|
|
|
Uploaded: Saturday, October 13, 2012, 9:04 AM
Updated: Sunday, October 14, 2012, 10:47 AM
Weekly endorses Cook-Kallio for mayor; Pentin, Brown for City Council
|
|
by Jeb Bing
Pleasanton Weekly Staff
Photo
 | The Pleasanton Weekly Friday endorsed Cheryl-Cook-Kallio for mayor and Planning Commission chairman Jerry Pentin and businesswoman Karla Brown for election to the City Council in the current municipal election.
The three are among five candidates seeking election to succeed Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, who is termed out this year after eight years as mayor, and council members Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan, whose terms also end after eight years of service.
In addition to the three the Weekly endorsed, two others also are campaigning for election. They are Councilman Jerry Thorne, seeking election as mayor, and transportation consultant Erlene DeMarcus, who is running for City Council.
The Pleasanton Weekly's endorsement editorial follows:
"With the current City Council breaking up after serving an unprecedented six years together, Pleasanton voters have an opportunity again to choose from among five well-qualified candidates. Four of them will be assuming stewardship roles as mayor and members of a new council to face the city's challenges in the years ahead.
Of the two seeking the mayor's post -- Council members Jerry Thorne and Cheryl Cook-Kallio -- the choice is especially tough because both have been strong colleagues in making pension reform, fiscal restraints, land use and transportation decisions that will ensure that the city maintain its forward momentum.
Our preference for mayor is Cheryl Cook-Kallio, who's been a valuable, problem-solving council member with helpful connections in Sacramento and Washington. An active Democrat, Cook-Kallio doesn't wear any party affiliation on her sleeve.
She has endorsements from business and union organizations and, importantly, from Tri-Valley, Alameda County, regional and state government leaders. If she needs help on a regional issue, she has many close contacts who will quickly take her call and give our city a hand.
We like the fact that she supported highly controversial issues such as the Oak Grove housing development, worked against a citizens' referendum that stopped the plan, favored the less-onerous Measure QQ over the restrictive Measure PP hillside building ban that voters approved, and campaigned vigorously to extend Stoneridge Drive to El Charro Road in Livermore. She weathered frequent grubbings at City Council meetings by very vocal critics without flinching.
Jerry Thorne, who will stay on the council for another two years, is more reserved than Cook-Kallio, a trait the council needs. He is a skilled administrator and retired corporate vice president who became intensely involved in city and civic affairs upon leaving his private sector career.
His supporters come from all parts of Pleasanton and praise, rightly so, Thorne's commitment to business, a sustainable city employee pension program and his work with the League of California Cities and many other agencies. He especially deserves accolades for his support of veterans. There's hardly a time when a soldier is welcomed home to Pleasanton that Thorne isn't the first to be there with an official city proclamation.
For City Council, we are endorsing Planning Commission Chairman Jerry Pentin and businesswoman Karla Brown. We like the third candidate, Erlene DeMarcus, whose credentials as a BART board member years ago include helping to bring BART to Pleasanton. But, frankly, we just haven't seen that much of DeMarcus at City Council meetings or city and civic events.
Over the coming months, we urge her to become more visible to us and the voting public and possibly run again next June when voters will choose a fifth council member to fill the seat vacated by either Thorne or Cook-Kallio.
Pentin, a Pleasanton businessman, has served on a number of city commissions and advisory groups since moving here 21 years ago. He was honored with the Mayor's Award in 2008, with a list of achievements that he's reinforced ever since. He's our choice for election to the City Council.
So is Karla Brown, who is making her second bid for a seat on the council, where there are two openings with Council members Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan both termed out. Although we favored the Oak Grove development, which she and former Councilwoman Kay Ayala joined together in opposing, we share her current position as an opponent of Measure B1, which would add another half-cent in sales tax to an Alameda County transportation plan.
Brown is active in a number of business and civic groups in Pleasanton, where she has lived for the last 20 years.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
|
|
| Comments
|
Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2012 at 1:58 am Interesting that this is just a rehash of the article published Friday - which has been taking off the Weekly's site. Perhaps Cook-Kalio had a problem with the fact that only 2 of the 18 comments were in her favor and made a call to her friends at the Weekly.
By running on the lie that she's pro-pension reform, yet fully backed and financed by unions - I have to ask just how dumb does she think Pleasanton is?
|
|
Posted by local, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2012 at 10:14 am Cook-Kalio has the public employee unions working for her and calling voters to get her elected. She must have promised them that there would be no pension reform with her as mayor. No way they would all be supporting her if she planned to do anything to work on pension reform or our unfunded liabilities.
|
|
Posted by Why?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2012 at 10:19 am PW - you undermine your credibility with antics like this - e.g. republishing the same story with the hope of burying critical comments.
If we are misinterpreting your actions, maybe you could explain them. Otherwise they will remain to be highly suspicious.
|
|
Posted by Mitch, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2012 at 2:42 pm White washing the comments is inexcusable.
|
|
Posted by Concerned, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2012 at 9:59 pm PW has always been pro union and is part of the union stooges.
|
|
Posted by what!, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 15, 2012 at 8:38 am ". . .doesn't wear any party affiliation on her sleeve." is an absolute joke!! How many pictures of cook-kallio with pete stark has the Weekly printed in the last 9 months? One of them was at a fundraiser for Stark. And look at her endorsements--the very first one is the democratic party!! Then lets think about the fliers for her 2 fundraisers--the list of names on it were a who's who of the democratic party. there were at most 1 or 2 pleasanton names on the list. Speaks volumes for where her priorities are--not with Pleasanton!!
". . .supported by business." Huh? Didn't the Chamber endorse Thorne for Mayor. Aren't they the voice for business?
What's behind this endorsement? The reasoning presented is certainly flawed.
|
|
Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 15, 2012 at 8:56 am At least the article was removed by Monday. Shameful weekly, shameful.
|
|
Posted by Taxpayer, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 15, 2012 at 3:34 pm Topping the list of issues to be solved in Pleasanton (like many municipalities), is dealing with the lack of public union sustainability, as currently structured.
As nice as Ms Cook-Kallio is, I question having a public union member and activist as the driver and decider of putting options on the table. ?
|
|
Posted by Larry, a resident of Livermore, on Oct 17, 2012 at 9:38 am Anyone that thinks the unions are not putting union stooges in office are watching to many cartoons. Of course they are backing people, and giving them money, and having the union members vote for them. Then it's payback time. You have to know that. Ms.Cook-Kallio is in fact part of the union that is taking over everywhere, why would anyone be surprised.
|
|
Posted by Partisanship?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:13 pm Did you get the bundle on your doorstep from Thorne? Mauser for Senate, yes on 30 and he is on the Republican slate. REALLY?
That aside, being part of a party is not the issue. It is whether you can work with others and represent all segments of the community.
Cook-Kallio is the best choice. She has shown that she can work with everyone. She is courageous and has shown leadership.
|
|
Posted by partisanship?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:14 pm *yes on 32, forgive the typo!
|
|
Posted by Union hostages !!, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:24 pm How can we ever break free. How can we ever vote on other issues needed by 'the people'. Union greed is destroying every other aspect of our lives in the entire state of CA. Shame on PW. Cheryl is nice, but nice doesn't cut it! simply not enough. Voters need to vote for voter's needs, but there is nothing left when unions suck the life blood OUT of EVERYTHING else ! ! !
Shame on PW...Wrong choice for Pleasanton. Sad. No 'party' is going to change the effects of their errors.
|
|
Posted by Union hostages !!, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:34 pm partner... whatever, you better make your 'typo correction' REALLY, REALLY, clear, your bundle was NOT 30... those kind of 'mistakes' are stupid and serious....
Should be NO on 30, NO on 30, no on 30, and
32 YES, 32 YES, 32 YES.............
|
|
Posted by Benson, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 27, 2012 at 4:14 am Corporations buying off politicians? YES!
Teachers and students? NO!
All Californians, all the fruits and nuts, need to get their priorities straight.
No on 30! Yes on 32!
Unionized workers should do what job creating heroes tell them to do: shut up and get to work. Leave matters of buying off politicians to corporations. Teachers? Quit flaunting your wealth with that brand new KIA and give us back our tax money!
|
|
Posted by Can't wait to see an investigative report, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 30, 2012 at 7:25 am Speaking of Demarcus, but this would make a fascinating in depth investigative reporting article. Demarcus was a consultant for James Tong regarding a project in Pleasanton regarding Vintage Hills shopping center that New Leaf is currently going in to (demolishing it and building high density housing) and interestingly, did not address the Pleasanton City Council on any matters at all related to ‘transportation.’ Demarcus operates under the Fictitous Business Name of The Demarcus Group, but did not define that name until quite recently -- August 14, 2008.
Also, she was present and sitting next to James Tong, Martin Inderbitzen, and paid consultant Tom Pico and architects in many of of the Oak Grove hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council in Pleasanton City Council Chambers between 2006 and 2007.
Also, she was present and sitting next to James Tong in the Promenade rezoning hearings in Dublin and photographed sitting next to James Tong in the City Council Chambers on September 20, 2011. If she has not worked for James Tong for 10 years, why is she sitting with James Tong with his team of representatives at all of these public hearings?
And let’s not forget her personally arranging for Jennifer Hosterman to use the Chabot Drive Charter Properties Suite 100 location for her mayoral campaign in October 2004 to put mailing labels of 15,000 pieces of Jennifer Hosterman mailers.
What a coincidence!!!
And let's not forget that in 2010 Erlene Demarcus who has obtained thousands of dollars from people with the last name of Tong and Lin is listed as Secretary where Mei-Chun Lin is President for the Boulder Creek Foundation in filings with the Federal government from 2010. If Demarcus claims no business relationship with Tong/Lin in 10 years, why is she listed on forms for a 2010 business filed with the Federal Government?
Mei-Chun Lin is associated with Chang Su-O Lin and Frederic Lin in the Fairway Family Community LP/Fairway Family Community Apts LP company and Dublin Ranch Senior Apartments projects in Dublin as well as being the head of Boulder Creek LLC.
|
|
|
| |
|
Send this story
Print this story
