Font ResizePLEASANTON -- Following one city council candidate dropping from the race, three longtime Pleasanton residents are now vying for two city council seats.
Jerry Pentin, Karla Brown and Erlene DeMarcus are all looking to fill spots vacated by outgoing council members Matt Sullivan and Cindy McGovern.
Both Pentin and Brown work in Pleasanton, while DeMarcus currently is on contract with BART to help extend the line to Livermore.
All three candidates have lived in Pleasanton for more than 20 years, and all three have raised their children in the city.
Both Pentin and Brown ran for city council in the last election. Both lost by a small margin. DeMarcus has never tried her hand at city politics prior to this election.
Pentin and Brown oppose Measure B, a countywide tax initiative that would help fund transportation projects. Both oppose the tax because, like mayoral candidate Jerry Thorne, they do not approve of the fact that there is no end date for the tax.
DeMarcus, known primarily for her efforts to extend the BART line to the Dublin/Pleasanton area, supports Measure B. Like mayoral candidate Cheryl Cook-Kallio, DeMarcus said that it was funds like Measure B that got BART to Pleasanton and that could help get BART to Livermore.
Both Pentin and Brown favor of slow, smart growth, with Brown looking keep housing developments near commuter areas such as BART and Interstate 580. Pentin, who is chair of the Planning
Brown and DeMarcus are also heavily campaigning for finding ways to balance the city's budget. DeMarcus said one solution she could see for the city budget is that Pleasanton adopt a co-pay system to help contain the total health premium costs paid jointly by City employers, employees and retirees. Pentin advocates strongly for the city to remain open to ideas because at the end of the day, he said, it is the council's responsibility to act in the best interest of the community.
Brown and DeMarcus are also strong advocates of transparency and working closely with the community. DeMarcus has also said she wants to work with children and the elderly should she be elected, and Brown said she would fill many of the vacancies in town by attracting new, local business.
Contact Katie Nelson at 925-847-2164 or follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.
PLEASANTON COUNCIL CANDIDATES
KARLA BROWN:
Age: 55
Occupation: Real estate agent, formerly a manager in the semiconductor industry
Civic involvement: Brown was part of a neighborhood group that blocked PG&E plans to install untested power-line technology through a Pleasanton neighborhood, she helped write Pleasanton's current Ridgeline Protection Ordinance.
Education: Bachelor of science in Marketing from CSU San Jose.
ERLENE DEMARCUS
Age: Declined to state
Occupation: Transportation consultant, owner of DeMarcus Group transportation consulting agency
Civic Involvement: Elected to BART board in 1989 and served four years, she then worked for Congressman Bill Baker until 1995, and for Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty from 1997 to 2003.
Education: Attended Chabot College.
JERRY PENTIN
Age: 55
Occupation: Owner of Spring Street Studios, a media production company
Civic Involvement: Chairman of the Planning Commission, member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, worked on committees for Kottinger Place, Firehouse Arts Center and the Veterans Building restoration.
Education: AA degree in TV and Radio Broadcasting from Chabot College
