Will It Be an Incumbent Sweep? - The Spectrum Magazine

Challenger McCarthy tells incumbents NO
Measure I ‘not a tax that contributes to growth, but rather demonstrates
political expediency.’ Measure M ‘is imposed on a small constituency who
create jobs and provide the services that make Redwood City a vibrant community.’
Thaler Asset Management Inc.; Mary Ellen
Greene, occupational therapist; Lt. John Munsey
profiles.google.com/102467701881001384622#10
2467701881001384622/about
Candidate name: Barbara Pierce
Immediate family members: Husband Jerry
Pierce, daughters Andrea Koenig and Amanda
Flores, mom Claire Apffel, sons-in-law Martin
Koenig and Marty Flores
Occupation: Community volunteer, retired social
worker/rehabilitation counselor
Community involvement (groups or organizations):
Redwood City Education Foundation, Chamber of
Commerce, Downtown Business Group
Key endorsements: All current Redwood City
council members; Sen. Joe Simitian; Assemblyman
Jerry Hill; Redwood City School District school
board members Shelly Masur, Alisa MacAvoy,
Dennis McBride; Sequoia Union High School District
board members Don Gibson, Olivia Martinez,
Lorraine Rumley; former Redwood City Mayors
Brent Britschgi, Dick Claire, Diane Howard,
Georgi LaBerge; community members Paula
Uccelli, Dani Gasparini and Alyn Beals, Gino
Gasparini, Cheryl Angeles, Alan Bygdnes, Warren
Dale, Rev. Harold Draeger, Dee and Richard Eva,
Hector Flamenco, Keith Kadera, Lilia Ledesma,
Nancy Radcliffe, Arnoldo Arreola, Ken Rolandelli,
Vince Truscelli, Connie Guerrero, Janet Borgens
(partial listing)
www.barbarapierce.org
Why are you running for a seat on
the Redwood City City Council?
Alicia Aguirre: I am running because I believe
that the work that we do for the residents of Redwood
City is very important. I am passionate about our
community and I would like to continue to work on the
accomplishments and challenges that our city is facing.
I’m seeking re-election to continue working hard
to protect and enhance our neighborhoods, carefully
manage growth, protect the environment, maintain
fiscal stability and improve local schools.
Ian Bain: I get a great sense of satisfaction serving
the community and have a few projects I want to
see to completion. I want the best for our children
and our community — a clean, safe city with a
strong economy, good parks and libraries, and
a downtown rich in nightlife and culture. I want
another term to continue to make this happen.
Rosanne Foust: I believe in Redwood City and I
want to continue our collective efforts in making
it the best place to live, work and raise a family.
It’s great to see the community gathered at
Courthouse Square, enjoying branch libraries and
staying healthy at our parks and playing fields.
With my business background, I understand how
to balance budgets, attract new businesses, create
jobs and ensure fiscal stability while maintaining
the quality of life we all expect.
Paul McCarthy: I am currently running for a
seat on the Redwood City City Council because
I want to assist in the growth and development
of our revitalized downtown. I have never sought
public office and I am not accepting contributions
to my campaign. The Redwood City business
community is a critical component of our local
economy and I want to ensure that their concerns
are addressed. I believe that we have one of the
greatest communities on the Peninsula and I want
to make a positive contribution to the future of
our magnificent city.
Barbara Pierce: I wish to continue to lead
Redwood City in the positive direction that it
has been going and make sure that the efforts
I’ve supported are implemented. These include:
continued community building that involves
residents in decision-making; ensuring that
Downtown is a lively destination with new
restaurants, retail and businesses and that we have
a balanced budget; and sustainability plans.
What do you feel are the (two) top
issues facing the Redwood City
community?
Alicia Aguirre: Fiscal stability and economic
development.
Ian Bain: Keeping our city’s finances healthy is
our top priority as it affects everything else we
do. We have to keep a close eye on spending while
we work to attract businesses. The other top issue
is carefully managing growth and development.
I expect we will see several proposals come to us
in the next few years, and we’ll have to make sure
that any potential development does not negatively
impact existing neighborhoods.
Rosanne Foust: Finding the right balance between
preserving and protecting the hometown, small
community feel of Redwood City and embracing
the possibilities of new industries, new housing,
new modes of transit and new ways of delivering
city services. Deciding what services the city can
and cannot provide and identifying partnerships
to meet the needs of our community as we continue
aligning revenue and resources.
Paul McCarthy: Public safety, both downtown
and within the residential community. Growth
and development of our city with a vision for a
sustainable future.
Barbara Pierce: To maintain and improve the
quality of life in Redwood City we need to focus
on creating a vibrant economy and continue to
support both the services that ensure our safety
and basic health of the community but also the
activities that make our community special to us.
To create a vibrant economy we must attract and
retain businesses, build new housing following
the downtown precise plan and general plan and
increase transportation options. Naturally safety
services and infrastructure need to be maintained,
but the activities that make Redwood City special
and serve to attract business and new residents to
Redwood City are services to our youth, families
and seniors, libraries, parks and cultural events.
Do you support the two tax increases
on the ballot: Measure I, the transient
occupancy tax (or hotel tax), and
Measure M, the business license tax?
Alicia Aguirre: Yes.
Ian Bain: Yes.
Rosanne Foust: Yes. Both the TOT and BLT will
bring new revenue to the city’s general fund,
allowing us to maintain city services at levels
residents have come to expect. Before placing
either measure on the ballot, we reached out to
the hotel operators and business community to
engage them in discussions and explain what the
city had been doing (and continues to do) to align
revenue and resources prior to asking for tax increases.
Paul McCarthy: I do not support Measure I
because it imposes a tax on a nonrepresented
constituency. This is not a tax that contributes
to growth, but rather demonstrates political
expediency. It is essentially painless to tax a
group that has no voice on the imposition of the
tax. I do not support Measure M because it creates
an additional barrier to entry for new businesses.
This tax is imposed on a small constituency who
create jobs and provide the services that make
Redwood City a vibrant community.
Barbara Pierce: Yes. I support both measures.
(continues on page 21)
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