News & Media - Business for Good Government
Election 2010: BGG sticks with Natarajan and Harrison for City Council
Business for Good Government, the Political Action Committee of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, has placed its confidence in incumbents Anu Natarajan and Bill Harrison for Fremont City Council. With a field of ten candidates, this is a highly contested race, and most candidates expressed their desire for a vibrant and thriving community, attracting well-paid jobs, responsive to business and community needs, and able to provide expanded amenities to its residents and workers. Nevertheless, among these candidates, BGG felt that Natarajan and Harrison stood out.
It is easy to talk about what you will do, but Natarajan and Harrison have helped navigate our City through the worst recession in recent times. Despite State takeaways, lowered sales and property tax revenues, the loss of NUMMI, and other very real and personal local job losses, Fremont has stayed on relatively solid footing overall through careful fiscal management and proactive economic development and local stimulus measures.
In looking at what has happened in Fremont over the past four years, BGG believes that on balance, we have seen many positive developments. Fremont has attracted many new, high-profile businesses, in technology, bio-med, and green tech, including Solyndra, Solaria, Tesla, Transcontinental, WaferGen Biosystems, AnaSpec, and Mentor Graphics. Pacific Commons continues to expand and will be adding a Nordstrom Rack and a movie theater. Fremont has worked with regional agencies to fund infrastructure improvements - such as the I-880/Mission Blvd. interchange, the award-winning Washington Blvd. grade separation, and BART to Warm Springs – and to extend the redevelopment cap in order to fund critical revitalization of our historic districts. Aqua Adventure was completed and is adding money to our local economy, and we have opened the Always Dream Playpark, the Dog Park, and acquired over 115 acres of park land.
The City Council has played a key role in economic development by authorizing a local stimulus package to attract green tech companies, promote purchasing from local vendors, and spur development in the midtown. And the City has applied for and received Federal funds and is undertaking a study to determine the best and most productive use of the former NUMMI and South Fremont properties around the BART station.
Additionally, Natarajan and Harrison stood out with respect to the unique expertise and perspective they each bring to Council, their understanding of the complex challenges facing our City as it grows into a vital participant in the Silicon Valley economy, and their concrete ideas for how to move us towards the thriving and vibrant Fremont of the future.
Anu Natarajan is completing her sixth year on the City Council, having first been appointed to fill a vacancy in 2004 and then re-elected in 2006. She brings extensive knowledge of urban planning and design to her role, including a Bachelors degree in Architecture, a Masters in Urban Design & Planning, and work experience as an architect, public agency planner and urban planning consultant in the Bay Area and oversees. Prior to her appointment to Council, she served as a Fremont Planning Commissioner. And since last year, Natarajan has worked as a program manager with the American Leadership Forum, a network of regional leaders committed to building stronger communities through collaborative leadership, a discussion of complex issues and policy recommendations. Particularly through this current job, Natarajan has gained a greater understanding of regional issues and best practices while developing relationships with Silicon Valley leaders and promoting Fremont as an integral part of Silicon Valley.
As part of the current Council, Anu represents Fremont on many regional boards, including StopWaste.Org, the BART to San Jose Policy Committee, the Dumbarton Express Policy Committee, and the Alameda County Housing Authority. She is truly a powerhouse when it comes to understanding regional issues and advocacy for Fremont’s place of importance in our regional economy.
Anu states her top priorities are bringing jobs to Fremont, developing opportunities for ‘fun’ in Fremont, and ensuring that Fremont continues to be a great place to live. Expanding on the topic of economic development, Natarajan says she is proud of the businesses and restaurants that Fremont has attracted over the past few years but adds that we need to be more aggressive in courting businesses we want, and that we need to do a better job of promoting and creating an identity for Fremont. She notes that it is critical for Fremont to expand its representation on regional boards and committees, that we need to become more active participants in Silicon Valley organizations and business groups, and that we should consider strategic partnerships with other cities to promote Fremont as part of a regional hub in clean and green technology. Lastly, Natarajan believes we should be creative in developing incubator space for start-ups by partnering with the owners of the over 5.5 million square feet of vacant building stock in Fremont.
Other areas of focus for Natarajan include creating a midtown that is a ‘civic center’ for the City; using redevelopment dollars to revitalize our historic districts; enhancing our transit infrastructure; expanding entertainment and recreational opportunities within Fremont; and broadening available housing choices.
On being told of her endorsement by BGG, Natarajan said, “I am honored to be endorsed by BGG. I see the Chamber as an important partner in achieving the goal of attracting new businesses and strengthening Fremont's position as a regional hub for green tech businesses.”
Bill Harrison is a lifelong resident of Fremont, a CPA, and the co-owner of Harrison Accounting Group, who notes that “he is the only member of Council who has signed both sides of a paycheck.” Bill was elected to the Fremont City Council in 2006 after having served on the Planning Commission from 2001-2006. He brings his experience as a successful small business owner and his expertise in business economics and accounting to his position as a City Councilmember.
Harrison has long been active in the community, as an active member of Kiwanis, serving on the boards of several non-profit children’s charities, and as a member of the Centerville & City of Fremont Combined Project Area Committee. As a member of Council, he serves on the Warm Springs BART Policy Advisory Committee and the Sunol Express Lane Joint Powers Authority.
He states his priorities are jobs and the economy; the housing market; and public safety. Elaborating on the topic of jobs and the economy, Bill highlights our recent successes in attracting large companies like Solyndra and Tesla and smaller companies like AnaSpec, a biotech firm, to Fremont. But, like Natarajan, he believes that we can do more - from continued simplification of the permitting process to marketing our City more effectively within Silicon Valley. He notes that we have a major asset here that many cities do not – lots of land at an affordable price. He also notes that our diverse population makes us uniquely suited to serving as a test market for companies, and that we should do more to capitalize on this asset.
Harrison notes that encouraging businesses to locate and stay in Fremont will not only create jobs, but will also help to stimulate the housing market and will bring revenue to our City that can then be used to reinstate and improve City services. He adds that fully funding our police and fire departments is a priority so that we can keep our neighborhoods, workers and residents safe.
When told of his endorsement, Bill said, “I’m honored to have the endorsement of the PAC of the Fremont Chamber because we share the same goal – to create jobs and improve our local economy. I look forward to working with the Fremont Chamber for another term on important economic issues.”
Business for Good Government believes that Fremont will be well served by re-electing both Anu Natarajan and Bill Harrison to the Fremont City Council and hopes that you will make them your candidates of choice. Learn more about these candidates by joining us for a Candidate “Meet and Mingle” reception on October 20th from 5- 7 p.m. at the Fremont Chamber offices. And you can visit their websites also: www.anu4fremont.com and www.HarrisonForCouncil.com.