October 2, 2020

Letter to the Editor: Mountain View City Council – Elections matter

Mountain View voters rejected Measure D by a 70%-30% margin in March of this year.  Measure D had been crafted to undermine the 2016 legislated rent stabilization measure (the Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act or “CSFRA”).  Under Measure D, rents this year would have risen 4%-8% when one includes amounts for liberalized pass through of costs to renters.  Under …

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October 1, 2020

Editorial: Mountain View needs experienced hands on council

Showalter’s passion for Mountain View and public service shines through. She was elected to the City Council in 2014 but narrowly failed in her 2018 reelection bid. Despite losing, she remained active in Mountain View, serving on seven different boards and commissions. Showalter, a civil engineer, is a great listener and has a well-deserved reputation for helping the city work …

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February 21, 2020

Measure D undermines rent control

I’m voting against Measure D, here’s why you should too: Measure D undermines the CSFRA, our current rent stabilization law. It reduces protections for renters by setting rent increases higher than the existing system and increases returns for landlords by making the standards for rent increase exceptions much broader. Because of the housing crisis and the homelessness epidemic, those renter …

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September 11, 2018

Keep it civil: Don’t vandalize campaign signs

I have always loved the political signs that come out before elections. Colorful signs with upbeat messages illustrate how many people are willing to step up to run for public office. That’s a positive thing in our democracy. When I was a kid in Virginia, most had to do with federal elections. Here most signs are about local elections.

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