Mayor Val Carpenter: I Support Jon Baer, Jan Pepper and Megan Satterlee for Los Altos City Council

Three people will be elected to the Los Altos City Council on November 6th. Your vote matters to the future of our community!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community on the Los Altos City Council for the past seven years. I remain deeply grateful for your overwhelming support of my election in 2005 and re-election in 2010. As your representative, my goal is to reflect your priorities and values.

This November three people will be elected to 4-year terms on the Los Altos City Council. Megan Satterlee is running for re-election to a second term; David Casas and Ron Packard are termed out, so at least two new council members will join Mayor Pro Tem Jarrett Fishpaw and me on the Council in December. I will serve my last two years with whoever is elected this year before I, myself, am termed out.

Los Altos is fortunate to have several well-qualified candidates running for City Council. I’ve thoroughly reviewed each candidate’s qualifications, affiliations, and potential conflicts of interest, and I’ve concluded that all Los Altans–children, teens, young adults, parents and seniors—will be best served by electing JON BAER, JAN PEPPER, and MEGAN SATTERLEE this November.

Here’s why:

JON BAER is extraordinarily insightful. His thoughtful approach to preserving what is cherished while facilitating changes desired by our residents is similar to my own. He and his family have lived in the historic home they restored near downtown Los Altos for 15 years. Jon has extensive experience with land-use issues; earlier this year he was appointed to the new Los Altos Planning & Transportation Commission following five years on the Los Altos Planning Commission, including two terms as chair. Jon has a proven track record of reflecting the core values of the Los Altos community in balancing the competing interests of developers,neighbors, and other stakeholders. His strong background in finance will ensure that the City continues to be fiscally conservative and that our limited resources are carefully managed. www.JonBaer.org.

JAN PEPPER offers Council a unique and valuable set of skills. Her training in civil engineering will add welcome expertise on both private commercial and public capital projects. Having lived in central Los Altos for 27 years, she can provide the view of a long-term resident of that area. While I don’t know her well, she has convinced me that she will support the priorities of the people who live throughout our City, and that she has not made commitments to any individual or special interest group in return for an endorsement and/or contribution. Since Jan is not accepting endorsements from current Council members, I’m supporting but not endorsing her. www.pepperforcouncil.com

MEGAN SATTERLEE has earned my respect since her election to the Los Altos City Council five years ago. She puts in the time and effort necessary to be an effective Council member; she is always prepared and articulates her positions clearly. Her experience on the Los Altos Planning Commission adds significant value to Council deliberations, as does her training in the law. Megan provides Council with the perspective of a South Los Altos resident while consistently voting in the long-term interest of the entire community. www.MeganSatterlee.com

MEGAN and JON are very knowledgeable about the issues and have already mastered the steep learning curve those who are new to City government encounter. They have proven their integrity and leadership in the public arena. Both took courageous stands to provide for our growing senior population by voting in favor of the renovation and expansion of the Pilgrim Haven continuing care retirement community. They deserve the support of Los Altos voters, especially our older citizens.

JON, JAN and MEGAN are running independently and are not a slate. While we don’t always agree, I know that their only agenda is the same as mine, to ensure that the decisions the City Council makes are in the interest of the entire Los Altos community long-term.

Past Los Altos City Council elections have been decided by a handful of votes. That’s why your vote is critically important and really can make a difference to the future of our community.

I respectfully ask you to join me in voting for JON BAER, JAN PEPPER and MEGAN SATTERLEE on November 6th.

Best,

Val Carpenter

Mayor of Los Altos, 2011-12 and 2007-08

 

 

www.ValCarpenter.com