These issues may not be sexy, they may not lend themselves to easy slogans, but they are important. To deal with them effectively, the next City Council must bring to the table a capacity to get along with others and a willingness to invest the long hours necessary to find solutions. In plain language, the next City Council must be composed of leaders, not complainers. A voice with a west-side perspective. Her focus on urban renewal should serve a city increasingly involved in infill projects.
Bender comes with a long history of civic involvement.
She is founder of Sonoma County Releaf, which has planted more than 10,000 trees and sponsors community gardens in the Apple Valley Papago Court neighborhood. Martini is best-known as the champion of kids' playing fields and for working with county officials to improve conditions in the Roseland neighborhood. He can also talk about the complexities of almost any local issue, while other candidates retreat to generalities. Wright, the former mayor, also brings a wealth of experience to the job. She serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, an agency critical to financing area-wide transit systems.