| Vote for Leon Leong on November 3. |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
The past few years the council has had a focus on regional & special
interest issues; I believe it is time to focus on Palo Alto - improving the
day to day "Quality of Life" issues that affect us all:
* Housing Density - Increases to housing density should only be allowed
if the quality of life in our city can be preserved - this means that
significant impacts on school overcrowding, traffic congestion and use
of city services/infrastructure should be addressed before allowing any
zoning changes.
* Economic Vitality - Our tax base is an important part of providing
services that we all enjoy. Palo Alto needs to attract more community
serving businesses to the city and not pass a "Business License Tax";
one only needs to look at the vacancies of stores in downtown,
Midtown, California Ave, and other retail areas to realize the city needs
to do more to attract businesses, not push them away with a "Business
License Tax".
* City Budget - The budget has been growing over twice the rate of
inflation over the past few years. The council needs to push for
1) transparency so that each service can be accounted for
2) spending needs to be done at sustainable levels,
3) improve funding for our decaying infrastructure.
We should look at how our government is organized & how efficiencies
can be introduced in the delivery of services.
* High Speed Rail - The next city council needs to actively lobby the
state assembly & senate and support the Menlo Park/Atherton lawsuit
to get the plans modified.
interest issues; I believe it is time to focus on Palo Alto - improving the
day to day "Quality of Life" issues that affect us all:
* Housing Density - Increases to housing density should only be allowed
if the quality of life in our city can be preserved - this means that
significant impacts on school overcrowding, traffic congestion and use
of city services/infrastructure should be addressed before allowing any
zoning changes.
* Economic Vitality - Our tax base is an important part of providing
services that we all enjoy. Palo Alto needs to attract more community
serving businesses to the city and not pass a "Business License Tax";
one only needs to look at the vacancies of stores in downtown,
Midtown, California Ave, and other retail areas to realize the city needs
to do more to attract businesses, not push them away with a "Business
License Tax".
* City Budget - The budget has been growing over twice the rate of
inflation over the past few years. The council needs to push for
1) transparency so that each service can be accounted for
2) spending needs to be done at sustainable levels,
3) improve funding for our decaying infrastructure.
We should look at how our government is organized & how efficiencies
can be introduced in the delivery of services.
* High Speed Rail - The next city council needs to actively lobby the
state assembly & senate and support the Menlo Park/Atherton lawsuit
to get the plans modified.
| Leon Leong for City Council 2009 ID#1319709 |
