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Pleasanton Mayor Karla Brown announces run for second term

Original post made on Jul 7, 2022

Pleasanton's Mayor Karla Brown confirmed over the weekend that she would be running for re-election in November, becoming the first mayoral candidate to declare for the general election.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 6, 2022, 11:29 PM

Comments (21)

Posted by Apples
a resident of Castlewood
on Jul 7, 2022 at 11:53 am

Apples is a registered user.

Hello, New here..what exactly has Mayor Brown done for Pleasanton in her term? Can someone give me a list?
Thank you.


Posted by Just Another Resident
a resident of Del Prado
on Jul 8, 2022 at 9:46 am

Just Another Resident is a registered user.

@Apples - I've lived in this city for 25 years and volunteered in and for the city for most of that time, and I can't tell you anything that Karla has accomplished as an elected official. Sorry.


Posted by Pleasanton Parent
a resident of Pleasanton Meadows
on Jul 8, 2022 at 10:00 am

Pleasanton Parent is a registered user.

I can say she stepped in during pusd’s ignorance during the pandemic. How involved she was I don’t know, but maybe the initial act was enough of a threat for the district to get the return to school and district/union shenanigans aligned enough to get our kids back in the classroom.


Posted by Michael Austin
a resident of Pleasanton Meadows
on Jul 8, 2022 at 12:49 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

I strongly recommend a NO vote for Karla Brown. Karla is fiscally irresponsible. Karla Brown led the charge to remove money from the rainy-day reserve fund, in doing so she said, "it's only a million dollars." This is with a recession knocking on our door. Many economists are stating we are in a recession now, that inflation may be here for two years.

Karla Brown is one of the three vote majority on our city council. The other two are Julie Testa and Valarie Arkin. Testa is somewhat of an egotistical, self-centered, self-anointed grandiose wannabe. Julie Testa is dishonest, has been involved in questionable behavior in multiple issues that have impacted the council and the citizens of Pleasanton in a negative manner.

Valarie Arkin came into the council stating she will take Bart to Livermore. It was determined years ago Bart is not going to Livermore. Valarie Arkin has asserted her contempt with trying to stop police department display of the rescue vehicle, claiming it will harm Pleasanton children. Quite the opposite is true. Children are attracted to the police rescue vehicle. During the police open house they were all over it, exploring it, asking the officer questions. Some of the children are potential future Pleasanton police officers. Arkin has no clue what the community pulse is.

Brown, Testa. and Arkin with the majority vote, gerrymandered Pleasanton voting districts. Splitting up a neighborhood, to keep Testa separated from other more qualified candidates, in order to keep their three-vote majority for the next two to four years. One has to wander how they got around the Brown Act. Or did they?


Posted by Jake Waters
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 8, 2022 at 10:21 pm

Jake Waters is a registered user.

Ask her about Costco. Crickets is what you will hear.


Posted by Marilyn
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 8, 2022 at 11:12 pm

Marilyn is a registered user.

It's unfortunate that some people aren't aware of ALL the positive things Mayor Brown has done for Pleasanton! In addition to respectfully listening to residents concerns, researching issues to be knowledgable, making fair decisions and always keeping Pleasanton's best interests her top priority, she actively works to insure our city is the best it can be now and in the future! If you read the local papers, you'd see that Mayor Brown has done the following things.....AND MUCH MORE!

Implemented fiscally sound budgets

Supported downtown businesses through annual funding of the Pleasanton Downtown Assoc.

Did NOT support adding 1.6 million sq. ft. of industrial, plus 1,300 new houses in East Pleasanton, during historic drought.

Approved Kottinger Gardens affordable housing for seniors

Implemented new protections for historic resource homes in the Downtown Plan area

Supported Sunflower Hill Housing for developmentally delayed adults

Supported inclusionary housing to blend lower-income housing with at-market housing

Supported Purple Pipe recycled water for irrigation at public parks & business parks reducing demand for critical potable/drinking water

Did NOT support narrowing of Owens Drive in front of BART

Supported funding State Route 84 to reduce cut-through traffic

Supported Testing the Shared Autonomous Vehicle (SAV) for LAVTA/Wheels

Replaced older busses with hybrid buses (built locally)

Supported Bernal/Patelco Park all-weather fields, walking trails & baseball fields

Liaison to East Bay Regional Park District Castleridge Trail by Alivso Adobe

Supported Cubby’s dog park

Supported completion of Foothill Rd. bicycle corridor design

Gathered community support for completion of Pleasanton Tennis Center

PLEASANTON IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH AN HONORABLE AND HARD-WORKING MAYOR!! I'M GRATEFUL THAT KARLA IS WILLING TO GIVE HER EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO PLEASANTON FOR ANOTHER TERM!


Posted by Michael Austin
a resident of Pleasanton Meadows
on Jul 9, 2022 at 8:07 am

Michael Austin is a registered user.

The mendacious grouping Mayor Karla Brown managed with redistricting Pleasanton voting districts that removed a council member from district four to district three because that council member is not electable in district four.

This redistricting method provides a better probability for that inferior candidate to be reelected in district three. That will allow the ongoing three vote majority on the city council.

This redistricting divided a neighborhood and deprived that neighborhood from electing a candidate of choice. This was manipulation of an electoral constituency's boundaries so as to favor one candidate. This is called gerrymandering and keeps a bad incumbent on the city council


Posted by factchecker
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 9, 2022 at 8:23 am

factchecker is a registered user.

Marilyn,

All of the items you listed were done under Mayor Thorne's leadership or earlier. She was a City Councimember when most of the items you listed were done. Some of the items were in place prior to her being on the city council such as inclusionary housing.


Posted by Pleasanton Parent
a resident of Pleasanton Meadows
on Jul 9, 2022 at 1:57 pm

Pleasanton Parent is a registered user.

That’s a helpful list, but “support “ in todays age of keyboard activists needs more definition, and some happened ie owens road is narrower, so not supporting it, but it happening doesn’t really serve as an accomplishment


Posted by Jennifer P
a resident of Valley Trails
on Jul 9, 2022 at 2:50 pm

Jennifer P is a registered user.

Marilyn, thank you for that list. It’s a good reminder that Karla takes credit for things she didn’t actually do.


Posted by Bay Area Native
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Jul 9, 2022 at 6:35 pm

Bay Area Native is a registered user.

Karla Brown’s results in the last election are a much more factual representation of how Pleasanton residents feel about her than the comments on this thread.


Posted by Jake Waters
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 10, 2022 at 8:40 am

Jake Waters is a registered user.

Democrats always take credit for what Republicans have accomplished.


Posted by Just Another Resident
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 10, 2022 at 11:57 am

Just Another Resident is a registered user.

Bay Area Native - Do you remember that Karla got less than half of the votes cast in the last mayoral election?


Posted by Kathleen Ruegsegger
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 10, 2022 at 3:21 pm

Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.

Keep in mind that the Chamber plays a large role in school board and city council elections. These are pro-growth people, and they are not necessarily for low income housing.


Posted by keeknlinda
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 10, 2022 at 6:12 pm

keeknlinda is a registered user.

@Kathleen Ruegsegger you must know different Chamber people than I do. The ones I know are greatly concerned with housing their employees can afford. Keep in mind that Chamber members are the business people whose businesses keep the city coffers afloat.


Posted by Kathleen Ruegsegger
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 11, 2022 at 8:44 am

Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.

All I can say is to talk to people at the top. I believe your assertion, but not for the PAC.


Posted by Dena
a resident of Walnut Hills
on Jul 11, 2022 at 1:46 pm

Dena is a registered user.

Jake Waters
"Democrats always take credit for what Republicans have accomplished"

Hilarious; Affordable health Care...Hahahahahah Where's your plan...waiting....


Posted by John
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 11, 2022 at 7:33 pm

John is a registered user.

Dena, affordable healthcare is anything but affordable. Do you have it or are you on a company policy?


Posted by Jake Waters
a resident of Birdland
on Jul 13, 2022 at 5:45 pm

Jake Waters is a registered user.

Dana - stick to what you know. Besides, affordable healthcare is the least of our problems.


Posted by keeknlinda
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 13, 2022 at 6:17 pm

keeknlinda is a registered user.

In case you missed it, Pleasanton's mayoral election is an "at large" race. That means it's not about Democrats or Republicans, it's just a city governmental position in which every registered voter in the city gets to vote for a candidate. No party affiliation is stated, and except as it applies to city employees, healthcare is not on the city's agenda.


Posted by Another fact checker
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Jul 18, 2022 at 11:07 am

Another fact checker is a registered user.

There is a reason Karla overwhelmingly beat the 3 other candidates garnering 47 percent of the vote in a field of 4. She has strong resident support because of her proven track record on the Council, she does her homework, she collaborates well, and she is focused on serving our residents first. Unlike many candidates, Karla does not take developer donations as she knows how important it is to maintain objectivity in her decisions.
Here are the previous election details.
Web Link


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