportunity for community questions. Board president Bill Lambert said he encourages community members to come and ask questions. In a statement that came out of the closed session meeting, the board said it is interested in continuing contract negotiations, and members have authorized an improvement on the district’s previous proposal. The closed session meeting was called after representatives from

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the Mountain View Educators Association came out of teacher salary negotiations on Sept. 24 and announced that they had reached an impasse with the school district, which had offered a modest increase in teacher salaries that fell short of what the teacher union had requested. The teachers union was looking for a 7 percent cost of living increase in teacher salaries, up See TEACHER PAY, page 16

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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

Voices A R O U N D

T O W N

Asked in downtown Mountain View. Photos and interviews by Madeleine Gerson and Natalia Nazarova.

What quality do you look for in a City Council member? “Honesty. If you are a City Council member, your number one concern should be Mountain View, not your own agenda.” Chris McGilvery, Mountain View

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Federally insured by NCUA. October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

LocalNews Q CRIMEBRIEFS

MAN PUNCHED A Sunnyvale man was punched outside of Erik’s DeliCafe in Mountain View on Sunday by a man who could not be located by police. The 46-year-old victim said he was standing outside of his vehicle at 1350 Grant Road at about 11:36 a.m. when the suspect, described as a medium-height, white male, approached the victim from behind and punched him in the head, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. The victim complained of pain to his cheek and his eye area was swollen. Paramedics provided medical assistance to the man, but

October 2014

See CRIME BRIEFS, page 17

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Medicare Updates and Changes

Unacceptable Levels Film Screening Oct. 24, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Cindy Russell, M.D. PAMF Health Education Join us for a screening of the documentary, Unacceptable Levels, a film examining the results of the chemical revolution of the 1940s. Opening the door to conversations about the chemical burden our bodies carry, this film poses challenges to our companies, our government, and our society to do something about a nearly-unseen threat with the inspired knowledge that small changes can generate a massive impact. A Q&A session will follow the film along with a drawing for healthy habits edible and non-edible prizes.

Last week’s news brief “Google fiber gets go-ahead” incorrectly stated that Google was present in the closed door City Council meeting last Tuesday. Google was not present in the meeting, and no deal was signed, only endorsed. Also from last week, the story “Council backs big El Camino Real plans” was incorrect in stating that council members opposed any kind of transportation demand management requirements. Members did support several such requirements, but voted 5-0 against including a “mode shift goal” for those requirements.

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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

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LocalNews MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE

Q CITY COUNCIL UPDATES Q COMMUNITY Q FEATURES

Council to take up San Antonio precise plan CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT BIKE ACCESS AND HOUSING-OFFICE BALANCE By Daniel DeBolt

COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF DEER HOLLOW FARM

Keith Gutierrez wows the crowd as he uses traditional methods to build a fire at Deer Hollow Farm’s annual Ohlone Day. This year’s event is on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Ohlone Day returns to Deer Hollow Farm By Madeleine Gerson

n Saturday, Oct. 11, the annual Ohlone Day Living History Festival will take place from noon to 3 p.m at Deer Hollow Farm. Those who attend have a chance to tour a replica Ohlone village, learn about the history of local Native Americans and participate in various hands-on activities. Every year, the event attracts a large crowd to the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Reserve, say organizers. Some of the

activities include traditional fire-starting and archery demonstrations as well as skilled artisans making hand-crafted Ohlone tools. Ohlone Day is an essential fundraiser for the maintenance of the Deer Hollow Farm and its activities, according to Elizabeth Montgomery, member of the Friends of Deer Hollow Farm board. “Every penny goes back to Deer Hollow Farm, to either support its educational programs or to provide enhance-

ments the farm needs to carry on its mission of making the farm environment and the animals available to the public,” said Montgomery. Throughout the year, the replica Ohlone village is open to tours for local elementary schools but remains closed to the public, except at the annual festival. “There are many people that we get to know over the years who love the experience of the

he future of the San Antonio shopping center and the surrounding area may be largely decided by the City Council in a study session scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7, when members may hash out a final decision on the balance between office and housing growth in the area and mobility plans for bicyclists and pedestrians. It may also create a plan for a new school, which isn’t in the current version. It’s the last scheduled discussion before a final plan is approved in early December. Planning Director Randy Tsuda said the key issue the council needs to weigh in on is how to balance office and housing growth in the area. In July, council members changed course and decided to emphasize residential zoning in the plan, after residents mounted a campaign to call attention to the city’s pattern of approving much more

office development than homes, exacerbating high housing rents and commuter traffic. Council members called for a way to tie housing development to office development, so that all of the allowed office isn’t built before the housing is. There’s now a cap of 400,000 square feet of new office in the plan, and 1,245 housing units are projected to be built within its boundaries. Before the first 200,000 square feet of office can be constructed, 620 housing units must be built. For the additional 200,000 square feet of office, another 625 homes must be built. Developer Merlone Geier has sent a letter to the city opposing this plan to phase in office development, as it would keep them from building two proposed sixstory office buildings (totaling 397,000 square feet) in the second phase of its redevelopment at the shopping center. Council See SAN ANTONIO, page 9

See OHLONE DAY, page 9

Milk Pail employee and son found dead in fume-filled building POLICE SAY SUICIDE, ACCIDENTAL DEATH TO BLAME By Kevin Forestieri

olice said they believe suicide and an accidental death are to blame in the deaths of a popular Milk Pail Market employee and his teenaged son Wednesday. The two bodies found in an apartment complex in Mountain View on Wednesday, Sept. 24, have been identified as 53-yearold Lian “James” Liu and his 17-year-old son, William Liu, by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office. Liu was the store director of the

Milk Pail Market in Mountain View. “While we are continuing to investigate this case, at this point in time Lian “James” Liu the deaths of our two victims appear to be the result of a suicide along with one accidental death,” said Mountain View police Monday via the department’s blog. The coroner’s office reported this week that the cause of death for Liu and his son William is still pending, and that

toxicology reports could take several months to be completed. Liu was not only the store director but also the brother-inlaw of Steve Rasmussen, owner of the Milk Pail Market. According to a Facebook post by Kai Rasmussen, Liu’s niece, he was a “brilliant manager, buyer, and grocer who was greatly admired by our staff, customers, and vendors alike.” An outpouring of fond memories and sympathy from customers filled the Milk Pail’s Facebook page. See FUMES, page 8

Allowed heights in the San Antonio precise plan range from three to six stories (areas shaded red), while two to eight stories may allowed in areas shaded in green. Increased densities require increased community benefits, with a preference towards affordable housing. October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

LocalNews

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MICHELLE LE

Elishia Herrera makes it to second base during a home game at Crittenden Middle School against the Miller Middle School Mustangs.

SOFTBALL

Continued from page 1

School Athletic League â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current league â&#x20AC;&#x201D; doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have softball as a sport. Crittenden Principal Geoffrey Chang said the league change happened long before he joined the school, but indicated the school was having trouble filling teams with enough students to compete in the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the case anymore. Chang said he saw a strong demand for a softball program shortly after he took over as principal, and that students interested in softball kicked off a softball club last year. Arce surveyed roughly 300 female students at Crittenden, and found that 86 female students at the school played, or currently play, competitive softball â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more than enough for a team to get started. Arce said he made an official proposal to the Valley Junior High School Athletic League last May, requesting that the Valley Junior High School Athletic League include Crittenden for softball. He said the school needed to prove to other athletic

directors that it would be worth including them in the league, and being able to field a talented team was a big part of that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mountain View is currently a mecca for girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s softball,â&#x20AC;? Arce said in the proposal. Since its start this year, the varsity team has been very successful and was undefeated as of Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Voice press deadline. They beat one of the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top teams, Sunnyvale Middle School, last Monday after winning a close 6-5 game. If the team wins the Oct. 1 game, it will be undefeated in the regular season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thrilled with the outcome so far,â&#x20AC;? Chang said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I appreciate the effort from parents, coaches and the athletic director to bring softball back.â&#x20AC;? Arturo Noriega, the at-risk youth counselor at Crittenden Middle School, coaches alongside Chris Garcia, and has led the team through the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reentry into competitive softball. He said the girls who play for the team have been performing great so far. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kids that came out already have softball experience. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very good â&#x20AC;&#x201D; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fantastic,â&#x20AC;?

Shelby Redecker of the Panthers watches her teammates run the bases.

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

Noriega said. He said that all but one of the students on the varsity team are seventh graders, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even more room for improvement with a younger team thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already outperforming the competition. The junior varsity girls softball team hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had quite the same auspicious start as the varsity team, going 3-5 this season. But Arce said they have improved â&#x20AC;&#x153;drastically,â&#x20AC;? and are losing by fewer points. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In games where the team would lose by five or six points, now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re losing by just one point,â&#x20AC;? Arce said. Noriega said the city of Mountain View has been very supportive of the new softball team at Crittenden, and there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been any conflict in using the same field the city league uses for baseball. He said the girls softball team kicks off games at around 3:45 p.m. and plays for 90 minutes, leaving more than enough time for the team to finish and allow the city to start prep the field for the next game. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com

Arturo Noriega, the assistant coach, talks to the team after the game on Sept 24.

LocalNews Q COMMUNITYBRIEFS

PROGRAM TO COMBAT DROPOUT RATE Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) launched a program this year which aims to provide services and support to at-risk students that will help them stay in school. This program, School First, will be taken into effect at several schools of the Mountain ViewLos Altos High School District. School First will begin at district schools with higher-than-average dropout risk factors, including Castro Elementary, Crittenden Middle School and Alta Vista High School. Some of the services that School First offers are individual and group counseling, teacher training and support, life skills and peer leadership training, and family counseling. “We want to get these kids back on track, which means reaching out to the families to try and get the whole support system working,” said CHAC Executive Director Monique Kane. Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian worked to secure funding through the county’s mental health budget. The program is able to work with up to 220 students as well as with up to 20 pregnant students at Alta Vista High School. One of the goals of School First is

to create a sustainable program which will be accomplished by maintaining communication with students beyond graduation. “Our bottom-line goal is to keep these kids in school. Every time we lose a kid, we lose a future. CHAC’s work with School First prevents that loss of potential,” said Simitian.

SAVING ON ENERGY BILLS Energy Upgrade Mountain View says it has helped more than 1,850 Mountain View residents save money on their energy bills by providing analysis of household energy use. The program is accepting 150 more participants before it ends Nov. 30. Collectively, participants have reduced their carbon emissions by 244 metric tons annually and saved $78,159, according to Energy Upgrade officials. Both homeowners and renters can participate. Audits are free and can be carried out online. Common energy saving recommendations include unplugging unused electronics and upgrading lighting, as well as providing tips to save on heating and cooling systems. Some homes may qualify to receive free energy-saving devices provided by Acterra. An educational workshop about how to make homes more energy efficient

will take place on Monday, Nov. 3, from 7 to 8:30 p.m, at Mountain View City Hall, 500 Castro St. For more information or to sign up, go to energyupgrademv.org.

VIEW LASD AND COUNCIL FORUMS If you missed the Sept. 4, the candidate forums for the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees candidates and the Los Altos City Council on Sept. 11, you can still see what happened. Both meetings are available for public viewing on YouTube. The Board of Directors of the Friends of Los Altos, Inc. (FOLA) sponsored the making of these videos to increase outreach. “We believe that making the videos of these programs available to a wider audience benefits the Los Altos community,” said FOLA President David Casas. This November, five candidates are running for three seats on the LASD Board of Trustees and five candidates are running for two seats on the Los Altos City Council. The Los Altos School District draws 25 percent of its students from Mountain View. To view the recordings of the forums, got to http://tinyurl.com/FOLA-LASD and http://tinyurl.com/FOLA-LACC.

COUNTY DROPS PROPERTY TAX FEE On Sept. 23, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate the fee charged to people paying their property taxes online via e-checks. The vote was 3-2 in favor of the motion made by Supervisor Joe Simitian., who represents Mountain View on the Board of Supervisors. The previous $15 to $27 fee was elimated and taxpayers can now pay their bi-yearly property taxes with an online check, free of fees. “This makes it quicker and easier for both taxpayers and the county to handle property tax payments,” said Simitian. Although county officials had sought to reduce the fee to cover the cost of processing the online payment, Simitian suggested waiving the fee altogether. “Given the benefits, eliminating the fee just struck me as a winner all around. People expect to be treated fairly, and charging a fee, however small, to pay their taxes struck me as hard to justify,” Simitian said. For more information about paying property taxes online, go to the Santa Clara County Tax Collector’s website at www.scc.gov.org. Madeleine Gerson

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COSMETIC DENTISTRY • ONE TREATMENT LASER WHITENING • NO-PREP VENEERS • CEREC (ONE VISIT CROWNS) • GENERAL DENTISTRY • SEDATION DENTISTRY October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

LocalNews

By Daniel DeBolt

fter union protests of its labor policies, the company that employs security guards around Google headquarters, Security Industry Specialists, has had its contract terminated by Google. A Google spokesperson said Google initiated the move and that SIS would no longer provide security for Google after Nov. 1. While Google isn’t saying the move was in response to the protests over treatment of SIS security guards, a spokesperson

FUMES

Continued from page 5

Police continue to investigate the source of the noxious smell that broke out at 2025 California St. Sept. 24 and triggered an evacuation. The bodies of both victims were located in one of the apartment units by fire crews. Investigators later found that calcium sulfide and sulfuric acid were present in the the complex

noted Google’s interest in treating employees well. “Building an in-house security team is something we are excited to do,” said a Google spokesperson in a statement. “This is a process we started over a year ago and are looking forward to making these valued positions both full- and part-time Google employees. We value the work of the security professionals who keep our campuses safe and making sure they’re well-taken care of is very important to us.” The Service Employees International Union, which has 40,000

security guard members nationwide, held a protest of SIS at Google headquarters in June of 2013. SEIU conducted a survey that found that 80 percent of Google’s SIS security guards were only offered part-time work. One of them was Manny Cardenas, who told the Voice that despite his $16 an hour pay, he was sometimes scheduled only one day a week and took home only $1,000 a month in pay, with no health benefits for himself or his daughter. Google will be doing things differently, with an emphasis on creating more full-time security

at 2025 California St., as well as the byproducts of both chemicals — sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, according to Shino Tanaka, spokeswoman for the Mountain View Police Department. Hydrogen sulfide in lower concentrations can cause nausea, eye irritation and headaches, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Higher concentrations can lead

to unconsciousness, serious eye damage and death. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a pungent odor that causes irritation to the eyes and skin, and can lead to eye damage, lung damage and skin burns. Police are not releasing any additional information on the investigation. Police received reports of the noxious “rotten egg” smell in the apartment complex at 6:09 p.m.

VOICE FILE PHOTO

Google drops security contractor for in-house team

SEIU members protest working conditions at SIS, Google’s security contractor, in 2013.

guard jobs — about 200 of them for all of its Northern California offices. The company is in the process of hiring them now. Mountain View’s former

police chief, Scott Vermeer, took a job with SIS when he announced his retirement from the Mountain View Police Department in June.

last Wednesday, and evacuated residents, not allowing them to return to the area until 8 a.m. the next morning. During the evacuation and investigation, four responding officers were sickened by the fumes and reported feeling lightheaded. They were treated and released. Tanaka confirmed that the noxious smell was not caused by a gas leak, as initially thought,

and that no suicide note had been left at the apartment where the two bodies were located. PG&E crews shut off gas lines in the area. Another apartment building adjacent to the complex was also evacuated, and an estimated 30 or 40 evacuees were sheltered at the nearby community center on Rengstorff Avenue. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com

VOTE FOR • Currently serving as Environmental Planning Commissioner • 27 years at Hewlett-Packard , extensive international experience; then owned Consulting Business • Graduate, Leadership Mountain View; LMV Advisory Committee Chair • YMCA Advisory Board Member and past El Camino Branch Board Member • El Camino Hospital Foundation’s H2H Grants Committee, Co-Lead • Information Systems Management degree from USF • Distinguished Service Award , YMCA

(1'256(0(176 Having raised a family in Mountain View for over 45 years, I have seen the community change in many ways. Mountain View is a great city that serves as a role model in innovative thinking and management and I want to ensure we maintain that leadership role. My top priorities are:

1. Work to achieve attainable housing and balanced growth 2. Expand infrastructure to support safe bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation 3. Attain water conservation 4. Encourage civic engagement for all residents

Anna Eshoo, U.S. Congresswoman Margaret Abe-Koga, Mountain View Councilmember Jerry Hill, California State Senator Rich Gordon, California State Assembly Matt Pear, Former Mountain View Mayor Art Takahara, Former Mountain View Mayor Evan Low, Campbell City Councilmember Liz Kniss, Palo Alto Vice-Mayor Sidney Espinosa, Former Palo Alto Mayor Santa Clara County Democratic Party Sierra Club Mountain View Professional Firefighters South Bay Labor Council, COPE Silicon Valley Asia Pacific American Democratic Club California Apartment Association, Tri-County Division Bob Burns, Former Mountain View Fire Chief Aila Malik, Chief Strategic Officer, Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) Gay Krause, Chairperson Mtn. View/Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Challenge Team Gianluca & Chiara Pecora, Mtn. View Residents Peggy Franczyk, Mountain View Resident Jean Yeh, Former President, American Cancer Society, CA

Vote #7 on November 4th for

Community, Commitment, Capriles! Paid for and authorized by Margaret Capriles for City Council 2014 (FPPC ID#1345372)

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

LocalNews MINIMUM WAGE Continued from page 1

of living is higher than San Jose’s, which would be in keeping with efforts to pass a $15 an hour minimum wage in San Francisco and Seattle. He says that many business leaders said the sky would fall before previous raises in San Jose and San Francisco but “dire circumstances never showed up.” “I think businesses are realizing this and realizing that maybe it is in their best interests,” O’Neill said, because it puts money into consumers pockets. “(Low wage workers) spend every dime that they make because they have to. I’m hoping this is why they are not stopping it.” Psychologist Meghan Fraley, a leader of the local effort to raise the wage, is advocating a raise from California’s new $9 hourly minimum wage to between $12 and $15 an hour. Community members largely supported a raise of over $12 an hour in a recent public input meeting on

SAN ANTONIO

Continued from page 5

members voted to turn one of the proposed office buildings into apartments. “Developing housing for the cityís diverse population is an important objective of the plan,” the draft plan states, and “new office development is encouraged close to transit, but is secondary to higher-priority retail and residential mixed-use development.” “I think the big issue is going to be the issue of the how much office was cut in the draft and the issue of phasing,” Council member Mike Kasperzak said. The cut-back on office was a “far more aggressive cut than I was anticipating.” To resident and bike blogger Janet Lafleur, there are still issues for bicyclists and pedestrians that need to be resolved. Chief among them is a lack of a clear route across the shopping center between the

the issue hosted by city staff, and no one who spoke opposed a raise. A large majority of online comments on the city’s website have also been in support of some kind of raise. “It has become clear that there is a tremendous support from the community,” Fraley said. “Most people do not think that $10.15 (San Jose’s new voter-approved

left up to the City Council to decide, which could happen at the Oct. 9 meeting. City Manager Dan Rich noted in an email that City Council members wanted the ordinance “based on the San Jose ordinance; so that is what we are doing. They could approve the first reading of the ordinance that night (on Oct. 9), or they could provide us alterna-

‘I hope that we can set a new standard for a higher minimum wage in the region.’ COUNCIL MEMBER MARGARET ABE-KOGA

minimum wage) is enough. People believe the wage needs to be higher given the economic realities of our community. San Francisco and Seattle have some of the highest minimum wages in the country. Their economies are thriving, and ours will too.” The extent of the raise will be

tive direction.” San Jose’s ordinance includes a regular raise to reflect rising costs of living which has raised it to $10.15 an hour from the original $10. Even higher is San Francisco’s $10.74 minimum wage, which could go to $15 an hour if voters approve a November ballot

city’s bike boulevard on Latham Street and Fayette Drive and the bike boulevards to the north in Palo Alto. Bike commuters have long lamented the hassle of dodging cars in the San Antonio shopping center parking lot to make the connection from east to west. “With the El Camino Real precise plan designating a bike boulevard on Latham, I’m disappointed there is not a more direct connection in the precise plan connecting that with access to Palo Alto,” Lafleur said. Lafleur praised the council for calling for buffered bike lanes on Showers Drive, but said that it wouldn’t go far enough to provide safe crossing of the busy street. That would require a road diet, eliminating a lane of traffic in each direction. She also raised concern about a crossing of San Antonio Road for the bike paths along green spaces set for the Hetch-Hetchy right of way. Such a crossing may be too

close to the stop-light at Fayette Drive to make sense, she said, recalling the council’s rejection of a crosswalk across Charleston Road at the Permanente Creek Trail for a similar reason. “I love the idea of a trail going through there but I have concerns about how it will cross San Antonio, having a crossing that is so close to an intersection, how it’s going to be controlled.” Community benefits The pan includes a list of community benefit requirements if a developer wants to build to maximum densities. In what is labeled as the “mixed use corridor” area north of the shopping center, that would be up to four stories (55 feet and a 1.85 floor area ratio density), higher than a standard height of three stories (45 feet high and 1.35 floor area ratio density). Buildings of up to 65 feet will be considered if “significant” community benefits are added.

measure. Some Mountain View business owners raised concerns anonymously in a survey by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, saying that it would lead to fewer jobs and higher prices. Some said it would jeopardize the financial health of their businesses. At least one business said the raises should be enacted state-wide, not by the city. At least two businesses said it would spur them to be more careful about hiring and retaining employees. Of the 62 businesses surveyed, 72 percent supported some kind of raise to Mountain View’s minimum wage. Only 23 percent said they wanted no increase at all. The remaining 6 percent chose “other” as their response. “Small businesses have been hit hard on many sides: with rising costs of goods, now raising wages, and (in general) antibusiness labor laws and practices in CA.” said one business owner who responded the Chamber’s

survey. “Makes me wonder if I should go elsewhere to a more business-friendly city and state.” At least one business had a supportive comment: “Hiring good workers comes with a price. Lower wages mean lower quality workers and lower productivity. Higher productivity brings more business to companies, which in turn bring more revenue to the city.” Proponents say Mountain View’s minimum wage should reflect the relatively high cost of living here. “Studies show that we need to look at a range between $12-15/ hour for folks to be able to afford to live here,” Abe-Koga said. “I understand that Sunnyvale will be looking at the issue later in the month. I hope that we can set a new standard for a higher minimum wage in the region and encourage other communities to follow suit.”

In the “mixed-use center” area within the shopping center, heights up to six stories (75 feet) will be allowed with community benefits instead of just two stories. Up to eight stories would be allowed with significant community benefit. Just what are those community benefits? A table in the precise plan lists affordable housing as a top priority, over and above normal requirements. Under the city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance, 10 percent of a new housing development must be below market rate units, or fee must be paid. The second priority for community benefits is bike and pedestrian improvements, followed by public parking facilities and then parks and open space. A school is not listed as a community benefit, though the Los Altos School district counts 600 children in the area and many more could move in, once new homes are built.

OHLONE DAY

Email Daniel DeBolt at ddebolt@mv-voice.com

Continued from page 5

Ohlone village and Deer Hollow Farm so much that they return year after year,” said Montgomery. Other activities include making arrows, shell drilling, and acorn grinding. One of the major goals of this event is to provide a chance to learn about the Bay Area’s indigenous people. “You get the opportunity to get a window into what it was like to live as a Native American thousands of years ago. It’s really this fantastic glimpse into the past,” said Montgomery. Ohlone Day is open to all ages; the cost is $7 per person and free for children under a year old. For more information, go to deerhollowfarmfriends.org or email info@fodhf.org. The GPS address for the event is 22500 Cristo Rey Drive, Cupertino. Email Madeleine Gerson at mgerson@mv-voice.com

October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

612 Palo Alto Avenue, Palo Alto Offered at $998,000 Charming Home in Downtown North 2 bedroom, 2 bath home of 1,033 sq. ft. (per county) on a 1,990 sq. ft. lot (per county), complete with a white picket fence and greenbelt views. This charming home is ideally located a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw away from Hopkins Creekside Park, on a quiet and beautiful tree-lined street in the convenient Downtown North neighborhood of Palo Alto. Leading up to the front portico is a natural stone path. Inside, forming the heart of the home, are the living room, office space, kitchen, and dining area. The vibrant landscaping includes flowering rose bushes, hydrangeas, new plantings, and a lush natural arbor. Nearby are the great restaurants and shops of downtown Palo Alto, Johnson Park, and top schools. Addison Elementary School (API 947), Jordan Middle School (API 934), and Palo Alto High School (API 905) (buyer to verify enrollment). For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.612PaloAltoAve.com

OPEN HOUSE

Ken D K DeLeon L CalBRE #01342140

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Saturday & Sunday, 1-5 pm Complimentary Lunch & Lattes Served

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Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

4252 Newberry Court, Palo Alto Offered at $1,488,000 Cul-de-sac Home in Charleston Meadows 3 bedroom, 2 bath home of 1,373 sq. ft. (per county) on a pie-shaped lot of 8,400 sq. ft. (per county) Walls of windows provide the common rooms, including the kitchen and dining area, with natural sunlight and beautiful views of the grounds. The living room and family room each feature a warm and inviting fireplace. Double glass-sliding doors open out onto the rear patio, allowing for easy indoor-outdoor entertaining and recreation. Conveniently grouped together in one wing of the house are the bedrooms, hallway bath, and laundry center. Amenities include new hardwood floors, light fixtures, paint inside and out, and new plantings with irrigation system. Close by are Robles Park, the San Antonio Shopping Center, and top schools. Briones Elementary (API 941), Terman Middle (API 968), and Gunn High (API 917) (buyer to verify enrollment). For video tour & more photos, please visit:

w w w . 4 2 5 2 Ne w be rry.c o m

OPEN HOUSE

Ken D K DeLeon L CalBRE #01342140

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Saturday & Sunday, 1-5 pm Complimentary Lunch & Lattes Served

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October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

VoterGuide

Mountain View-Los Altos High School District SEVEN CANDIDATES VIE FOR THREE SEATS ON SCHOOL BOARD By Kevin Forestieri

he Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District doesn’t have school board elections very often, but this November voters will choose among seven candidates to fill three seats on the board, including two incumbents. Dana Bunnett, Doug Moore, Sanjay Dave, Fiona Walter and Kevin Kramer, along with incumbents Joe Mitchner and Debbie Torok, are on the ballot this year. Judy Hannemann, a longtime board member, did not seek re-election. Individual stories on the seven candidates can be found in past issues of the Voice. Top issues in the school district include how well the district has prepared for the new Common Core state standards and changes to class curriculum, the expansion of advanced placement (AP) classes at both comprehensive high schools, cuts to some programs, and whether to provide exemptions from P.E. classes for freshman students. All candidates indicated that one of their top priorities as a board member would be to address the achievement gap that exists for students from low-income families and some minority groups. Torok, Mitchner, Dave and Bunnett said they think the district has done a good job implementing the new Common Core state standards, including the use of professional development “coaches” to get teaching staff prepared for the new curriculum. Walter said the district has taken the right steps to prepare for Common Core so far, but could use more resources to get parents up-to-date on the changes and better prepare teachers. Kramer and Moore said it’s the board’s responsibility to ensure a smooth transition into the new curriculum. Dana Bunnett Age: 57 Occupation: Director of Kids in Common Years in the district: 18 Education: BA in psychology from Stanford University Website: www.democracy.com/ danabunnettformvla

Dana Bunnett has worked with the nonprofit child advocacy organization Kids in Common since 2001, with the goal of creating a community where every child is “safe, healthy, successful in learning, (and) successful 12

VOTER ★ GU DE ★ 14 ★2 0 Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find your polling place, go to sccgov. org and click on the Registrar of Voters link. Election results for local races will be available online after the polls close at mv-voice.com.

in life.” She said the group is data- and research-based, and her involvement in it has given her a good understanding of the needs of kids in the county. She said she would work to reduce the “opportunity gap,” making sure all students are on an even playing field in terms of opportunities for achievement. Bunnett said she is distressed that students feel pressured to fill their schedule with difficult AP classes, which puts a lot of stress on them. She said, however, that this drive for more AP courses is not the fault of the high school district but of the university and four-year college system that keeps raising the bar for students. She said the district needs to focus on getting more underserved minority students to take on more challenging classes so that they can compete with other students and get accepted into colleges. “The reality is that some colleges do expect students to take advanced placement courses and not enough of our Latino and low-income students are demonstrating they are college-ready,” Bunnett said. Bunnett said the P.E. exemption issue should be revisited by the district, and that student athletes should have the flexibility to take an additional elective or have more time to study during the P.E. period. She said if Dana Bunnett some students are still being offered the exemption, it should be offered to all ninth-grade students rather than a case-by-case basis. On eliminated programs, Bunnett said her entrance into the school board race was prompted by the elimination of the Young Parents Program, and that she was very disappointed to hear that the district could not find

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

a way to keep the program. She said the program helped young parents remain in school, helped them become better parents, and gave them access to muchneeded child care. “It is hard to find child care that is safe and accessible,” Bunnett said. Doug Moore Age: 55 Occupation: Entrepreneur Years in the district: 19 Education: BA in economics and political science at University of California, Berkeley; MBA, Harvard Business School Website: N/A

Doug Moore is a district parent and served as CEO of a $40 million manufacturing company with 450 employees, as well as on the company board of directors for nine years. He said his background gives him a level and scope of experience in governance that no one else runDoug Moore ning has, and that he would bring an “immediate knowledge base” as a school board trustee. Moore has criticized the school board for its passivity, and said they serve as a rubber stamp for Superintendent Barry Groves. He said the incumbent members have voted unanimously 478 times in a row since 2006 on “every issue brought before them.” He noted that four of the five school board members do not have a child in the district, and claimed that they see their job on the board as a “retirement activity.” Moore said the high school district offers plenty of AP courses for high-achieving students, but ends up with what he calls a “bipolar curriculum,” where kids have to choose between a very challenging class and a very easy class. He said the district needs to address the problem and look at ways to offer courses with “midrange” difficulty. On the P.E. exemption issue, Moore was one of the parents who pushed the district to bring back exemptions for ninthgrade students with loaded class schedules. He said the district offered the state-wide exemption for ninth-grade students for over 30 years before it was eliminated, forcing every student athlete to take physical education. He said neighboring

school districts offer the exemption to student athletes, and that it frees up school schedules and reduces stress. “The key issue is whether we can trust athletes and their parents to choose what’s best for their circumstances. I believe we can trust students and parents,” he said. Moore said he believes the district did not make the right decision when it ended the Young Parents Program, and that the district needs to support these students. Joe Mitchner Age: 53 Occupation: Financial manager Years in the district: 23 Education: BS in industrial engineering from Stanford University; MBA from University of California Los Angeles Website: www.votejoemitchner.com

Joe Mitchner has been on the school board for seven years, and said he has taken a leadership role in raising student achievement, narrowing the achievement gap, adding new classes and managing district finances. He said he is also involved in community service, and has coached youth baseball for 36 years. He is also the only current board member with children in the district. The newly added classes include a high number of AP classes, which Mitchner said is driven by student demand. He said it’s exciting that the district has the opportunity to provide such a wide variety of courses, and that the credit also goes to district teachers who keep Joe Mitchner up-to-date on AP curriculum. Mitchner said he understands that some students might push themselves too hard with an “overly ambitious” number of AP courses, and that it’s important for students to maintain a balanced schedule. He said academic counselors are available, and proactively work with students to help them find that balance. On the P.E. exemption, Mitchner said he leans toward continuing the district policy of not granting exemptions. He said he believes there are educational components in the physical education curriculum that is valuable for all students, and that

physical health and well-being is a significant issue at a time when childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise. He said that he was sympathetic to the parents and students who spoke to the board in favor of the exemption, and that although the board was split on the issue, they unanimously requested that district staff gather information on the exemption and come back to the board with a number of options to choose from to allow ninth-graders to opt out of physical education. Mitchner said the state terminated funding for the Young Parents Program, and rather than continue to fund it through the general fund, the district decided to work with each student individually to “develop personalized alternatives.” He said many of the students in the program are now at Alta Vista High School, which offers assistance to the young parents along with a more “comprehensive” high school education than that offered through the Adult Education program. Sanjay Dave Age: 47 Occupation: Computer engineering manager, senior manager at Synopsys, Inc. Years in the district: 15 Education: BS in electrical and computer engineering from University of Colorado, Boulder; MS in biochemical engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Website: sanjay4mvla.com

Sanjay Dave, a Mountain View High School parent and a board member of the Rotary Club of Mountain View, said he is an active volunteer for local schools. He is a volunteer tutor at the Mountain View High School tutorial center, taught math to elementary school students, and started a chess program at Castro that is still active today, he said. His past experience also includes positions on corporate boards and Sanjay Dave commit tees, which he said required him to collaborate with people of diverse points of view and reach a consensus. Dave said he would like to explore the expansion of advanced placement courses, and better understand the “requirements” of the newly offered courses and whether

VoterGuide the money and resources would be better suited elsewhere. He said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for the district to give its students a â&#x20AC;&#x153;leg upâ&#x20AC;? on the competition when they apply for college, but that he is not certain that more AP courses is always the right solution. On the ninth-grade P.E. exemption question, Dave said the issue is not as important as a number of others facing the district, including Common Core, grading alignment and funding Adult Education programs. He said he does think the district can create an exemption for student athletes in ninth grade, and that as a board member he would direct district staff to hammer out specific details on an exemption policy. Dave said he would like to find a way to bring back the Young Parents Program, even if it comes back in a different form. He said the program was a tremendous help to as many as 10 young mothers each year, and provided them with child care and education assistance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all at the cost of about $112,000. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At less than 0.2 percent of our budget, I think we should be able to find a way to bring back this program,â&#x20AC;? Dave said.

Debbie Torok Age: 56 Occupation: Software engineer for CACI International, software configuration and database management Years in the district: More than 20 Education: BA in computer science; Masters of Governance certificate from the California School Boards Association Website: reelect-torok-mvla.org

Torok has been on the school board for four years, and is a parent of three graduates from Mountain View High School. She said her kids have given her insight into what district graduates need to be prepared for success beyond high school. Before taking a spot on the school board, Torok was a district volunteer and board member of the MVLA Scholars and the Los Altos Educational Foundation. She was also co-chair of two parcel tax campaigns for the Los Altos School District, and served as PTA president for Blach Middle School twice. Torok said that the expansion of AP courses gives students more opportunities, but also more challenges. She said the push for more AP options comes

from parents who want their kids to be competitive when they apply for college, but that the challenging courses come with an increase in stress. She agrees with the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion of the challenging courses, and said that the district has a responsibility to make sure students get a well-rounded high school experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Balance in life is key,â&#x20AC;? Torok said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My hope is that students will avail themDebbie Torok selves of the opportunity to take AP classes, but will not make that the singular focus of their high school experience.â&#x20AC;? Torok said she supports granting a P.E. exemption to ninthgrade athletes, as the district has historically done, but acknowledges that the physical education curriculum at the school has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;enhanced,â&#x20AC;? with valuable sections on life skills and health. She said if waivers are granted, she hopes parents will consider the benefits of physical education before opting out. On the Young Parents Program, Torok said she would have liked to see the program stay,

t c e eel

for El Camino Healthcare District

I have been honored to serve our community for many years on the El Camino Healthcare District Board of Directors. My priorities are to: â&#x20AC;˘ Ensure local control and the long-term viability of El Camino Hospital â&#x20AC;˘ Continue to improve quality of care and the patient experience, while reducing the cost of care â&#x20AC;˘ Lead El Camino Hospital through the ACA transition from a focus on acute care to a focus on continuum of care

but thinks the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution to work with those students individually will meet the original objectives. She said she is in favor of providing resources to district students with children, and that she will continue to identify funding opportunities for the program. Fiona Walter Age: 44 Occupation: Engineer, technical editor Years in the district: 21 Education: BS in mechanical engineering and MS in aeronautics

and astronautics from Stanford University Website: fionaforschoolboard.com

Fiona Walter is a parent and former board member of the Mountain View Whisman School District. While on the board for the elementary school district, Walter was a member of the Budget Task Force and the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, and chaired the Measure G bond campaign. She also volunteered for the high school See SCHOOL DISTRICT, page 16

CALL FOR ARTISTS

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 31, 2014, by 11:00 pm (PST). Submit To: www.callforentry.org The City of Mountain Viewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Visual Arts Committee is inviting artists and artist teams working in a variety of media to exhibit public art in the lobby of the Center for the Performing Arts for the 2015 season. The rotating exhibits are approximately nine weeks in length and are viewed by thousands of people visiting downtown Mountain View and attending shows at the Center for Performing Arts. APPLICATIONS Applications will be accepted from Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 8:00 am (PST) to Friday, October 31, 2014, by 11:00 pm (PST). ELIGIBILITY The call is open to all professional artists/artist teams over the age of 18 residing in the United States. Local artist residing in the Northern California Bay Area Region are encouraged to apply. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS All applications must be submitted online via CaFE at www. callforentry.org, an online application system for calls for entry. There is no charge for artists to apply or use CaFE. Applications that are mailed, faxed or hand-delivered will not be considered, as this is an online system. All applications must include the following: Artist RĂŠsumĂŠ 10 Images of current and part work. Five (5) images of HY[ [OH[ ^V\SK IL L_OPIP[LK" [OL YLTHPUPUN Ă&#x201E;]L PTHNLZ should be of past works. Annotated Image Description. Please include the following information: title, date of art piece dimensions and type of media

I respectfully ask for your vote this November.

Dave Reeder

Paid for by Reeder for El Camino Healthcare District 2014

To get additional assistance using CaFE, please contact WESTAF by calling (303) 629-1166 or via email at cafĂŠ@westaf. org. SELECTION The Visual Arts Committee anticipates making artists selec[PVU PU [OL -HSS VM (Y[PZ[Z ^PSS IL UV[PĂ&#x201E;LK I` 5V]LTILY 20, 2014. ;OL HY[PZ[ JOVZLU [V KPZWSH` [OLPY HY[ PU [OL Ă&#x201E;YZ[ 9-week slot will be required to do so on December 11, 2014.

FPPC #1369813 October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

VoterGuide

23rd Annual

Teacher salaries, new campus key issues in Mountain View Whisman district October 4 & 5, 2014 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

TWO INCUMBENTS COMPETE WITH TWO CHALLENGERS FOR SCHOOL BOARD SEATS By Kevin Forestieri

Palo Alto - Los Altos

BAY AREA FAMILIES...

THIS COULD BE YOUR CHILD. LONDON

2015 STUDENT TRIPS TO

EUROPE Join us for the September 30th meeting to:

s -EET THE TEACHER LEADERS s (EAR FROM LAST YEAR S TRAVELERS s ,EARN ABOUT TRIP DETAILS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

For details and to RSVP: 800.669.7882 or PeopletoPeople.com/SF 14

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

he Mountain View Whisman School District has been getting a lot of attention lately over teacher compensation as it heads into the November school board election, and voters will have to decide whether to keep longtime incumbents or elect new members to two seats on the board. Incumbents Philip Palmer and Ellen Wheeler, who have served on the board for eight and 12 years, respectively, are running for re-election. Candidates Greg Coladonato and Hafsa Mirza are also vying for posts on the board; both are parents in the district. Individual stories on all four candidates can be found in past issues of the Voice. District-wide issues include the impasse reached between the teachers’ union and the district over teacher compensation, as well as ongoing implementation of curriculum that is aligned with Common Core state standards. The district is also upgrading facilities at all of its school sites using Measure G funds, a $198 million bond passed in 2012, and must decide how to spend the remaining money. Those funds could be used to open a school in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods. Coladonato and Wheeler said that the state has underfunded Common Core implementation, and that it’s the district’s responsibility to pick up the slack. All four candidates said they would be willing to use district resources to meet the needs of teachers and students in regard to the new curriculum. All candidates also said they believe the board needs to foster some level of respect for one another to avoid arguments and confrontations — a problem that led to a censure vote of board member Steven Nelson last year. Mirza said personal issues on the board should not compromise the board’s ability to address real issues facing the district; Palmer said he encourages fellow board members to take a training course with the California School Boards Association. Philip Palmer Age: 55 Occupation: Senior IT program manager for education systems and technology Years in the district: 29 Education: Masters in governance

VOTER ★ GU DE ★ 14 ★2 0 program of the California School Boards Association Website: www.electpalmer.org

Philip Palmer has been on the board since 2006, and served as board president during 2008 and 2009. He served as a board representative for the Mountain View Education Foundation, the Education Services Advisory Committee, and as a liaison for the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. Palmer also attended elementary school and middle school in the district, which he said gives him a unique perspective on challenges the students face. Since 2006, Palmer said, the district has improved its Academic Performance Index Philip Palmer (API) scores from 771 to 863, an improvement of 92 points, and reduced the achievement gap by bringing Latino “subgroup” API scores up to 778, an improvement of 128 points. As a board member, Palmer said he has the humility to learn from others and listen to what they have to say. Palmer said he supports raising the salaries of district teachers, and that he would be willing to explore “all opportunities” available to the district. He said improving compensation would mean improving education for district students. He said he is a proponent of “neighborhood schools,” but said the district would need to do the research before reopening a school in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods. He said the district needs a demographic study, and needs to look at how a school site would affect existing district schools in the region. “Opening a school cannot be done without serious considerations that may, in fact, cause other economic concerns for the district,” Palmer said. On Measure G spending, Palmer said he does not have any “misgivings” on how the money has been allocated. He said the district has spent money based on a set of priorities that were established by the Measure

G Citizens Oversight Committee, which included input from teachers, parents, students and the community. He said the process the district used to decide how to spend Measure G money ensures that the money is spent in the “best interest” of the parents, teachers and students who are directly affected by the changes. Greg Coladonato Age: 42 Occupation: Investment manager, software engineer Years in the district: 5 Education: BA in computer science from Cornell University; BS in applied and engineering physics from Cornell University; MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Website: www.electgreg.org

Greg Coladonato is a Stevenson parent and president of the Slater Neighborhood Association. He frequently attends school board meetings, and was one of the parents who spearheaded the effort to get a school reopened in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods. Coladonato has also served on the district’s Measure C Parcel Tax Oversight Committee and Measure G Bond Oversight Committee. He said his background in business and investment management would help him better understand how the district funds its operations and capital projects, and how to spend and invest its money. Coladonato said he is also the current chair of the Greg city of MounColandonato tain View’s Human Relations Commission, which has taught him how to effectively run public meetings and moderate public discussion. As a parent, Coladonato said he’s been in and out of classrooms in the district for years, and got to see the implementation of Common Core, projectbased curriculum and “explicit direction instruction” first-hand. He said this gives him a perspective current board members don’t have, as none of them have kids in district schools. On the issue of teacher compensation, Coladonato has urged the board to look at alternative compensation models, which

VoterGuide he said the board made a goal in August of last year, but never got around to putting on the agenda. He said the board also needs to begin the process of â&#x20AC;&#x153;rebuilding trust and understandingâ&#x20AC;? between the district and the teaching staff, and that right now there is â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad bloodâ&#x20AC;? between the two parties. Coladonato said the district needs to give reopening a school in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods serious consideration, and that there are more than 600 students in the district in the area north of Central Expressway and east of Shoreline Boulevard that have no operating school in the area. He said since the closure of the last neighborhood school in the area, the district has grown by 1,000 students, and that more housing has been approved and built in the area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The large majority of those families donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a school anchoring their community, and most drive across town during rush hour to drop off their children,â&#x20AC;? Coladonato said. On Measure G spending, Coladonato said he has actively studied how the district chooses sites and budgets for site projects, and has a number of ideas for how the district could improve the process. He said the district should have updated the 2008 Student Facilities Improvement Plan and developed a district-wide priority list for how to spend the $198 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rather than doing that, the district pulled a large number out of thin air, $50 million, and decided that money would be equally spent on the two middle schools ... before identifying current district-wide problems or needs,â&#x20AC;? Coladonato said. He said as a board member, he would look at Measure G spending from a district-wide, topdown approach that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t taking place â&#x20AC;&#x153;to the extent that it needs to be.â&#x20AC;? Hafsa Mirza Age: 34 Occupation: Full-time community volunteer Years in the district: 14 Education: MA in economics Website: hafsamirza4schoolboard. com

Hafsa Mirza is the current president of the Los Altos Mountain View PTA Council, and was previously president of the Huff Elementary Parent Teacher Association. She also serves on the board of the Mountain View Education Foundation, and coaches with the American Youth Soccer Organization. As president of the council, Mirza said she acts as the coordinator between Superintendent Craig Goldman and the PTA presi-

dents. She said she works directly with parents and students to understand what Mountain View schools lack and what improvements can be made. Mirza said the district needs a parent on the board, with kids in the district, who is in tune with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;current needs and strugglesâ&#x20AC;? of students as schools shift gears with Common Core. She said she believes planning and research do not make changes alone, and that the district needs to execute plans and take action. On the teacher compensation issue, Mirza said the board needs to promote a positive relationship with its employees at all levels, from administrators to educators, and that district manageHafsa Mirza ment needs to resolve the teacher salary issue in a way that teachers do not feel undervalued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The board needs to foster an environment within the (district) in which employees at all levels feel appreciated,â&#x20AC;? Mirza said. Based on her understanding of the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finances, Mirza said she believes reopening a school in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods is not a high priority. She said right now the district needs to invest in teachers, materials and curriculum at the current sites, and would not want to compromise the quality of education at district schools. Moving forward, Mirza said the district would need to study enrollment projections to â&#x20AC;&#x153;validateâ&#x20AC;? the investment in a new school that would be financially stable in the long run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will not be a one-time expense. It is an ongoing expense,â&#x20AC;? Mirza said. She said thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already uncertainty in the district in regards to enrollment and sustainability because of the rapid growth of the Dual Immersion program at Castro Elementary, and that opening a new site would have to be based on whether it could solve â&#x20AC;&#x153;multiple issuesâ&#x20AC;? in the district. Mirza said the district has not managed Measure G spending well so far, and that it ran overbudget in planning improvements on the middle school campuses. She said the district needs to manage costs, hold contractors to their bids, and scrutinize expenses that run over budget because it will â&#x20AC;&#x153;compromise other phases and deplete resources.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Input from the staff and teachers (also) needs to be a priority,â&#x20AC;? Mirza said. See TEACHER SALARIES, page 16

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October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

VoterGuide SCHOOL DISTRICT Continued from page 13

district’s Measure A campaign, and last school year she served as the Mountain View High School PTSA president. Walter said the expansion of AP courses appears to be driven by district parents, and that she has concerns that the emphasis on the more challenging courses is eliminating regular classes. She said Los Altos High School dropped regular physics this year in favor of two AP physics courses, on top of the two existing AP physics courses already offered at the school. She said the stress of taking so many difficult classes is also a problem. “Not every student wants Fiona Walter to take AP classes, and those motivated to do so can become overwhelmed when every class they take is an AP course,” Walter said. On the P.E. exemption issue, Walter said she supports the move towards allowing student athletes to be exempt from physical education. She said the requirement to take P.E. in ninth grade started five years ago, and in four out of the five years since parents have approached the district about bringing back the waiver. Walter said the decision to end the Young Parents Program when state funding ran out was very difficult, but

also the right decision. She said the program was part of the district’s Adult Education program, which is entirely selfsustaining. When state funding ran out, Walter said the district grappled with its own policy on keeping the program self-sustaining, and whether to support an outside program with general fund money that’s intended to support core educational programs. Should funding become available later, Walter said, she would like to look at ways to bring back the program. Kevin Kramer Age: 49 Occupation: Executive at Yahoo! Inc. Years in the district: 5 Education: JD from the Catholic University of America; BA in economics, political science and American history from the University of Delaware Website: N/A

Kevin Kramer is a district parent who was pulled into the race, in part, by the P.E. exemption issue. Kramer has a law background that he said sets him apart from other candidates in the race. He said one of the biggest challenges for school districts is the “complex legal system” that governs education in California. Kramer said his legal skills can help to increase transparency in the board’s decision-making process, and improve district communication. Kramer said it’s a good thing,

in general, to expand the number of courses offered in the district and diversify the curriculum, but that the district has a problem if the AP courses are offered at the expense of regular classes. “The vast majority of students are not AP students, and we Kevin Kramer should make sure that the curriculum is both diverse and challenging for all levels of students,” Kramer said. As one of the parents who fought for the P.E. exemption, Kramer said he fully supports allowing the exemption for students who participate in school-sponsored athletic activities. He said the exemption would give students flexibility in their schedule to take foreign languages or fine arts, for example, or to study for challenging academic courses. Kramer said there is also an inconsistency problem, where the district grants a handful of P.E. exemptions for ninthgraders each year, but does not have any transparent guidelines as to why some students are allowed to take an exemption while others are denied. Kramer said he does not think the district made the right decision when it ended the Young Parents Program, and needs to continue to support these students. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com

be on the same page and not use conflicting numbers. Once that’s Continued from page 15 done, she said, the district needs to offer “competitive salaries and Ellen Wheeler compensation” so it can continue Age: 62 Occupation: Mediator and attorney to attract and retain teachers. Beyond salaries, she said, the at law teachers also need to feel that they Years in the district: 23 are respected by the district. Education: JD from Santa Clara “As a former teacher myself, University School of Law; BA in and the daughter of a teacher, I social sciences and multiple subject know this issue in my bones,” teaching credential from San Jose Wheeler said. State University On re-opening a school in the Website: ellenforschoolboard.com Whisman and Slater neighborEllen Wheeler is a former hoods, Wheeler said the district teacher, parent, and longtime couldn’t open a school during the board member for the Moun- “great recession” a few years ago, tain View Whisman School but it now has the student enrollDistrict. During her time on the ment and the healthy financial board, she said, the district has balance needed to open a school weathered turbulent economic in the area — two things the times without having to cut pay, district lacked when it closed the Whisman and Slater increase class size or campuses — and should fire teachers, all while look to do so. She said increasing student test “shuffling” students and scores above the state’s school boundaries will goal. Now, she said, she likely come with a new hopes to expand both school, but that it’s the art classes as well as sciright decision at this ence and math classes to prepare students for jobs Ellen Wheeler time. Wheeler said she in the STEM fields. As a board member, Wheeler believes the district is spending said she meets with parents, Measure G funds “responsibly teachers, staff and other educa- and creatively,” and that it is on tion experts on a regular basis budget with the facilities projto “have the fullest perspective” ects. She said the district has on issues in the district, and already made good progress with works with all of them to close new, modernized middle school the achievement gap and open classrooms, with new libraries up college opportunities for all and performing arts buildings in the works. students. She also indicated that the disTo deal with the teacher compensation issue, Wheeler said the trict will be adding “safety feafirst step is to look at “data points” tures” for children to walk, bike, about salaries and compensa- or be driven to school, and said tion, and that both the district she hopes voters can see the and the teachers’ union need to improvements as time goes on.

TEACHER SALARIES

TEACHER PAY

Continued from page 1

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

Tues, Oct. 7 Watsonville 243 Green Valley Rd., Ste.A

Thurs, Oct 9 Fremont 1999 Mowry Ave., Ste. C1

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from the 3 percent offered by the school district back in Sept. 4. The district has increased its offer to 3.25 percent as of Sept. 24, prompting the teacher union to declare an impasse. A survey by the teacher union found most teachers would accept a 7 percent or a 9 percent increase in teacher salaries. Only 1 in 25 teachers polled thought 3 percent was an acceptable increase in teacher salary. The teachers union has since called on district administrators to prove that a 7 percent raise is not financially feasible. Teachers spent the week of Sept. 29 doing “work-to-rule,” where they only worked contractual hours and did not bring work home, do after-school coaching or attend district committee meetings. Email Kevin Forestieri at kforestieri@mv-voice.com

LocalNews Q CRIMEBRIEFS Continued from page 4

he declined any further attention, Jaeger said. The suspect left the scene walking down Phyllis Avenue towards El Camino Real.

LEWD CONDUCT Police arrested a man last week after he allegedly stood in front of the glass door area of European Wax Center in Mountain View and masturbated over his clothing. The suspect, later identified as Michael Kingston, a 51-year-old transient man, walked up to the front glass area of the business on 1037 El Monte Ave. at around 6:57 p.m., according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. Kingston left the scene and was located by police officers in a parking lot. He was positively identified by witnesses from the store, and was arrested and booked into San Jose Main Jail on charges of lewd conduct and public intoxication. Kevin Forestieri

BURGLARY SUSPECT CAUGHT ON VIDEO Police released photos of a man who they believe last week broke into a Mountain View home, he slept inside it and then stole property from it. The man entered a home in the 200 block of Church St. sometime between 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, and noon Tuesday, then slept inside overnight, according to police. He left the home Tuesday with a coat, ski pants and two sleeping bag straps, police said. Police believe the same man attempted to enter the same home again shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday, but he was unable to enter because repairs had been made to an interior door. The residents found images of a man on video footage taken through the home’s surveillance system that police are releasing to the public in an effort to locate him. The man is described as appearing to be Hispanic, in his mid-20s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 150 pounds and has facial hair, police said. In the images he is seen wearing a white long-sleeved hoodie, white pants with a black belt and white shoes with black stripes, according to police. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Mountain View police at (650) 9036395. —Bay City News Service

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October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

Viewpoint

Q EDITORIAL Q YOUR LETTERS Q GUEST OPINIONS

Q EDITORIAL THE OPINION OF THE VOICE

Voice Endorsements for School Board Races

Founding Editor, Kate Wakerly

Q S TA F F EDITOR Andrea Gemmet (223-6537) EDITORIAL

Staff Writers Daniel DeBolt (223-6536) Kevin Forestieri (223-6535) Intern Madeleine Gerson Photographer Michelle Le (223-6530) Photo Intern Natalia Nazarova Contributors Dale Bentson, Angela Hey, Sheila Himmel, Ruth Schecter DESIGN & PRODUCTION Marketing and Creative Director Shannon Corey (223-6560) Design and Production Manager Lili Cao (223-6562) Designers Linda Atilano, Colleen Hench, Rosanna Leung, Paul Llewellyn ADVERTISING Vice President Sales and Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) Advertising Representatives Adam Carter (223-6573) Real Estate Account Executive Rosemary Lewkowitz (223-6585) Published every Friday at 450 Cambridge Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 964-6300 fax (650) 964-0294 Email news and photos to: editor@MV-Voice.com Email letters to: letters@MV-Voice.com News/Editorial Department (650) 964-6300 fax (650) 964-0294 Display Advertising Sales (650) 964-6300 Classified Advertising Sales (650) 964-6490 • (650) 326-8286 fax (650) 326-0155 Email Classified ads@MV-Voice.com Email Circulation circulation@MV-Voice.com The Voice is published weekly by Embarcadero Media Co. and distributed free to residences and businesses in Mountain View. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 964-6300. Subscriptions for $60 per year, $100 per 2 years are welcome. ©2014 by Embarcadero Media Company. All rights reserved. Member, Mountain View Chamber of Commerce

Q WHAT’S YOUR VIEW? All views must include a home address and contact phone number. Published letters will also appear on the web site, www.MountainViewOnline.com, and occasionally on the Town Square forum. Town Square forum Post your views on Town Square at MountainViewOnline.com Email

your views to letters@MV-Voice.com. Indicate if letter is to be published.

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to: Editor Mountain View Voice, P.O. Box 405 Mountain View, CA 94042-0405

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the Viewpoint desk at 223-6528

INCUMBENT, CHALLENGER ARE BEST CHOICES FOR MV WHISMAN BOARD

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNS A WELL-RUN DISTRICT

Associate Editor Renee Batti (223-6528)

y most measures, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District is a well-run, high-achievement district. It has made great strides in closing the achievement gap in student performance, and offers some innovative programs, such as the Freestyle Academy, for students seeking alternative paths to high school education. Two incumbents are among the candidates for three seats on the high school board, VOTE with five challengers asking voters to give them a shot at helping to lead the district. G Current board member Judy Hannemann has decided to step down after her term ends this year. With the district in good shape academically and financially, the Voice believes that incumbents Debbie Torok and Joe Mitchner deserve to be returned to the board for another term. With several strong contenders for the third seat, we support Fiona Walter.

★

JOE MITCHNER HAS BROAD EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY A seven-year member of the board, Mitchner had been an active volunteer in the district and its schools before taking on the board role, including service with the PTA, school site council and the education foundation. His community experience includes coaching youth baseball and soccer, and serving on the board of Friends of Stevens Creek Trail. A financial manager by profession, he has been well positioned to keep an eye on district spending and financial planning. If reelected, he said, his top priorities would include improving academic achievement at all levels; ensuring that financial plans are “responsible, sustainable, and aligned with district goals;” increasing support programs and outreach to under-represented students and families; and continuing to be open to innovative approaches to enhancing student learning. The Voice endorses his bid for re-election See HIGH SCHOOL, page 19

Q LETTERS VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY

RIP EVELYN STATION So it seems Evelyn Station is to be closed because it has the second-lowest number of passengers of any light rail station. The money — how many millions? — used to build the station in the 1990s is wasted, concrete into the landfill. An interesting question is: Why are there so few passengers at the Evelyn Station? One reason might be that access to the station is available only from Evelyn. On that side of the railroad tracks there are only a few low-rise industrial buildings and a giant

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014

parking lot. On the other side is a huge apartment complex. If it had been built with a tunnel under the railroad tracks and Central Expressway, the people living in the apartment complex wouldn’t have had to walk to the Whisman Station, and maybe the ridership would have been more. Bad design and bad planning seems to be endemic for public transit infrastructure projects in the Bay Area. If you want to take the light rail to the San Jose airport, you need to figure in 10 extra minutes waiting for the bus at the Metro stop, and 10 minutes See LETTERS, page 19

ith the Mountain View Whisman School District board already working to address burgeoning student enrollment, a push to reopen a school to serve the northeastern part of Mountain View, and underfunding of the recent roll-out of state Common Core standards in its classrooms, the just-declared impasse between the district and its teachers over compensation has ramped up pressure on the board to take a much harder look at teacher dissatisfaction in R ★ the nine-school district. Voters will choose two U D E members of the five-member board in November, with two incumbents seeking re-election, ★ 14 20 and two challengers saying they can make positive changes in the district’s governance. The Voice endorses one of those incumbents, Ellen Wheeler, and challenger Greg Coladonato. Incumbent Philip Palmer deserves our thanks for serving on the board for eight years, but new energy and ideas are needed, and Coladonato promises to provide them. Challenger Hafsa Mirza has also served the district admirably as a volunteer and parent leader, and we hope she continues her efforts.

ELLEN WHEELER HAS MORE WORK TO DO Wheeler has been on the board for 12 years, and her leadership is grounded in solid experience as a former teacher, volunteer and parent. She notes that in the 12 years that she’s been on the board, test scores have continued to rise, and “all of our schools today score about 800, the goal of schools in our state” — attributing the achievement to “dedicated work by our administrators, teachers, and families.” Although the board has not yet moved firmly in the direction of reopening a school in the under-served area of Mountain View’s Whisman and Slater neighborhoods, Wheeler said that with healthy finances and rapidly growing enrollment, opening a school to serve children in that area “is the right thing to do at this time.”’ If the voters grant her another term, her priorities would include continued focus on closing the achievement gap among students “by providing specialized assistance to those who need it and solid academics” to all students; and to “attract and retain top teachers See WHISMAN BOARD, page 19

ViewPoint HIGH SCHOOL

Continued from page 18

DEBBIE TOROK LOOKS TO BALANCE IN EDUCATION Torok also volunteered in the schools before joining the board four years ago; among other roles, she was a board member of the MVLA Scholars and the Los Altos Education Foundation, and was co-chair of two parcel tax campaigns in the Los Altos School District. She supports granting waivers to ninth-graders who participate in athletic programs and want to opt out of PE — an area of contention between some parents and the board, which as a whole has not supported exemptions. If re-elected, she said her priorities would include ensuring that every student “is equipped with the same tools for enhanced learning at school and home,” and overseeing a balanced budget. We support Torok’s bid for a second term.

FIONA WALTER: A SEAMLESS MOVE Fiona Walter knows what serving on a school board is all about, having spent eight years on the Mountain View Whisman board. Before that, she volunteered extensively, including service on three executive boards for parcel tax campaigns and on the elementary school district’s Budget Task Force. Regarding the district’s expansion of its advanced placement (AP) course offerings — a subject of contention among some members of the school community because of the potential for creating even more stress for students — Walter said she’s concerned that the expansion is leading to the elimination of regular classes. For example, she said, the regular physics class at Los Altos High School was eliminated, with two AP physics classes replacing it. “Not every student wants to take AP classes and those motivated to do so can become overwhelmed when every class they take is an AP course,” she said. “I want to be sure that we are not eliminating strong core offerings.” If she’s elected, Walter said, priorities would include engaging parents more “on issues directly affecting their students;” expanding programs and curriculum for students at all levels; and enhancing communication to parents and the greater community. The Voice endorses Fiona Walter for a seat on the high school district board.

WHISMAN BOARD Continued from page 18

through competitive salary and benefits, along with opportunities for professional training and growth.” The Voice supports Wheeler’s bid for another term on the board.

GREG COLADONATO A FAMILIAR PRESENCE A regular attendee of school board meetings, and with years of involvement in the district — including service on parcel tax and bond oversight committees — Mr. Coladonato would require little time to get up to speed as a board member. He has been active in the parent-driven effort to re-open a school in the Whisman and Slater neighborhoods, noting that there are now 1,000 more students enrolled in the district than there were when the district closed two schools in that area years ago. A member of the Board Facilities Committee, he’s been critical of methods the district has used thus far in deciding how to spend revenue from the Measure G facilities bond, and has come up with sound ideas to improve the decision-making process for spending the bond’s remaining $148 million. If elected, Coladonato said his priorities would include requiring a district-wide plan to spend the remaining Measure G bond money, and to develop a plan to get all district students across the demographic map “performing at a high level as soon as possible. ... Some of our schools and students have been lagging behind. This warrants our primary attention.” He also would work “to modernize the way we hire, train, evaluate and compensate district staff, both teachers and administrators.” Coladonato has demonstrated a willingness and ability to do his homework, to dig in and to think creatively while studying the district’s issues and challenges. The Voice urges voters to support him for a board post. LET’S DISCUSS: Read the latest local news headlines and talk about the issues at Town Square at MountainViewOnline.com

LETTERS

Continued from page 18

on the bus driving to the airport. Why couldn’t they have built the light rail to go directly into the airport? If you want to take BART from SFO to Caltrain, you need to change trains to get to Millbrae. It’s faster taking a taxi directly to the Millbrae station. Why couldn’t they have built BART to go directly to the Millbrae station? Public transit infrastructure planners in the Bay Area seem to have a lack of understanding about where people want to go and when they might need public transit. This history of poor design does not bode well for the discussion of pod cars running from the Mountain View transit center to North Bayshore. You would think that in Silicon Valley, with Apple famous for its design of beautiful and functional gadgets, and Facebook for its design of highly functional and artistically pleasing Web pages, public transit would at least be designed so that a functional station did not need to be torn down roughly 20 years after it was built. James Kempf Foxborough Drive

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byoc@paweekly.com

MOUNTAIN VIEW CENTRAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m. Saturday Services: Worship 10:45 a.m. Wednesday Study Groups: 10-11 a.m. Pastor Kenny Fraser, B.A.M. DIV 1425 Springer Rd., Mtn. View - Ofﬁce Hrs. M-F 9am-1pm www.mtviewda.adventistfaith.org Phone: 650-967-2189

Living Well SENIORS’ GUIDE TO HEALTH AND WELL-BEING We are pleased to once again offer our annual, all-glossy publication covering the local needs and interests of the 50plus market.

Coming to the Midpeninsula on October 30 For information on advertising in the 2015 Living Well, please contact Connie Jo Cotton, Sales Manager, at ccotton@paweekly.com (650) 223-6571 or your sales representative. Deadline to advertise is October 3. Call today for details.

450 Cambridge Avenue, Palo Alto | 650.326.8210 PaloAltoOnline.com | AlmanacNews.com | MountainViewOnline October 3, 2014 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q

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Stanford Health Center at Los Altos Stanford Primary Care specializes in you. We offer adult, child, and senior primary care, as well as programs customized to fit your lifestyle—now in your neighborhood. Stanford Primary Care offers: • Expert medical attention and care for everyone in the family • Medical care for chronic conditions • Compassionate senior care and caregiver resources • Online and telephone visits available Stanford Health Center at Los Altos hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm. For more information, please call 650.498.9000 or visit us online at stanfordhealthcare.org/primarycare. Stanford Health Center at Los Altos 960 N. San Antonio Road, Suite 101 Los Altos, CA 94022 20

Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q October 3, 2014