While flies on candidates’ heads have been notably absent from city forums, the Los Altos City Council election remains a crucial event to follow this fall. In the upcoming election, seven candidates are vying for three open positions on the Council. The Talon endorses candidates Kuljeet Kalkat, Sally Meadows and Jonathan D. Weinberg for their combination of diverse perspectives and shared desire to engage with local youth.

KALKAT

Kalkat will bring the much needed financial experience to the Council in a time of economic crisis spurred by the coronavirus. Kalkat, who wants the Council to heed the advice and expertise of city committees, is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and has the experience to back it; as the chair of the Financial Commission, a tech executive and a former small business owner, Kalkat’s experiences will help the Council make informed decisions through a post-pandemic Los Altos. Kalkat’s pragmatic and straightforward approach to policy will also be a valuable asset to a more efficient Council.

MEADOWS

With years of service on various city commissions and an extensive background in the pharmaceutical industry, Meadows will bring valuable experience and an analytical approach to the Council. She aims to eliminate wasteful spending, develop a plan to restore the local economy post-pandemic and build vertically to increase affordable housing. Similarly to Kalkat, as a former member of the Los Altos Design Review Commission and a current member of the Los Altos Planning Commission, Meadows understands the importance of city commissions and by valuing their advice, the Council will be able to make more informed and responsible decisions.

WEINBERG

As a real estate attorney, Weinberg sees it as Los Altos’ moral and legal obligation to increase affordable housing Using his legal expertise, Weinberg will help Council avoid disastrous litigation such as the 40 Main Street lawsuit, especially useful as the City is seeing a decrease in revenue. As former chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, Weinberg will better the relationship among the Council, city commissions and residents. He recognizes the importance of youth voices and hopes to diversify all areas of local government. 

All three candidates are supporters of the BLM movement and understand the effects of systemic racism. While Weinberg cites residents’ experiences as proof of the necessity of police reform, Meadows and Kalkat balance out his perspective by placing an emphasis on statistical analysis. 

Ultimately, The Talon believes that these three candidates bring the right set of experiences and priorities to Los Altos City Council that will allow it to make responsible decisions for the good of the community.