Meet Karla Brown, Candidate For Pleasanton Mayor

PLEASANTON, CA — Learn more about Karla Brown, who is running for re-election as Pleasanton mayor.

1. Why are you running for re-election?

I am running for re-election because I believe I am the right person to address the challenges facing Pleasanton for 2022-2024. With 10 years of elected leadership behind me, I have built a reputation for addressing new challenges, exploring solutions and working together to get things done. In my job as Mayor, it has been an honor to serve as an advocate for our residents, our generous non-profits and the diverse businesses community of Pleasanton.

2. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the city?

Finalizing Pleasanton’s Housing Element will be a key to our future. The city does not build new homes, but we zone land for homes. The state has required us to zone land for almost 6000 housing units. I envision these housing units will be primarily located in transit rich areas, and others will be dispersed throughout Pleasanton to balance infrastructure and school demands. Retail options will remain at Stoneridge as we work on an updated the Stoneridge Mall Framework. These tasks will be very important to the region. I want to hear from our residents and learn how they envision a reimagined Stoneridge Mall area, with new expansions to accommodate additional housing, support the transit in the area and improve the location for walkability. This area should feel like Pleasanton with upscale buildings and housing which is desirable to young professionals and young families, yet still have a mix of affordable housing as well.

3. How do you intend to address it?

I have great confidence in this city council and our Pleasanton city staff, which is outstanding. I am also proud to have been a leader while this council selected our new City Manager, Mr. Gerry Beaudin. Clearly, we are building a younger and more diverse team of directors and department leaders. The retirement of former directors and the former city manager gave us the opportunity to build and strengthen our city staff as we take on tough projects and situations. It has been an honor to service with all 4 council colleagues that ask good questions, have unique experiences and share their support or concerns for agenda items, in their effort to find a balanced solution. On occasion we disagree, but we do it with respect.

4. What should be done to solve the affordable housing crisis?

Most elected officials will agree, there is no easy nor inexpensive solution to the affordable/lower income housing shortage. To help address the high cost of housing in areas like Silicon Valley, Cupertino, Palo Alto and San Jose, I would like to see more jobs dispersed throughout the Bay Area and into the outlying areas. For example, bringing jobs to the Tri-Valley will improve affordability (because housing is less expensive in the Tri-Valley than in these areas), and it will reduce commute times. Super commutes often leave parents away from their families for extended times. More jobs in the Tri-Valley will offer local residents a life balance that may be missing. We still need plumbers, car mechanics, electricians and more, but the state’s goals for more housing can displace light industrial businesses and jobs. We have many job centers in Pleasanton such as Hacienda, Stoneridge Business Park, the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone. Our city has wonderful sites for high paying jobs, and I want to retain that as a benefit for our residents and our city’s finances. Recent changes in California State laws often restrict local government’s ability to improve projects so they look and feel like Pleasanton. As a Mayor, I am trying to balance infrastructure, water needs, local jobs along with more houses, and the formula is not simple.

5. What do you think the city can do to maintain water security?

I am a member of two regional water groups, one as a liaison to Zone 7 who supplies 80% of our drinking water, and two as a member of the Tri-Valley Water Roundtable. When we meet, a major topic of discussion is always increasing water supplies. I also support the Delta Conveyance and the construction of the Site’s Reservoir for addition water storage and higher quality drinking water. As a city, we will continue to look at options for increased water quality and quantity.

6. What can the city do to help its downtown and small businesses?

The City of Pleasanton will continue to support our downtown and small business by providing nearly $1.5 million dollars in City loans and Alameda County grants. We have approved many parklets for outdoor dining in the public right away, even at the loss of valuable parking spaces. The success of our restaurants and retail businesses downtown is a direct reflection of our residents investing time and money to keep a vital and thriving downtown alive and well. Successful businesses and retail throughout our city are key factors in the city’s financial health as well. Trust me, I have also done my part to dine and shop in Pleasanton – supporting our “Shop Local” campaign. I also enjoy coming downtown during our first weekend of the month for street closures, which have become a fun and regional attraction.

7. What is your idea of responsible development?

Responsible development in my opinion, pays for all of its impacts to the community. Responsible development blends within the City and provides funding to cover the cost of adding classrooms for new students within our schools, adds funding for additional water capacity and pipes in the street, adding sewer capacity, adding funding to cover the use of more library users, more funding for roads, parks and more. There must be a nexus between the new impacts and the funding to cover the additional resources needed by the newest residents.

8. What other issues are important to you?

I am very proud that working together our city, our councilmembers, local businesses, and our residents coped with the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. We should be proud of the over 10,000 vaccines that were administrated at our regional vaccination site at the Fairgrounds, plus the use of the senior center which was helpful to support vaccines for the school district employees, and for our students. For our most vulnerable residents, last year alone, the Pleasanton Senior Lunch Program run by Open Heart Kitchen served more than 40,000 meals to seniors, while also operating the regional food distribution site that supported thousands of residents with food insecurities.

9. If applicable, what is your political party?

I do not talk about political parties, because this is a non-partisan position where national issues are not decided at the city level.

10. How long have you lived in Pleasanton?

30 years.

11. If you didn’t grow up there, what brought you to the city?

I moved to Pleasanton and raised my 3 daughters here. I was drawn to Pleasanton by the scenic ridgelines and open space, beautiful historic downtown, low crime within a safe city, a small town with a family-friendly community, great soccer and sports for kids and adults, and less crowded than where I moved from which was Fremont.

12. What experience do you have serving the community?

I began as an advocate for protecting and preserving our scenic ridgelines to the south. After collecting signatures from Pleasanton voters, we earned two spots on the ballot for Measure PP and Measure D, which both were passed by the voters. That followed 8 years of service as a City Councilmember, and two years as an elected Mayor. As Mayor, it has been an honor to serve as an advocate for our residents, non-profits, and businesses of Pleasanton. I have had the privilege to volunteer and support many local non-profits that help to support our outstanding community such as Open Heart Kitchen, Culinary Angels, Heavenly Sleep, Goodness Village, HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, Tri-Valley Conservancy, One Nation Dream Makers, Spectrum Community Services-Meals on Wheels, and many more. I take great pride in my public outreach, and the more than a thousand residents I have had the pleasure to meet over the past 2 years. I listen closely to their goals and concerns for Pleasanton, and I do my best to implement these goals. We live in a wonderful community of volunteers and together we have all helped to provide support for Pleasanton’s COVID recovery. As the 2ndfemale Mayor in the 127-year history of Pleasanton, I will continue to be an advocate and voice for City of Pleasanton.

12. Of which accomplishments are you most proud?

I am proud to serve as an elected member of our community, and together along with other members of this city council, we are able to support responsible development and provide services for those in need.

13. What is your education?

I am a life-long learner with a Bachelor of Science Degree from San Jose State University.

14. Tell us about your family.

I would prefer to keep my family private.

15. What is the best advice you ever received?

I have received many wonderful words of wisdom throughout my life. One of my favorites is, if you don’t like something, get involved to change it, which I have done over and over. Also, I have learned “The Task is to Ask.” None of us can do it alone, but together we can have fun working and volunteering together.

16. Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

When I moved to Pleasanton many years ago, it was nice, but not the outstanding city it is today. I alongside many wonderful residents, city staff members, city council members, and past mayors have worked hard to protect and preserve the best parts of Pleasanton, while allowing business and new residential development to gradually build and grow our outstanding community. Striking the balance of integration and gradual development is one of the keys to our success.

17. Please provide links to websites and social media.

My website is www.Vote4Karla.com and you may email me at Karla@Vote4Karla.com to request information, a yard sign or more .