cfsthead

Questions of candidates

The questions below have been submitted to local candidates running for election on November 6, 2012. There are two sets of questions. The first set consists of questions asked of Santa Cruz City Council candidates, of which there are eight: Pamela Comstock, Jake Fusari, Don Lane, Cynthia Mathews, Richelle Noroyan, CeCe Pinheiro, Steve Pleich and Micah Posner.

The second (shorter) set consists of questions asked of the two Fifth District Supervisorial candidates—Eric Hammer and Bruce McPherson—and two of the candidates running for the Capitola City Council, who are Jacques Bertrand and Dennis Norton.

We'll be posting candidates' reponses on this page as we receive them.

The first set—for the Santa Cruz City Council
  1. The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which is formulated by our Regional Transportation Commission, serves as a guide for transportation projects in Santa Cruz County.
    1. Are you familiar with this document?
    2. The current RTP accords top priority to Highway 1 widening projects. Would you support a re-ordering of project priorities in the RTP such that Highway 1 widening projects are not our top priority?
    3. The Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project, costing in excess of $23 million, is now under construction. Part of this project involves the replacement of the La Fonda bridge by a new longer bridge that will provide space for eight lanes of Highway 1. What are your opinions this project? Was it a wise expenditure of funds? Do you favor continuing with the next planned auxiliary lanes segment—from Soquel Drive to 41st Avenue?
    4. Currently being considered is the replacement of the Highway 1 bridge over the San Lorenzo River. Do you favor this project? (Please explain your answer.)
  2. Other transportation-related projects include the following:
    1. Needed repairs of local streets and roads.
    2. Improvements to the Santa Cruz Branch Line Rail corridor, including design and construction of a rail trail lying mainly adjacent to the rail tracks, and implementation of passenger rail service for either recreational or commute purposes.
    3. Improvement and enhancement of our county-wide bus system.
    4. Improved infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.
    5. Other measures aimed at reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), especially for single-occupant vehicles, so as to address global warming issues (CO2 emissions, in particular).

    Please indicate how you would prioritize projects as categorized above. Please express your reasoning.

  3. Until last year, the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District provided weekend service to Big Basin State Park, which allowed people to visit Big Basin without using a car. However, last September this service was discontinued for budgetary reasons. Would you actively support reinstating this service?
  4. Cabrillo College is a major mid-county traffic generator. Efforts to reduce the use of autos by students, staff and faculty have not been adequate to date. What steps would you take to increase the use of non-auto modes of transportation to and from Cabrillo College?
  5. The Climate Action Plan for the City of Santa Cruz is undergoing environmental review and has yet to be adopted. The June 2012 draft is available here.
    1. Are you familiar with this plan?
    2. Please express your opinions on goals and policies outlined in this plan, especially those of Chapter 5, related to Transportation and Land use. (Page 46 of the draft plan has a summary table.)
  6. Santa Cruz is apparently reconsidering a proposal to implement two-way traffic on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. What is your opinion of this proposal?
  7. Several U.S. communities have implemented “Cyclovias”—temporary car-free streets days—such as being tried by “Santa Cruz Open Streets” on October 7 (see this page and this page). Would you support continuing such an effort in Santa Cruz?
  8. King Street is an important bike commuter corridor alternative to Mission Street. However it is currently unsafe for bicyclists owing to its lack of bike lanes and high auto traffic during commute hours. Department of Public Works staff seem reluctant to reduce auto traffic on King Street, even though this corridor serves many school children.
    What would you do to make King Street safe for bicyclists and pedestrians, especially for children commuting to school?
  9. In 2008, in response to a Campaign for Sensible Transportation presentation, the City Council shelved plans for a five story parking garage at the location where the Downtown Farmers Market meets. At that time the Campaign recommended a series of incentives for the downtown workforce to commute to their jobs by bus, bike, foot and carpool. These incentives could be funded by increased parking permit fees. They would not only reduce traffic in town, but free up parking downtown as well. Would you support such an incentive program?
The second set—for the 5th District Supervisors and the Capitola City Council
more 
  1. The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which is formulated by our Regional Transportation Commission, serves as a guide for transportation projects in Santa Cruz County.
    1. Are you familiar with this document?
    2. The current RTP accords top priority to Highway 1 widening projects. Would you support a re-ordering of project priorities in the RTP such that Highway 1 widening projects are not our top priority?
    3. The Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project, costing in excess of $23 million, is now under construction. Part of this project involves the replacement of the La Fonda bridge by a new longer bridge that will provide space for eight lanes of Highway 1. What are your opinions this project? Was it a wise expenditure of funds? Do you favor continuing with the next planned auxiliary lanes segment—from Soquel Drive to 41st Avenue?
    4. Currently being considered is the replacement of the Highway 1 bridge over the San Lorenzo River. Do you favor this project? (Please explain your answer.)
  2. Other transportation-related projects include the following:
    1. Needed repairs of local streets and roads.
    2. Improvements to the Santa Cruz Branch Line Rail corridor, including design and construction of a rail trail lying mainly adjacent to the rail tracks, and implementation of passenger rail service for either recreational or commute purposes.
    3. Improvement and enhancement of our county-wide bus system.
    4. Improved infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.
    5. Other measures aimed at reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), especially for single-occupant vehicles, so as to address global warming issues (CO2 emissions, in particular).

    Please indicate how you would prioritize projects as categorized above. Please express your reasoning.

  3. Until last year, the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District provided weekend service to Big Basin State Park, which allowed people to visit Big Basin without using a car. However, last September this service was discontinued for budgetary reasons. Would you actively support reinstating this service?
  4. Cabrillo College is a major mid-county traffic generator. Efforts to reduce the use of autos by students, staff and faculty have not been adequate to date. What steps would you take to increase the use of non-auto modes of transportation to and from Cabrillo College?
 less