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BARBARA GILBERT’S STATEMENT AND PLATFORM


About Barbara Gilbert By A Supporter

Who is Barbara Gilbert? The independent candidate, not part of a machine. The bold candidate, not afraid to put her positions out there for the world to consider, not afraid of "offending" the powers that be by making intelligent proposals. The humble candidate, willing to change course if an idea turns out to be a bad one. The educated candidate, following every nook and cranny of every meeting, a "policy wonk" if there was one. The visionary candidate, who believes that if Berkeley "rediscovers" fiscal discipline it will be able to provide a better future for EVERY citizen without having to fear service cuts. The grassroots candidate, who wants to earn voters' confidence person by person, rather than simply inheriting the incumbent's mantle. The practical candidate, who realizes that spending ourselves into bankruptcy is the surest way to fail the needy. The neighborhood candidate, who realizes that every neighborhood has needs, not just the neighborhoods with drug dealers on the corners. The neighborhood candidate who rolls up her sleeves and spends Saturdays meeting with associations from around town.


From Barbara Gilbert

We mostly love Berkeley, but Berkeley can do better. “Politics as usual” has brought us fiscal and social disarray. I want sensible policies that: protect District 5 and the City’s financially-strapped middle-class families and retirees; maintain public safety and safety net services; respect the concerns and quality of life in all Berkeley neighborhoods; promote properly-scaled buildings plus parking for development and commerce; revive Downtown; fix our decaying infrastructure; restore Good Government. Creek rules should not punish homeowners. Wonderful businesses like La Farine should be welcomed into the neighborhood. Berkeley’s property taxes are already the highest in the state, but what are we really getting? Unless budgetary and program monitoring changes are made, deficits will escalate along with the need for more taxes. It’s unfair to rely on homeowners to pay for all of the services used by all residents and rich tax-exempt institutions. Having lived here for 35 years and having many years of combined service as mayoral aide, commission member, public policy consultant, and community advocate, I bring knowledge of Berkeley, policy expertise, and solid experience at City Hall. My goals, abundant experience, and deep commitment to our community’s future ensure that you will have superb representation.




• BARBARA GILBERT IS A VOICE FOR DISTRICT 5

Amend creeks ordinance to provide sensible regulation that does not restrict owner rebuilding rights in the event of disaster. Immediately rescind the current owner rebuilding restrictions. Consider partial transfer tax rebate for creek/culvert repair and other tax abatement mechanisms. Provide for comprehensive notice to affected owners.

Welcome La Farine and other vibrant businesses into the neighborhood.

Assess and obtain a fair share of traffic circles and other traffic-calming tools.

Communicate with all members of the District and play a mediating role when conflicts arise.


• BARBARA GILBERT IS A VOICE FOR HOMEOWNERS, TAXPAYERS, RETIREES, AND LONG-TERM RESIDENTS

Oppose all new City taxes until the City’s fiscal house is in order.

Decrease taxes on homeowners relative to other population sectors. Spread the fair share cost of government to all residents and service users, including students, renters, the University, and other wealthy tax-exempt institutions. Aggressively pursue the $13M annual payment for services owed by UC and implement a similar approach with our other wealthy tax-exempt institutions. Impose development impact and mitigation fees. Collect all unpaid taxes owed by developers.

Promote fiscal, tax, and programmatic measures that preserve and expand the irreplaceable middle-class homeowner segment of Berkeley and decrease the City’s movement toward a place for just the rich and the poor.

Give Berkeley residents preference for City jobs and contracts, publicly-subsidized housing, and other municipal goods and services.


• BARBARA GILBERT IS A VOICE FOR FISCAL AND PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY

Reduce the cost and size of City government.

Obtain greater City employee contribution to the pension system (as recommended by the Citizen’s Budget Review Commission), eliminate the supplemental pension cashout system, and secure further City employee contributions to the budget crisis as warranted.

Implement better City management procedures, including outcome-based evaluation and performance audits of City services and staff, obtain benchmark cost figures for various City services, and undertake thorough cost/benefit analyses.

First call on City general funds and taxpayer dollars for fighting crime, fighting fire, fighting epidemics and other disasters, fixing the physical infrastructure, and maintaining safety-net and community agency services for the truly needy.

Oppose any efforts to minimize drug dealing, prostitution, medically-unwarranted marijuana cultivation, and other crime-producing activities. Support community-involved policing.

Budget for and implement necessary capital improvements to the City infrastructure, including the creek/culvert infrastructure, in a timely and responsible fashion.



• BARBARA GILBERT IS A VOICE FOR RESTORING AND REVITALIZING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE

Stringently curtail University and institutional expansion into Downtown and our neighborhoods.

Commercially revitalize Downtown, University Avenue, and other commercial corridors. Reconsider City policies toward certain chain stores insofar as some quality anchor tenants may be a desirable commercial ingredient and stimulus. Provide local merchants with the necessary support systems and surrounding vitality. Ease the permit process for desirable new businesses without sacrificing neighborhood input.

Provide adequate parking to support development and retail uses. Develop municipal satellite and pocket parking lots within walking distance of Downtown and other commercial areas and supplement these with an intra-city shuttle service between major commercial areas. Consider a Municipal Parking Authority.

Implement a professional-quality economic development program.

Create a better land use permit enforcement system.

Support the proposed Downtown hotel/museum complex as an exciting and appropriate project for the Downtown, in line with the recent comprehensive recommendations of the Planning Commission subcommittee.

Institute measures to lower the height and density of most development and promote neighborhood-friendly development. Reconsider the level and scope of inclusionary housing and density bonus regulations.

Create more quality middle-income home ownership opportunities in multi-unit buildings, including new condominium construction and conversions.


• BARBARA GILBERT IS A VOICE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT

Support the excellent work of the City Clerk’s office in maintaining access and records.

Reverse the trend toward nonpublic, unresponsive, and inaccessible decision-making.

Reverse the trend toward excessive mayoral control of government.

Reverse the trend toward uninformed decision-making due to incomplete or non-timely production of information.

Establish a community task force to consider a range of serious “investments in democracy” (when and only when we can afford them) and other structural changes, such as public financing of campaigns, expansion of City Council to include two at-large members, appropriate City charter revisions, payment of better Council compensation, and other possible improvements to our civic democracy.
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