Filseth, DuBois and Cormack are best choices in Palo Alto
It’s troubling that a city with Palo Alto’s resources is so heavily weighed down by retirement debt. When measured on a per household basis, the city has one of the largest local government pension shortfalls in California.
While residents’ focus has been on housing, transportation and related growth issues, voters’ first priority should be electing council members who will work to get the city’s financial house in order. The alternative is a future with limited services.
Five candidates are running for three seats on the council, which is shrinking from nine to seven members with this election. We recommend voters re-elect incumbents Eric Filseth and Tom DuBois, and support firsttime candidate Alison Cormack. They are best suited to deal with Palo Alto’s challenging financial outlook.
Filseth, having served on the city’s finance committee, is particularly well-versed on the pension issue. His chief concern is taking steps to keep pension costs, which now account for 8 percent of general fund spending, from growing to 20 percent in the next 5-10 years. He was a strong advocate for paring $4 million from the city’s budget this summer to sock away funds to reduce the pension shortfall.
Filseth advocates keeping Palo Alto a moderate-density town. His background as a former vice president at Cadence and CEO of Ciranova will serve the council well as it considers hotly debated growth issues.
DuBois also has a good understanding of Palo Alto’s pension troubles. A former CEO who now works for Google, DuBois advocates reducing next year’s budget by another $4 million and setting it aside to help address the pension shortfall. He aligns with Filseth on contentious growth issues that have divided the council.
DuBois’ critics attack his positions on housing, but a review of his voting record shows he supports reasonable projects that have been properly vetted.
Cormack, who is bright, articulate and a good listener, could help end the council divisiveness over growth. A retired former Google and HewlettPackard worker with a Stanford MBA, she has a passion for the city at a level seldom seen among candidates. And she has a good understanding of the pension problem.
Palo Alto residents know her primarily for her leadership on the $76 million Mitchell Library bond voters passed in 2008, after it had been previously rejected. Her main focus is on traffic and affordable housing issues that plague the city. She wants to implement a more robust shuttle system and consider putting senior affordable housing at the Cubberley Community Center.
The other two candidates are incumbent Cory Wolbach and challenger Pat Boone.
Wolbach, a community relations consultant, is smart and does his homework. He is a good alternative for voters who favor greater growth in Palo Alto.
Boone, a television broadcaster who moved to Palo Alto two years ago, chose not to participate in our editorial board process. To be taken seriously as a candidate, Boone should first serve on a city commission and become more engaged in city issues.