On Sept. 9, The Weekly sent questions to candidates for public office in Sunnyvale. Candidates had until Sept. 24 to respond to the questionnaire. Below are the responses provided by Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein and his challenger, Council Member Russ Melton. Responses are presented verbatim.
What are the most important concerns of the residents in your district?
Klein: Sunnyvale residents are concerned about Housing Affordability, Homelessness and Safer Streets.
We are in a housing affordability crisis, and residents are struggling with rising rents, utilities, and the general cost of living. I’ll continue championing affordable housing, transit-oriented mixed-use development, and adding granny flats in our single-family neighborhoods.
We also need to do more for those at risk of losing housing. For those currently unhoused, we need to address homelessness humanely; providing showers and laundry sites to get them services and into permanent housing.
Finally, we need to expedite our Active Transportation Plan and add Citywide Shuttle services.
Melton: Safe and Secure Sunnyvale. We need more cops for burglary suppression and traffic enforcement, and to bring paramedic services under Sunnyvale’s control.
Efficient delivery of government services, keeping the budget balanced. I will get the Lakewood library built on time and on budget. I will ensure our roads and sidewalks are maintained and our street trees are trimmed. I will continue to oppose new, unnecessary taxes.
A sensible plan for getting homeless safely off the streets without busting the budget. New programs must be effective and not just throw money at the problem. I will implement a safe RV parking program and abate RVs parked illegally in our neighborhoods.
How will you balance the will of the majority while protecting the rights of the individual?
Klein: A significant part of being Mayor and Councilmember is making sure people feel heard—whether they are in the majority or the minority of an issue. That’s one of the reasons that I have held weekly office hours at a local coffee shop for more than 8 years.
It’s important to meet with people to hear their concerns and help them advocate their position. I don’t have all of the answers, but I keep an open mind and take the merits of both sides of an argument when making a decision. People appreciate the Mayor taking the time to listen.
Melton: I work hard to listen to all resident voices and synthesize what I’m hearing into actionable policy. I always keep an open mind. I have always allowed myself to be persuaded, even during public hearings. We recently had a fairly contentious Council meeting where I walked into the room with a good idea that I was going to vote one way, but advocacy from our residents was so persuasive I actually ended up voting the other way. I took a good amount of heat for that, but I could absolutely articulate why I voted the way I did.
Sunnyvale needs housing. What will you do to ensure that Sunnyvale ramps up its production of below-market-rate housing?
Klein: As Mayor, I led the efforts to increase our inclusionary requirement to 15% for both rental and for-sale multi-family housing.
Sunnyvale needs to focus on implementing the programs and measures in our Housing Element to help encourage multifamily, mixed-use sites in Moffett Park, Lawrence Station, and along El Camino.
Sunnyvale needs to look at streamlining accessory dwelling unit (ADU) creation in our single family neighborhoods, and look at removing permitting fees if the units will be rented to a teacher or frontline worker.
Sunnyvale also needs to continue purchasing city land to help provide sites for 100% affordable housing.
Melton: We have upzoned significant areas of the City for more housing, and affordable housing, in transit-rich areas. So first, we need to hire more planning staff to quickly process development applications. Second, we have to adhere to the commitments we made in our recently adopted Housing Element. Lamentably, this includes lowering our Park Dedication Fee, which has been a huge success for Sunnyvale but is something the State insisted. Finally, the City Council must hold firm to let our land-use plans come to fruition without allowing any exceptions or modifications to the plans, especially the affordable housing requirements.
Government moves slowly. Where is the balance between studying/analyzing/assessing a subject and getting it done?
Klein: I think the Study Issue Process has served Sunnyvale well; we study new programs and service changes to get a good understanding of budget impacts BEFORE approval. Many cities start new programs which later fail, wasting taxpayer money. Sunnyvale is already analyzing ways to speed up our Study Issue process.
Sunnyvale needs to be more nimble. Quick build projects were part of my 2020 Mayoral campaign. This year, Sunnyvale implemented quick build projects near city schools. I’m happy that the city will now evaluate impacts, take feedback and then ultimately make a change permanent, alter it or remove it.
Melton: Sunnyvale does a good job of moving things forward. Our study issue process instills discipline in that we aggregate many ideas over the course of a year and then force-rank them in February. It’s supposed to prevent Council from getting distracted. But we can do better. For example, with our 2020 bicycle infrastructure plan, Council continues to yo-yo Public Works with constant tinkering and new direction. Currently, we’re even talking about changing a single sentence in our Vision Zero plan! This is a massive distraction for our Staff. When I’m Mayor, Council will stay focused and stick to the plan so Public Works can get the job done.
Do you support the changes proposed for the charter? If so, explain why those changes are necessary.
Klein: Yes, I support Measure F’s three charter changes.
First, gender-neutral language makes our charter more inclusive.
Second, it’s reasonable to move from two Council meetings per month to a minimum of twenty four per year. This allows more flexibility to plan a potential break and still get city business done.
Finally, non-citizen residents are already permitted to serve on our non-charter commissions, and the State and nearby charter cities have already expanded eligibility for all commissions.
My opponent, Russ Melton, abstained from the vote to put this item on the ballot and didn’t give an explanation for abstaining.
Melton: I abstained on the Council vote which placed Measure F on the ballot. I’ve done tons of precinct walking recently and I haven’t heard a single resident go out or their way to indicate support of it. Conversely, quite a few residents have expressed concerns.
The city is going out for a bond to pay for a new library. What do you see as the path forward should voters reject that bond measure?
Klein: I’m hoping that the residents pass the Measure E Library Bond, and I am actively helping the Measure E efforts.
If the bond measure doesn’t pass, we would need to first engage our community to understand why the voters rejected the bond.
The city would then need to look at other potential funding sources. It could include reprioritizing the City Budget to include setting aside additional yearly funds into a potential Library Construction Fund. Sunnyvale would also need to prioritize seeking seek potential Federal or State grant funding.
Melton: I encourage everyone to vote YES on Measure E, for all the excellent reasons set forth in the ballot argument (which I co-authored and signed). I am optimistic that Measure E will be approved by voters. If the Measure doesn’t pass, Council will reconvene with Sunnyvale staff in early 2025 to assess the situation and chart a revised course. That’s how we do it in Sunnyvale.
What do you see the role of the mayor being?
Klein: The role of Mayor is to be a leader with vision; setting a collaborative, empathetic tone. I’m proud to have the support/endorsement of a majority of my Council colleagues, and that collaboration helps make Sunnyvale successful.
The Mayor also needs to be a Community Builder and Cheerleader. I’ve prioritized inclusivity and equity to make sure our diverse community is seen and heard. I’ve helped small businesses with my Mayor’s Restaurant Project: www.EatSunnyvale.com
I’ve raised Sunnyvale’s regional voice—fighting for broader support and funding. I have a long list of Federal/State/County supporters to help make me successful; see my endorsement list: https://larryformayor.com/endorsements/
Melton: The most important quality for the role is good judgment. Unfortunately, my opponent voted against the creation of a DPS burglary suppression unit, and against building the new Corn Palace Park. I have twice defeated my opponent’s unwise plan for a new real property transfer tax (RPTT). In 2022, my opponent voted to override staff and the Planning Commission on the Fremont Corners 2 project, leading to significant issues today at the Duane and Lakewood shopping centers. And in late 2023, my opponent signed an online petition that created tremendous anxiety in our community. These are all judgements made by my opponent where I made the clearly better choice for Sunnyvale.
With some pretty ambitious environmental goals, how do you see the city balancing those goals with competing goods such as financial impact, the will of residents and so forth?
Klein: Sunnyvale has strong financial policies (10-year balanced budget/20-year plan) which have served us well. We can roll out new programs with a phased, pragmatic approach. Our FoodCycle program actually helped lower rates; it first rolled out to single-family homes—now multi-family residents and businesses are included.
We need to continue our financial prudence and leverage external resources—like my goal of adding a Citywide shuttle. We partnered with VTA for a pilot shuttle service and have applied for state and EPA funding.
I’m proud we partnered with SVCE for our new LEED Platinum NetZero energy City Hall—setting a national environmental example!
Melton: Earlier this year, Sunnyvale adopted the third iteration of our Climate Action Playbook (“CAP”). Climate Action is one of Council’s strategic policy priorities, which is itself a reflection of the will of Sunnyvale residents, who want the City to be a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And because climate action is a Council priority, we emphasize the allocation of available budget dollars towards it. In fact, earlier this year Council added two Program Managers who will focus on CAP implementation. The concepts of hitting ambitious goals, the will of residents, and managing fiscal impact are not mutually exclusive.
Election day is Nov. 5, 2024. To register to vote, visit the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters website. The deadline to register to vote is 15 days before the election.
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