Let the record show that Greg David has never smoked marijuana, not that there is anything wrong with that. Having two older brothers and an older sister to test the trials and tribulations of youth for him, he never needed to try it growing up.
Just because his brother chooses to provide Safe and Affordable Access to Medical Cannabis in Mountain View should have no bearing on HIS ability to perform the duties of a city councilperson. Thanks for supporting him on his quest to become the "peoples" choice.
Best Regards,
Brian David
Executive Director
Shoreline Wellness Collective
PO Box 352
Mountain View, CA 94042

Mountain view city council has done a very poor job when it comes to ethics and salaries,pensions,overtime pays,travel expenses,interest free loands to buy homes,etc... I don't think any of the current member to be a ethically right person. I don't plan to vote for any of these persons Unless I hear from them how they are going stop this overtime pay abuse, pensions,high salaries of the city mananger,attorney,etc..
I think the culture of corruption will just continue as long as the people are ignorant and oblivious to what is happening in this city.

Re Jupiterk:

I assume that you speak of Mountain view and if so, I challenge you to give any evidence of your so "culture of corruption" at Mountain View. Until ignorant people like you actually get the facts (or at least explain your silly, silly statements), it is all merely mumbo-jumbo, sensationalized, McCarthyism style writing in an attempt to stir up resentment.

Check out the following links for fighting ignorance. Next thing you know, you'll be telling us all how the city and state is not going bankrupt due to insider deals in local and state government.

Web Link

Web Link

Re: Clyde
I already red those articles. Again, where is the so called "corruption"? Instead of throwing blanket links, please offer some substance.

I tend to agree that there is no evidence of corruption in these articles, nor have I heard solid evidence for it elsewhere. Our city's public employee salaries seem to be generally consistent with other comparable cities in our area. If these salaries are objectionable to you, what do you think would be more appropriate? Maybe it would be informative if we knew more about the day-to-day activities of these officials since most of us probably only think of them sitting with taciturn faces at City Council Meetings.

I found the following comment in the linked article interesting: "Running a small city can be more difficult in some respects," (--Steven Frates, director of research at the Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy). I wonder why?

While the Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Planning (MVCSP) advocates for denser development around transit stations and commercial nodes, we believe single family neighborhoods are an integral part of Mountain View and should remain as-is.

Jarrett
Member of MVCSP

I've lived in Mountain View for ten years and have been active in city issues. I've worked directly with the City Staff on several occasions. I find them to be hard working and professional. While I envy their retirement benefits, I don't think they are grossly overpaid. They benefit from having a union that fights for them -- I wish I had that in the corporate world where upper management has increasingly taken all the benefits for themselves, making 100s or 1000s of times the average employee. While at the same time corporate taxes have continued to shrink as a percentage of state revenue.

To say that the City Council is overpaid or corrupt is also wrong. They work huge numbers of hours for very little compensation and, in my experience, try to make decisions that they believe to be best for the community. I don't always agree with the majority, but that's democracy. However, I look forward to hearing specifics from the new candidates about what issues they would decide differently. "Bringing common sense" won't cut it for me.

I notice quite a few commentators remarking about corruption which may or may not be a fact. My question is: If there is corruption, why hasn't the "Mountain View Voice" been reporting it? In my view, the paper assumes a typical "boosterism" approach to current events, with little muckraking or controversy.

+1, TenYears.

During the past decade that I've lived here, I've found Mountain View city government to be surprisingly professional and competent, as compared to some of its peers in the Bay Area. I don't always agree with their policies or decisions, but their ethics and approach to City matters is transparent.

Mountain View excels in being diverse and holding a balance between often times competing interests. That's not an easy job to navigate. And yet, we have a vibrant downtown, wonderful performing arts, high real estate values, good schools, and numerous top and emerging companies that show grow current growth and future potential. Not too shabby.

We are lucky to have Google as part of our tax base, and the Council is so proud about a balanced budget. It reminds me of the good days of California when the government and the unions feel they could just spend the State away without even being noticed. Well, the State is in such a bad financial shape, and yet the unions refuse to their part to share the pain that all private sector works are feeling, and yet at the cost of our tax payers. This could happen to this city, unless put an end to the outrageous compensation they are receiving on our money.