City Council candidates respond to BAHA’s questions

In our ongoing effort to provide election information concerning preservation matters to BAHA members and the voting public, we invited the 14 candidates running for City Council to answer three questions relating to pressing preservation issues. Ten candidates responded, and their answers are published here, arranged numerically by district and alphabetically by candidate’s name.

We thank the candidates for taking time to respond, and we remind everyone that BAHA does not endorse candidates for public office.

Vote NO on Measure R

Downtown Berkeley retains a historic context and a sense of place. It is still the center of our city. There are better models than Measure R for revitalizing our downtown.

Measure R:
♦ is fiscally irresponsible and full of vague statements.
♦ is not green—it takes approximately 65 years for a green,
energy-efficient new office building to recover the energy
lost in demolishing an existing building.
♦ will destroy our Landmarks Ordinance.
♦ will not bring back a vibrant and welcoming downtown.

Protect Berkeley’s Historic Main Street from:
♦ Manhattanization
♦ Corporate control
♦ Tax-revenue loss

Preserve Downtown Berkeley’s:
♦ Sense of place and harmony with neighborhoods
♦ Citizen participation
♦ Local opportunities for revenue

Measure R does nothing to bring back a vibrant and welcoming downtown. It is an attempt to gut our Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE R

Click here to download and print the flier.

Measure R — Claims vs. Facts

Photo: Daniella Thompson

The argument in favor of Measure R, Mayor Bates’ Downtown Area Plan, promises a “safe, vibrant and green Downtown Berkeley.” How much of the measure’s “Green Vision” promise can you believe?

Planner John English compares Measure R proponents’ deceptive wording, as quoted from the voter’s pamphlet, with what the measure itself does or doesn’t prescribe. Read his detailed analysis on the BAHA website.