Editorials

Shirley Dean 

Age: 67 

Born: Eaton, Colo.  

Education: Graduated Berkeley High School; B.A. in Social Welfare. UC Berkeley  

Occupation: Mayor; Retired in 2000 from the Office of Undergraduate Admission and Relations with Schools at UC Berkeley 

Offices held: Mayor of Berkeley,1994 to present; Berkeley council member, 1975-1982, 1986-1994 

Endorsements: State Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland, former Sen. Nicholas Petris, D-Oakland, councilmembers Betty Olds, Polly C. Armstrong and Miriam Hawley 

Campaign Spending: raised $142,000 as of Oct. 19 

Rent control: Supports rent control, but advocates changes. Wants it tied to renter’s need. During current recession, says landlords hold units vacant because market rents are low; if they rent and market rents go up, they continue to receive below-market rent-controlled rate. Says rents would decrease faster and more units would be available without rent control. 

Housing Trust Fund: OK to lend Housing Trust Funds to for-profit developers when they use it to build affordable/low income units. Says for-profit builders repay loan funds, while non-profit developers generally don’t. 

Second Units: Says parking limitations should remain as they are; tandem parking unworkable for people in separate households. Don’t increase density in sensitive areas, such as areas prone to landslides. 

Divisiveness vs. cooperation: Works to build good relations with the UC Berkeley. Says her work is made difficult by public officials’ inappropriate behavior, for example when Bates was legislator and wife, Loni Hancock was mayor, they used a car to block a university demolition project. 

Good relations with university; co-chairs Berkeley Alliance – an organization that brings schools, city and university together – with Chancellor Robert Berdahl. Went to Ohio, not to dig up dirt on Councilmember Kriss Worthington, as claimed, but was there on business and used the opportunity to find out about him in order to improve working relations. Dean’s home phone number is listed in the phone book; available to talk to the public “24/7.” 

Streamlining council meetings: Says Bates’ Rules Committee proposal is undemocratic, “limits speech”: Would prevent boards/commissions from giving direction to council and councilmembers from proposing ideas, and says council meeting would be taken up with appeals of rules committee decisions. Better to work cooperatively with a council that coalesces around ideas, not factions. Way council meetings are currently run works, especially the ability to move items listed for discussion to “consent” agenda, where items are approved as a group without discussion. 

Streamlining city government: Wants to reduce number of boards and commissions by consolidating some; boards and commissions need to be staffed so they benefit from staff work and vice versa. 

Addressing budget deficit: Wants to attract businesses, a selective hiring freeze, no new programs unless funds are identified, performance audits to see if spending funds the best way, attract businesses; as new chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s task force on cities and universities, will have help getting university to pay in lieu taxes in addition to fees already pays. 

Economic development: Wants to attract smaller, more unique, “Berkeley-like,” businesses; “No big box” such as Home Depot or Target. Succeeded in getting Eddie Bauer and Pyramid Brewery to come to Berkeley. Supported ordinance allowing west Berkeley businesses to sell art from their studios. 

Parking: Need additional parking to attract businesses; re-examine policy that says no public money should be spent on parking