Pleasanton must protect finances, address housing
A term-limit shakeup will leave the Pleasanton City Council with two new council members and perhaps a new mayor next year — and, unlike in many cities, they won’t be walking into a financial crisis from the economic downturn.
But there will be budget challenges, decisions about the future of the city’s policing and, as always in Pleasanton, an ongoing debate about how much and what type of housing the city needs. The candidates best prepared for the tasks are Jerry Pentin for mayor and Jack Balch and Nancy Allen for City Council.
After a good start a few years ago, officials must do more to address Pleasanton’s public employee retirement debt, pegged last year at $185 million. But, at least for now, city officials’ cautious financial planning over the past decade has left it with minimal other debt and strong reserves.
Unlike many other cities, Pleasanton did not ramp up hiring after the Great Recession, instead opting to work more efficiently with the staff it had. Unburdened by the expanded payrolls many other cities face, Pleasanton had strong reserves, and its leaders were better positioned to make swift budget adjustments when the pandemic hit. They quickly set aside money to prepare for a long-term economic downturn.
Voters should look for candidates who will continue the city’s responsible approach to finances, recognize the need for more affordable homes to house people who work in the city, and thoughtfully address the future of policing.
The Nov. 3 election has the feel of musical chairs. Jerry Thorne must give up his mayoral post because of the city’s eight-year term limit. And Pentin and Karla Brown must give up their City Council seats for the same reason, so they are both running for mayor.
Mayor — Pentin
Of the four candidates running for mayor, Pentin and Brown are the only ones with experience to prepare them for the top post. Both subscribe to the city’s sage, conservative approach to budgeting, and both, like all the candidates for mayor and City Council, see the need to supplement, not replace, the city’s police force with people trained to handle mental health issues.
The key difference between Pentin and Brown is growth. Brown still clings to a slowgrowth mantra that fails to address the critical need for more housing, especially in a city that’s a major regional employer.
Pleasanton has about 1.5 times as many jobs as workers who live in the city — the thirdworst ratio for an East Bay city, behind only Emeryville and Walnut Creek. The city needs to step up and provide more places for workers to live, which Pentin understands.
Of the other two candidates, Monith Ilavarasan, a tech industry product manager, clearly articulates the need for more housing. But he lacks the grounding to be mayor, not
having run for office before or served on any city panel. He should consider applying for an appointment to the city’s Planning Commission rather than trying to cut his political teeth on the top elective post.
Similarly, Tom Turpel, a project manager and multimedia developer, is running for office for the first time — but he offered little compelling reason for his candidacy.
City Council — Balch, Allen
Like in the race for mayor, the strongest candidates for City Council are those with solid city government experience. Jack Balch and Nancy Allen, the standouts in the sevenway race, are both members of the city Planning Commission.
Allen, who held key corporate management positions before retiring, provided the clearest answers about the need for affordable housing — that it needs to be close to transit and that the city has plenty of highend homes already.
Balch also has a strong understanding of the city’s housing issues. Allen and Balch had, by far, the best grasp of the city’s finances. Balch is a certified public accountant, which would make him a key contributor to the City Council’s financial discussions.
We interviewed six of the seven candidates. Attorney Jarod Buna did not participate. The others — Chiman Lee, operations director for an e-waste solutions company; Pleasanton school Trustee Valerie Arkin; Realtor Randy Brown; and Zarina Kiziloglu, a member of the city Housing Commission — might be strong candidates in another field of candidates, but Balch and Allen easily top this one.