December 19, 2003 To: (Name of Candidate) From: Sustainable Mill Valley Subject: Candidates' Survey, Marin County Board of Supervisors, District 3 Election Since 2000, the principles of sustainability have been guiding the ongoing update of the Countywide Plan as directed by the County Supervisors. Sustainability as defined by the Plan means "balancing economic, ecological, and social systems to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". Part of the mission of Sustainable Mill Valley is to educate the public about sustainability issues. As a public service, in light of the upcoming election for County Supervisor for District 3, we are inviting all of the candidates to participate in a survey covering their accomplishments and perspectives on sustainability issues of concern to the community. We hope you will see this as an opportunity to broaden your reach in the campaign. Sustainable Mill Valley has not, and will not, endorse a specific candidate in this or any election. Purpose of This Survey This survey is intended to inform the public about how the concept of sustainability influences your thoughts, plans and actions surrounding key areas of concern to the County. We plan to have the responses of all of the candidates published in our local newspapers, posted on our website and circulated on the Internet and in the community to other interested organizations. After the election, this document will be archived and will serve as a measure of your performance with regard to furthering sustainability in Marin and beyond. Instructions: Please provide two paragraphs (no longer than 200 words apiece) for issues 1 through 6 and two paragraphs covering one or more of the subtopics of issue 7. 1. The first paragraph should highlight your specific actions and accomplishments over the last three years to promote sustainability in that area. 2. The second paragraph should outline your vision and specific intentions for the next four years with regard to the issue. To be fair to the candidates with limited political experience, we ask you to go beyond mention of local ordinances and resolutions and speak of your direct personal participation in these areas relating to sustainability. We are looking for specific examples of your direct involvement in the past, or specific plans for future initiatives should you be elected to the board of supervisors. Comments outside the scope of the specific issues will not be published. The Issues 1. Housing - Affordable units and workforce housing, impact on neighbors and habitat, green building, limits on home size, infill. 2. Natural Resources Conservation and Restoration - Water, open space and agricultural land conservation, habitat protection and restoration, energy efficiency and renewable energy use (solar, wind, hydrogen, hydro), local energy initiatives, recycling. 3. Local Economy - Local production of basic goods and services including food, keeping the dollars in the community, fostering and connecting local businesses that provide a balance of economic, social and environmental benefits. 4. Public Health - Marin cancer epidemic, regulation of toxins and other health hazards, adherence to the precautionary principle ("better safe than sorry"), public education and outreach regarding environmental hazards (products and practices). 5. Transportation - Public transit (Golden Gate Transit, local shuttles), traffic, air quality, bicycle and pedestrian pathways. 6. Diversity - political, cultural and economic. 7. Thinking Globally, Acting Locally - briefly explain your position relative to any of the issues listed below. a. Public Participation in Government - Public outreach, public inclusion during policy-making, safeguarding the election process (voting machines) b. Membership in Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (http://www.iclei.org/co2) - a local initiative in response to global warming. c. Cell phone tower regulation We ask that you complete the survey and return it via e-mail it to Sustainable Mill Valley (smv@sustainablemillvalley.org) by January 9, 2004. To assist you, a member of our Steering Committee will call you in the next week to verify that you have received the survey and to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you for your participation. For more information, contact: Marie Kerpan, 389-9803, greencareers@comcast.net Cheryl Ross, 389-9133, smv@sustainablemillvalley.org
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