For the 50% of you who haven't yet voted by mail -- saving that special privilege for Election Day today at the polling place -- many of us will be patiently joining you in lines that could be extraordinarily long. It pays to carry along your Sample Ballot to read once again before marking your ballot.
For California, a state with a large Democratic Party majority, we won't be the state that decides the presidential race and some of us may be voting long after the polls in those key states close tonight.
But we will be the decision-makers in voting for Pleasanton mayor and City Council, for Congress and on a multitude of propositions and measures awaiting our decision. Several of these races could be very close. Let's make sure we vote.
For mayor, we are endorsing Councilwoman Cheryl Cook-Kallio, who's been a valuable, problem-solving council member with helpful connections in Sacramento and Washington. She has support from both business and union representatives 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.
Her opponent, fellow Councilman Jerry Thorne, also has excellent credentials both in public service and as a retired business executive. If Cook-Kallio wins, Thorne will continue to serve for another two years on the council and will likely continue representing Pleasanton with the California League of Cities.
For City Council, to succeed council members Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan who are stepping down because of term limits, we recommend Planning Commission Chairman Jerry Pentin and businesswoman Karla Brown.
Pentin, a Pleasanton businessman, has served on a number of city commissions and advisory groups and was honored with the Mayor's Award in 2008. Karla Brown, a Realtor, regularly attends City Council meetings and has been active in a number of business and civic groups in Pleasanton, where she has lived for the last 20 years. A third candidate, Erlene DeMarcus, who as a BART board member years ago helped bring BART to Pleasanton, has strong support outside of Pleasanton but hasn't been all that visible in local civic and political groups.
For Congress, in the newly aligned 15th District that now serves all of Pleasanton, we recommend Eric Swalwell, a Dublin Councilman and Alameda County prosecutor. Still a Democrat like the man he's challenging -- Pete Stark, a 20-term Congressman who has served a part of Pleasanton and a larger part of the East Bay longer than many of us have lived here -- Swalwell is the political moderate we prefer. At age 31, Swalwell promises to bring new energy and younger ideas to Congress.
As for the newly aligned 7th State Senate District, Mark DeSaulnier has our endorsement over Republican Mark Meuser. We also favor the re-election of Joan Buchanan in the state's new 16th Assembly District over her Republican opponent Al Phillips.
With regard to the propositions and measures, the Pleasanton Weekly favors Propositions 32, 34, 35, 36 and 40. We're recommending No votes on all the others, most notably on Propositions 30 and 38, two competing measures that will raise sales tax and personal income rates "temporarily," and on Measure B1, a new Transportation Expenditure Plan that would extend a 1/2-cent sales tax in Alameda County by another half-cent virtually forever.
Others we oppose are Propositions 31, 33, 37, 38, 39 and Measure A1, the $12 parcel tax on Alameda County property owners until 2037 to fund improvements and expansion projects at the Oakland Zoo. We also oppose Measure I, which calls for a "temporary" levy in the form of a $28 parcel tax on owners of homes in the Las Positas College District.
Comments
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:47 am
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:47 am
The PW's endorsement of Cook-Kallio is no surprise. Cook-Kallio is a far lefty and is there to do the work of the unions and her leftist compadres -- probably even more so than our current leftist Hippy Mayor. Since the PW has a demonstrated left-wing bias and has been a big union supporter, it should be no surprise they would endorse Cook-Kallio.
If you want unionized municipal workers to continue their raid on Pleasanton's treasury, if you want the city's finances to continue to weaken, if you want a continued war against non-union businesses, if you want a Mayor who is more focused on national issues than Pleasanton issues, then Cook-Kallio should be your choice.
If you want a Mayor who uses Pleasanton firemen to park cars at her campaign rallies, and conscripts her Fremont students to distribute her campaign literature (which is an education code violation), a candidate that repeatedly puts politics over integrity, then Cook-Kallio is your choice.
However, if you want responsible leadership and integrity, then Jerry Thorne should be your choice.
Livermore
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:55 am
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:55 am
I agree with most of your recommendations, especially getting Pete Stark into his retirement home back east where he belongs. Eric is young, energetic, and I think Eric is someone that can work with the other party, unlike Pete Stark who is a partisan loudmouth hack. His own party knows Mr Stark has gone to the dark side, that is why they passed him over but they have to appear to be standing with him. Good bye Pete, take your money and run.
With that said, I think it's time for the people of Pleasanton to take over the local government from the existing party hacks like Cook-Kallio.
Pleasanton Middle School
on Nov 5, 2012 at 9:15 am
on Nov 5, 2012 at 9:15 am
Im ready to "move forward" by making a "change". I have tremendous respect for Jerry. It is time to see if Pleasanton can actually be a forward thinking community. Jerry, you have my vote .
Pleasanton Meadows
on Nov 5, 2012 at 11:08 am
on Nov 5, 2012 at 11:08 am
I agree! Jerry you have my vote, too!
Oak Hill
on Nov 5, 2012 at 11:35 am
on Nov 5, 2012 at 11:35 am
PTown Joe said : "The PW's endorsement of Cook-Kallio is no surprise. Cook-Kallio is a far lefty and is there to do the work of the unions and her leftist compadres -- probably even more so than our current leftist Hippy Mayor. ....However, if you want responsible leadership and integrity, then Jerry Thorne should be your choice."
Thanks for your comments, PTown Joe. You helped make up my mind. I'm voting for Cook-Kallio.
Livermore
on Nov 5, 2012 at 2:28 pm
on Nov 5, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Left-wing bias? Hmmm, then why is PW endorsing Prop 32, the scumbag amendment led by the most evil don't-care-about-any-lesser-people Koch Brothers? Remember, it's not the candidates one must worry about. It's about the donors behind each candidate and who they are, a lot of whom hide behind our patriotic flags because they really aren't, they're just self-centered. We need more teamwork and problem solving, not more self-centered, you're-on-your-own-even-if-you-can't-afford-it argue-and-stall-only egotism. I'm sick of government's reckless spending too, but do you really think that equally reckless markets have faces, minds, & hearts ? What a crock!
Pleasanton Valley
on Nov 5, 2012 at 3:35 pm
on Nov 5, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Why do you oppose Prop 37, what propoganda has persuaded Pleasanton Weekly to oppose a simple labeling measure to inform consumers of what is in their food? Don't buy the confusing rhetoric of the $45 million advertising campaign sponsored by Monsonta and other international corporations. It is a fundemental need within a capitalisit society to have knowledge of the choices we make as consumers. Do we really want our children to be science experiements? Please reconsider your position on this Prop, the moms and dads of Pleasanton support Prop 37!
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 5, 2012 at 5:38 pm
on Nov 5, 2012 at 5:38 pm
37 is not a simple labeling measure. It is the birth of a new cottage industry for lawyers. It has nothing to do with food safety but rather a new profit center for the lawyers.
Get the lawyers out of this and then you will probably get more support; although there is no evidence that genetically-modified foods are harmful. Rather they help many countries feed their people that could not otherwise.
Mohr Park
on Nov 5, 2012 at 6:27 pm
on Nov 5, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Why does a paper like this feel it is important to express their opinion on statewide concerns by only telling us what to vote NO on. I agree with the ones you mention, except 32. The paper should explain or at least title each prop/measure they endorse or do not. Simply stating to vote NO on all the rest is not the least bit helpful. I hope most of your readers do not vote blindly like that.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:06 pm
on Nov 5, 2012 at 8:06 pm
D.W.=another bitter union thug loser. Tell us again how unions are not selfish and are looking out for the good of all voters, not just their fellow union thug members.
Hilarious....don't you have picket line to stand in at Raleys tonight, scaring old ladies into not shopping there? Yes, you're quite the humanitarian........
Livermore
on Nov 6, 2012 at 9:18 am
on Nov 6, 2012 at 9:18 am
For the People concerned with what they are feeding children and themselves and think prop 37 is the answer. Do not feed, and do not eat, processed food, simple as that. Think People, it isn't that difficult. The 35 percent of the people that vote yes on 37, are the same people lined up at McKe D's to buy dinner for the family.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 6, 2012 at 9:33 am
on Nov 6, 2012 at 9:33 am
I am on the fence on 39, can someone tell me why it is a bad prop?
I am about to go vote, so please give me your input asap.
So far, I plan to vote yes on 32, 35, 36 but I am on the fence on 39.
I plan to vote no on everything else except measure I (which gets my yes vote).
I am undecided on 39.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 6, 2012 at 10:30 am
on Nov 6, 2012 at 10:30 am
The problem with 39 is the revenue that is collected goes to pet projects of the authors of the bill. The money collected from corporations does not go to fund priority items like education. If the authors really wanted to collect the tax for the corporations that may not be paying their fair share, they should have written an initiative that allows us to collect it and have the money go to the general fund. Instead this is a special interest saying they want outside corporation to pay their fair share but is rather a money grab for their projects. While the money goes to some alternative energy projects (which is not a bad thing), don't you think that education is a higher priority?
So I am voting NO on 39 but could vote for it if the money went to the general fund instead of special projects.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 6, 2012 at 11:22 am
on Nov 6, 2012 at 11:22 am
Thanks Jay, I voted already, followed your advice on 39 and voted NO.
You are right, education should be a priority over green energy projects.
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 6, 2012 at 11:56 am
on Nov 6, 2012 at 11:56 am
There is a 4th candidate for city council according to my ballot: Mike Harris. I'm curious why he wasn't he even mentioned?
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 6, 2012 at 1:34 pm
on Nov 6, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Sam,
How long have you had your mental disorder? Have you sought professional help?
Parkside
on Nov 6, 2012 at 2:09 pm
on Nov 6, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Brian
Mike Harris dropped out - too late for ballots to be updated:
Web Link