I am happy to add another endorsement to my list. This is what they had to say in the Mercury News Editorial.
Editorial: For Sunnyvale, incumbents are the best choices
Mercury News Editorial
The status quo appears to be the best course in Sunnyvale's city council election this year, despite aggressive grass-roots challenges by candidates with strong volunteer experience.
Incumbent Otto Lee is unopposed. We recommend Ron Swegles, Dean Chu and Melinda Hamilton for re-election Nov. 6.
They are opposed in turn by Dixie Carney, David Whittum and Patrick Meyering. But the biggest name in the election may be one not on the ballot: Risch, as in Tim, the former councilman, and Yolanda, his wife, who are supporting the challengers.
The Risches aim to be a political force, developing a Web site and campaign literature with attendance records and other material presented with an anti-establishment spin. Carney, Whittum and Meyering are walking precincts but raising little money to produce their own campaign materials.
Some criticisms of the current council are legitimate. Council members reduced - but failed to end - the generous medical insurance benefit that was an issue in the last council campaign. And they sometimes dither at meetings - wasting time, for example, on a bizarre seniority system that determines the order in which their names appear on letterhead.
Other complaints about incumbents are off-base, however.
For example, they've been criticized for agreeing to pay part of the cost of cleaning up an unknown amount of pollution under the Town Center site. But getting this project back on track, with a better design, was a major accomplishment - and no private developer agrees to an open-ended cost on a project involving public land.
Another accomplishment is the plan for a new, badly needed library for Sunnyvale. Developing that plan amid competing community interests was not easy, but the incumbents reached a good conclusion based on the long-term interests of the city. The financing plan for the library, a $108 million bond, also is on this ballot as Measure B, and it deserves voters' support.
Swegles, 63, and Chu, 51, have been hard-working council members, taking on city and regional issues - Swegles focusing on housing and Chu mainly on transportation. The experience and knowledge they've gained will make them more effective in a second term.
Hamilton, 36, has taken flak for two maternity leaves during her first term, missing 24 meetings. She could have done better, but she didn't check out entirely during those times, keeping up on major issues. And overall, she has proven to be an independent and sensible voice.
Of the challengers, Carney, 65, seems the least serious, not even posting information on the League of Women Voters' Smart Voter web site. Whittum, 46, and Meyering, 53, both declined to be interviewed but have extensive material online. They're clearly qualified, but we believe the incumbents will better serve Sunnyvale.
from San Jose Mercury News, Monday, October 29, 2007 – Commentary
Ron & Gail
