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Uploaded: Friday, October 12, 2012, 7:37 AM
Updated: Saturday, October 13, 2012, 8:50 AM
Weekly endorses Cook-Kallio for mayor; Pentin, Brown for City Council
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by Jeb Bing
Pleasanton Weekly Staff
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 | The Pleasanton Weekly today endorsed Cheryl-Cook-Kallio for mayor and Planning Commission chairman Jerry Pentin and businesswoman Karla Brown for election to the City Council in the current municipal election.
The three are among five candidates seeking election to succeed Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, who is termed out this year after eight years as mayor, and council members Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan, whose terms also end after eight years of service.
In addition to the three the Weekly endorsed, two others also are campaigning for election. They are Councilman Jerry Thorne, seeking election as mayor, and transportation consultant Erlene DeMarcus, who is running for City Council.
The Pleasanton Weekly's endorsement editorial follows:
"With the current City Council breaking up after serving an unprecedented six years together, Pleasanton voters have an opportunity again to choose from among five well-qualified candidates. Four of them will be assuming stewardship roles as mayor and members of a new council to face the city's challenges in the years ahead.
Of the two seeking the mayor's post -- Council members Jerry Thorne and Cheryl Cook-Kallio -- the choice is especially tough because both have been strong colleagues in making pension reform, fiscal restraints, land use and transportation decisions that will ensure that the city maintain its forward momentum.
Our preference for mayor is Cheryl Cook-Kallio, who's been a valuable, problem-solving council member with helpful connections in Sacramento and Washington. An active Democrat, Cook-Kallio doesn't wear any party affiliation on her sleeve.
She has endorsements from business and union organizations and, importantly, from Tri-Valley, Alameda County, regional and state government leaders. If she needs help on a regional issue, she has many close contacts who will quickly take her call and give our city a hand.
We like the fact that she supported highly controversial issues such as the Oak Grove housing development, worked against a citizens' referendum that stopped the plan, favored the less-onerous Measure QQ over the restrictive Measure PP hillside building ban that voters approved, and campaigned vigorously to extend Stoneridge Drive to El Charro Road in Livermore. She weathered frequent grubbings at City Council meetings by very vocal critics without flinching.
Jerry Thorne, who will stay on the council for another two years, is more reserved than Cook-Kallio, a trait the council needs. He is a skilled administrator and retired corporate vice president who became intensely involved in city and civic affairs upon leaving his private sector career.
His supporters come from all parts of Pleasanton and praise, rightly so, Thorne's commitment to business, a sustainable city employee pension program and his work with the League of California Cities and many other agencies. He especially deserves accolades for his support of veterans. There's hardly a time when a soldier is welcomed home to Pleasanton that Thorne isn't the first to be there with an official city proclamation.
For City Council, we are endorsing Planning Commission Chairman Jerry Pentin and businesswoman Karla Brown. We like the third candidate, Erlene DeMarcus, whose credentials as a BART board member years ago include helping to bring BART to Pleasanton. But, frankly, we just haven't seen that much of DeMarcus at City Council meetings or city and civic events.
Over the coming months, we urge her to become more visible to us and the voting public and possibly run again next June when voters will choose a fifth council member to fill the seat vacated by either Thorne or Cook-Kallio.
Pentin, a Pleasanton businessman, has served on a number of city commissions and advisory groups since moving here 21 years ago. He was honored with the Mayor's Award in 2008, with a list of achievements that he's reinforced ever since. He's our choice for election to the City Council.
So is Karla Brown, who is making her second bid for a seat on the council, where there are two openings with Council members Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan both termed out. Although we favored the Oak Grove development, which she and former Councilwoman Kay Ayala joined together in opposing, we share her current position as an opponent of Measure B1, which would add another half-cent in sales tax to an Alameda County transportation plan.
Brown is active in a number of business and civic groups in Pleasanton, where she has lived for the last 20 years.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Hmmm, a resident of the Castlewood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 8:14 am Am I the only one that has a huge problem with a media outlet (be it small town media) endorsing a political candidate? Granted we can usually gauge who they are supporting, I am not a huge fan of coming out and supporting people...
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Posted by huh?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 9:00 am I'm having a tough time following the Weekly's logic in endorsing Cook-Kallio. The editorial states ". . .doesn't wear any party affiliation on her sleeve. . ." Did they look at her endorsement list? The first endorsement listed is the Democratic Party followed by a list of liberal Democrats.
The editorial mentions that she's supported by business. I believe the Chamber endorsed Thorne. Business folks have given her money because she's going to be on the council for 2 additional years regardless of the outcome of the election. But that doesn't mean support. And on her endorsement list all I see are endorsements by labor unions.
And yes she's for pension reform but it depends on who she's talking to. There's a reason the unions including our local unions are supporting her--ask yourself what that might be.
She supports Measure B1, the perpetual tax, yet the Weekly is opposed to it.
So I have to wonder what's really behind this endorsement?
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Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 9:16 am Am I the only one who detects a hint of sarcasm in the Cook-Kalio endorsement? It's as if the author had to endorse her against his will. Or else he's auditioning for writing for The Onion.
Stating that "pension reform was one of her issues"? Stating that while she's a Democrat, "she doesn't wear party affiliation on her sleeve"? Stating that it's a good thing she was on the side of developers on the Oak Grove development and worked against a citizen referendum - essentially trying to thwart democracy on the local level? Also - I don't get the comment about Jerry being "reserved." This is a guy who's campaign sponsored Concert in the Park and he "got his boogie on" in front of the whole town. I would say that Cook-Calio is reserved - because when I've emailed the city council on local issues - Thorne has always responded - while Cook-Calio's time must have been "reserved" for more important matters from her union and developer "constituents" - many of whom are from out of town.
No matter what the intent of this article - it does paint a clear picture of Cook-Calio as anti-Pleasanton resident, pro-union, pro-developer, and in the good graces of the higher-ups in the liberal Democrat bay-area machine; while Thorne is a pro-Pleasanton, pro-business, pro-pension reform patriotic American. If Cook-Calio is who the Weekly endorses, it obviously doesn't understand the values of Pleasanton.
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Posted by ?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 9:25 am Please note that Cheryl Cook-Kallio has been one of the most reluctant Council Members when it comes to pension reform. While she has voted for recent contract reforms, she has been one of the strongest proponents of worker needs/desires which has slowed down the necessary reform.
Her (and others) unwillingness to take an honest look years ago at the pension hole previous councils created, pushed out the necessary reform a few years. This is one of the reasons why even after recent contract moves, Pleasanton's pension liability continues to grow.
Cheryl has many positive traits, but to label her as a strong leader with regards to pension reform is simply not accurate.
It is quite telling that unions are backing her. Keep this in mind as you consider your vote.
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Posted by L young, a resident of the Danbury Park neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 9:47 am Thank goodness for term limits, it is time for some real leadership at the helm
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Posted by Rick, a resident of the Foxborough Estates neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 10:30 am Thanks Weekly now I know who NOT to vote for.
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Posted by Mike, a resident of the Val Vista neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 10:52 am Bad idea to endorse a canidate based on who they know rather than who they are, I see that as a concern. Do we need a mayor who aligns themselves with people in the hopes that state politicians and county politicians will be there when needed?
This is a new age, where we need a leader that can balance fiscally the needs and expectations of our city.
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Posted by Mike, a resident of the Mission Park neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 11:40 am I still plan to vote for Jerry Throne who will a full time mayor.
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Posted by Fred, a resident of the California Somerset neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 12:39 pm I am not sure about their Mayor pick, but I know the PW got it right on Council- join me in VOTING for Karla Brown and Jerry Pentin to represent the people of Pleasanton!
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Posted by Yes!, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 12:59 pm Pleasanton Weekly got it right for mayor. Yes, look at the endorsements for Mayor. Cook-Kallio's is far more inclusive in every way, Her endorsements have a mixture of every possible group, age, ethnicity, party, you name it. Every Representative who
represents Pleasanton are of the same party! To hold the Pleasanton Weekly in suspicion because they endorsed her but NOT measure B1, well you could say the same thing about the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, who endorsed Thorne and is in favor of Measure B1.
They both were basically favored by the same groups in previous elections.
Really they are both well liked by a large number of residents. They have been good council members. But if I am looking for someone who knows how to do things and has the access and the ability to get things done, I have to say it is Cook-Kallio. She is willing to put herself out there, has passion and the energy to go after what we need for Pleasanton
Vote Cook-Kallio for Mayor!
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Posted by Tri Valley Times Reader, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 1:11 pm The Tri-Valley Times/CC Times endorses Jerry Thorne, Karla Brown, and Jerry Pentin.
"For us, Jerry Thorne is clearly the superior candidate."
Read it here: Web Link
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Posted by Eileen, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 1:22 pm The Independent endorses Cheryl Cook-Kallio as the next Mayor of Pleasanton
Web Link
Cook-Kallio is the more inclusive candidate. She knows what she is doing and has shown independence in her decisions.
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Posted by Fannie, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 2:21 pm The PW endorsing Cook-Callio for Mayor is not unexpected. The PW and Crook-Callio are both left wing entities. Furthermore, Jeb Bing (just like Barack Obama) is from Chicago where dynasties have been build on patronage, unions are extremely strong (and most often are linked to organized crime), and welfare for everybody is a mantra. It't not unexpected he would have an affinity for Cook-Callio since she is very left wing and is bought and paid for by unions.
Pleasanton doesn't need Chicago style politics. I am voting for Jerry Thorne, and tomorrow morning, as I have been doing for years, will line my birdcage floor with the PW, with the Cook-Callio endorsement facing upward toward the birds.
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Posted by Ptown native, a resident of the Stoneridge neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 2:39 pm I've been so disgusted with the Weelky.
The Unions are not a good endorsement at all.
It's like siding wih the mafia. Pay your protection money!!!!!
....like the Democrats don't have enough power already.
Look at California! It's BROKE because of these people!
So....now they want Ptown too???
Like sheep to the slaughter. So sad how ignorant people are.
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid !!!
Look at how the liberal Hosterman rolled over and laid down for
the democrats suing us for more high density low income housing!
You can look forward to more of that BS when CookCalio is in.
Unbelievable!!!!! And disgusting. For the people?....I don't think so!
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Posted by Wilson, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 3:17 pm I was concerned that the mayor's race would get heated and now I have been proven right. If the campaigns on both sides don't stop they will loose the votes they already have. Who wants to support a bitter angry smut spewing campaign? Not me.
Call off the dogs.
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Posted by Interesting, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Oct 12, 2012 at 9:12 pm Aren't people on this blog always calling the Weekly the rag of the Chamber? Interesting, the Weekly is opposite on both Mayor and Council. Hmmm...
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