As a retired aerospace engineer and a newcomer to Palo Alto, Seelam P. Reddy is at once a perfect representative of the city’s technological might and the consummate outsider to the local political scene.
Reddy, who announced Tuesday that he plans to run for the City Council, is not at all deterred by his status as a political neophyte. He also seems to be the only candidate in the race with no strong opinions about the types of issues that have dominated City Hall conversations in recent years: parking, building density and downtown growth. He is quite confident that if elected, he’ll have no trouble bringing himself up to speed and doing his part to improve the way the city functions.
Born in India, Reddy moved to the United States more than four decades ago to attend Texas Tech University. After living in Sweetwater, Texas, he moved to California in 1977 and lived in Newport Beach before arriving in Palo Alto a year and a half ago. His resume includes stints at McDonnell Douglas, Ludlum Measurements, Hughes Electronics and Boeing Company, where he spent a decade before retiring in 2010. These days, the College Terrace resident, who goes by “Sea,” works as a consultant in mergers and acquisitions for VMWare while looking for ways to contribute to the city where he chose to retire.
In discussing his desire to serve, Reddy focused on his personal attributes rather on the specific issues that the city is facing. Palo Alto could use more grocery stores offering affordable goods, he said, such as a larger Safeway. He also said he supports better coordination with local corporations to provide housing for employees. It’s “inevitable that the city is going to grow,” he said, but the growth shouldn’t be dictated by corporations.
But Reddy is also quick to acknowledge that he doesn’t have any particular agenda or specific solutions in mind. (“No one person has solutions,” he added.). In a broad sense, his goal is improve governance and lead the city to “10x improvement,” a term borrowed from his decades in the corporate world.
“In almost every area, there’s always room for improvement,” Reddy told the Weekly.
Palo Alto generally does a good job, he said, but if there’s one subject on which he disagrees with the council, it’s taxes. He said he opposes the council’s plan to raise the hotel-tax rate in November. This is consistent with his general opposition to taxes.
“We need to get money from different means,” Reddy said. “I don’t believe we should raise taxes for anybody. We should lower taxes.”
He also said he believes the city needs “more governance than government.” Rather than making new rules, the city should focus on overseeing and improving its existing operations. His believes his experience in the corporate sector, which includes work on budgets, audits, personnel decisions and numerous leadership positions, lends itself well to this task.
In May, Reddy took his first stab at civic participation when he applied for a spot on the Planning and Transportation Commission. In his application, when asked about commission issues that are compatible to his experience, he listed as an entry, “Integrating all people to work for Palo Alto to be the best place to live on Earth.” And when asked about specific goals that he believes the commission should focus on, his answers included “density,” “educating to succeed” and “commitment to innovate.”
But his specific positions proved hard to pin down. During the interview with the City Council, Reddy stressed his experience in management and in long-term planning at Boeing but gave only a vague answer when Councilman Greg Schmid asked about the upside and downside of increasing density in Palo Alto — a key issue in the council campaign. Reddy explained that in a capitalist society, the question of growth is a constant concern.
“You always have this give and take. How much industry do we want in this town? How many units do we need for people to live comfortably so people don’t have to drive 40 to 50 miles?”
The issue is likely to take center stage in the council race, which will see five seats up for grabs. Councilman Larry Klein will be termed out at the end of the year and Councilwoman Gail Price, who is concluding her first term, said she will not be seeking a second. Mayor Nancy Shepherd and Councilman Greg Scharff will both try to retain their council seats while Councilwoman Karen Holman has not yet declared her decision.
In announcing his candidacy this week, Reddy became the fourth non-incumbent to enter the race and the first who hasn’t had a regular presence at City Hall. He will vie for the seats with Claude Ezran, a former member of the Human Relations Commission and founder of Palo Alto’s World Music Day; Tom DuBois, a Midtown resident who co-founded the citizens group Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning; and Eric Filseth, a Downtown North resident who has been a leading proponent at council meetings for solutions to his neighborhood’s growing parking problems. Both DuBois and Filseth were active in last year’s Measure D campaign, which overturned an approved housing development on Maybell Avenue.
Reddy acknowledged that his status as a City Hall newcomer may be a disadvantage in the council campaign, but said he doesn’t care. With his experience in long-range planning and management, he believes he has the skills necessary to change the culture at City Hall and improve relations between the city and its residents.
“There isn’t an immediate solution I have,” Reddy said. “All I want to do is contribute.”
Hopefully between now, and time the campaign begins in earnest in September, Mr. Reddy will be able to answer a couple of questions:
1) Why do you want to be on the Council?
2) What do you bring to the table that makes you think people will vote for you?
3) Why don’t you have any strong opinions about what’s going on in Palo Alto–like the lack of transparency in government?
Palo Alto has too many problems to deal with in the coming years to turn over the keys to the City to people who don’t even have a strong opinion as to what’s going on now–and what needs to go in the future.
” It’s “inevitable that the city is going to grow,” he said, “
Really. No matter what the physical limitations of the infrastructure or how much that growth violates the City Plan or Codes? Growth is inevitable without bound no matter what?
Given how immense and in places, in decline and decay this nation is, we have to continue to pack everyone here until it’s ruined?
No, it’s not inevitable, it’s a choice.
Developer stooge alert. Thanks for making it easy not to vote for this one.
Perhaps having an open mind and good corporate management experience is just the ticket. A fresh set of eyes, a keen mind and an interest in the community sounds as if it might be more of an asset than a liability . Goodness knows, Palo Alto needs some fixing, and soon!!
Perhaps having an open mind and good corporate management experience is just the ticket. A fresh set of eyes, a keen mind and an interest in the community sounds as if it might be more of an asset than a liability . Goodness knows, Palo Alto needs some fixing, and soon!!
How would Mr. Reddy feel, for example, about turning 456 University into ground floor office space for a Palo Alto-based software company, as has been very recently proposed by building owner, and may be agendized as soon as August 20 for Historic Resources Board discussion?
No way will I vote for a person who has only lived in Palo Alto 1.5 years. He doesn’t understand the city, and I wonder what his agenda really is. He isn’t in tune with Palo Alto, and doesn’t understand the nuances of the city, etc. I want people on the city council that are very familiar with Palo Alto, and knows its strengths and weaknesses. We don’t need people on the city council that don’t spell out their position on important issues, i.e., traffic, explosive growth, ugly oversized buildings, etc. At this critical juncture in Palo Alto history, we don’t need an “unknown” person sitting on the city council.
One and a half years as a resident? And he wants to be on the City Council? Oh, come On!! Isn’t that a little presumptuous? Well, it has happened for higher office in states and Congress and then some with dubious results.
Give me a break! This guy wants me to entrust him with my vote when he is vague and platitudinous about his views — if he has any — on the issues that are key to the future livability of Palo Alto? Thanks, but no thanks, Seelam. You make it seem as if you’re doing this so you’ll have something to keep you busy in retirement. Moreover, to invoke the “10X” notion is meaningless when one person’s improvement is another person’s further slide into decadance. If you have solid core human values that would guide your thinking about the key issues, let’s hear them. Let’s also hear what you see as the key issues on which you would focus your attention and what would count as “improvements” on those issues as you see it.
Engineers become skilled at solving physical problems. But they apply their skills in realms that are very different, and inappropriate.
For example, they think their conclusions are “logical” when logic is not relevant to many human or community problems.
Look out for men who know it all.
Bunch of unhappy naysayers, no matter what the issue. Hate the current council, hate people with and without experience, etc. Entrenched politicians are often times the absolute worst. Best of luck, Seelam!
I’m concerned about his statement that corporations need to provide housing for their employees.
Does that mean we’re going to turn into a Google/Facebook apartment complex/dorm??
REFRESHING !!!!! You got me with your comments on not raising taxes !!!!! Good Luck !!!
It was not a good idea to have the photo taken in front of a Stanford building.
Thank you for your willingness to run as a candidate in the upcoming election. We definitely need some fresh faces and a pool of strong candidates is a good beginning. I hope you have a thick skin and look forward to seeing how you develop over the coming months. Your lack of length of residency and your fresh outlook may turn out to be an asset rather than a liability and I think the no new taxes stance may be popular.
It all depends now on whether we have any more candidates, but this looks like it might be an interesting election season for us.
I am for DuBois and Filseth.
Never vote before. Can someone tell me when and how to vote?
I bet Shepherd Scharff are celebrating this guy’s candidacy right now.
Mr. Reddy: PLEASE DON’T RUN. You do not have the skills, experience or knowledge of this town to “serve” the people of this City. Please recognize that your candidacy will only bifurcate the votes of those seeking to get Shepherd and Scharff off the council, which means all of those who don’t pay attention and simply vote for the names they recognize will re-elect the very people we need to get rid of. Please consider joining forces with Eric Filseth instead.
>> “It’s “inevitable that the city is going to grow,” he said, but the growth shouldn’t be dictated by corporations. “
Corporations aren’t dictating growth, greedy developers and their patsies on the City Council are. And no, it is NOT inevitable that this City will grow. Citizen said it well.
>> “We need to get money from different means,” Reddy said. “I don’t believe we should raise taxes for anybody. We should lower taxes.”
And, what might those different means be? Yes, saying “No new taxes” will be very popular, but it is a completely empty statement without more detail, such as what these “different means” might be, or even how we can lower expenditures. “Read my lips, NO NEW TAXES…”
>> “You always have this give and take. How much industry do we want in this town? How many units do we need for people to live comfortably so people don’t have to drive 40 to 50 miles?”
“units???” Here’s an idea everyone: When you look for a job, look within commute distance of your home, rather than believe every city should have exactly the type, size, and number of housing “units” requested by every employee that works for a company in a given city. As companies grow and shrink and move in and out, are cities somehow supposed to magically grow and shrink the housing availability? Find a place you want to live, and then find a job within commute distance. In this area, most people change jobs every 3-5 years anyway.
If people vote for Seelam they will only split the vote of people who are opposed to Scharff and Shepherd and thereby help the incumbents get elected with less than a majority of the vote in the same way Sam Daram in 1983 received the votes of enough of the voters who were opposed to re-electing Anne Witherspoon for the two-year seat and thereby prevented Bob Moss from defeating Witherspoon. There is little new in Palo Alto election tactics. You just have to know how to apply the lessons of the past, not make the same mistakes that others have made before, and not choose as campaign advisors people who always seem to be around campaigns that manage to lose while they tell you they are your most knowledgeable supporters.
Some of the most important issues in our town are related to schools, even though CC has no jurisdiction and school boards are autonomous. This candidate has zero idea about schools, either. Filseth and Du Bois both have children in our schools and are long-time, involved residents.
I’m voting for Filseth and Du Bois, and I’m not voting for any of the incumbents even if it means I don’t use up all of my votes, I don’t want to make it so everyone’s last choices win.
(Note, I am different poster than “citizen” from Old palo alto, though we seem to agree.)
Not enough experience, not a resident of Palo Alto long enough, unfamiliar with the politics here, unfamiliar with the major issues here……seems to me Mr Reddy is unqualified to serve on the city council yet.
It is admirable that he wishes to serve, but he needs to live here a few more years first, at the very least.
It is an honor to be living, in beautiful Palo Alto.
I take your comments seriously and will hear all the issues.
Just to let you know; I was a single father, raised two beautiful daughters that are 34 and 32; we lived in great cities like Manhattan Beach, Torrance and El Segundo, and finally @ Irvine where they finished their elementary, middle and high schools. Despite hardship to get to work; my children often were taken to their schools by me at the expense of going a bit late to work; as I worked 43 miles away at Hughes. I convinced my manager at Hughes that is an innovative company that designed and sent satellites to the geo orbit; started DIRECTV; to bend rules to accommodate my personal needs to take my children to school for various reasons.
So, in summary, I am a quick learner, was a single father, my children turned out to be amazing, I can quickly learn the issues of schools in Palo Alto too.
For that matter, I already know, Palo Alto Schools are already top performing as I look at the school ratings.
I will be humble to learn all the issues and represent the parents to have 10 times better than yesterday. It is what I propose we strive for; may be we get there sooner. We have a lot to offer. It is a heaven on earth.
respectfully
Sea
Sea,
Do you think Palo Alto should build more “affordable housing”. If so, what neighborhood(s) should it go into?
Citizen,
So I should vote for filseth and du bois only.
I live in college terrace for 10 years. I really need to vote this time.So where should I go vote?
Cannot stand what was done to the palo alto these last few years.
Dear Seelam,
Please find some other way to serve the community at this juncture. Join local organizations. Read the “newspaper”. Learn more about Palo Alto before desiring to govern it.
This is not a case where you should do your training “on the job”. You may be very skilled in other arenas. But it is rather arrogant to think you can automatically step into this role based on very different previous experiences.
Best of luck finding an appropriate use for time, energy, and talents!
Mr. Reddy,
Take this issue very seriously – By running in this race you will be responsible for Palo ALto continuing to decline. You will not win. You will only take badly needed votes away from those whom could actually win and represent the citizens.
Any who knows Mr. Reddy personally: please make him understand what a complete DISSERVICE his running will cause. I almost wonder if the Shepherd and Scharff camps didn’t somehow encourage him to run…
To ReCall:
First, sign up to vote if you have not already done so. Call the County Registrar of Voters to find out how. Used to be able to do it are fire stations. Once signed up, you will get your ballot and all material in the mail – and then vote by mail. Do it early. You must be a US citizen to vote – although in some areas I don’t think this means a @#$% thing.
Jeremy
In regards to more ‘affordable housing’ I would not; at the expense of lowering values of homes and quality of life.
Irvine and Newport Beach struggled with that and I did not see much allowance for it.
I would use those resources to provide subsidized ‘lower rents’ to those that will need help.
Please convince me otherwise.
Regards,
Sea
To: Mr Reddy:
You wrote “I will be humble to learn all the issues and represent the parents to have 10 times better than yesterday.?
Well, #1. That’s rather presumptuous. You probably don’t know the city history, the neighborhoods, or what makes it ‘tick’. You are just starting to learn issues – in July? #2, you plan to represent parents in city issues?? School issues and city issues don’t legally mix. There is a city council and a PAUSD school board. The city election has nothing to do with schools!!! You don’t know that?? That is your Lesson #3. Can you learn all about Palo Alto in about four months? It’s past and its present? Can’t happen. #4. What you are doing is – maybe – breaking up the votes of knowledgeable voters – has happened before. #5 Please withdraw your candidacy. It is a distraction we don’t need!! Thank you.
PA Weekly:
What on earth caused you to remove my entire post? I can’t even think of one part that was objectionable.
Please explain.
@ Recall,
Thank you for registering to vote and for participating! Please share this resource with anyone else you know who needs to register!
The County Registrar of Voters page on how to register
http://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Register/Pages/Online.aspx
Remember that you can also take your absentee ballot, filled out and signed, to any polling station on the day of the election if you have not mailed it in early. I think in the case of this upcoming election, it’s better to vote early.
@ Mr. Reddy,
Giving you the benefit of the doubt, you sound like a nice person. I would like to encourage you to get involved as a citizen on some of the issues you most care about, before running for Council. There is a lot at stake for this town in the next election.
Your getting involved as a citizen will help you develop relationships within our town with other residents. But running for Council at this juncture will probably end up hurting your connectedness with the community, given this high stakes election. I concur with some of the posters above. Spend some time getting involved and getting to know this town, THEN run if you still wish to. You can accomplish a lot as an involved resident.
But as a candidate, you still come across as a developer stooge.
Mr. Reddy: If your concern is the well-being of Palo Alto residents, you are not “serving” them by running in this City Council race. You have a very small chance of winning, and a very big chance of simply taking votes away from long-time residents that actually CAN win and CAN help Palo Alto.
The biggest effect your candidacy is likely to bring is to spread votes against Shepherd and Scharff too thin to beat them, which means they will remain in office simply because they are familiar names.
If you want to help Palo Alto, show that you really care and don’t run. Back Eric Filseth and run sometime in the future, when you have a track record behind you that allows voters to make an informed decision about you, rather than a blind vote.
Are the Shepherd and Scharff camps encouraging you to run?
OK, I must be slow. I just realized that, in my opinion, the PA Weekly is backing Mr. Reddy for the controversial traffic they can generate, thus increasing the value of their advertising revenue. And, in my opinion, if Mr. Reddy is somehow elected, there will be no shortage of fun and controversial stories to write about.
In my opinion, the PA Weekly writes and prints stories for the sole purpose of selling advertising, which would make the sole objective to create controversy in order to increase traffic, thus giving advertisers more traffic, thus increasing the value of the advertising space.
Based on my opinion, I will no longer read the PA Weekly or this site.
To readers: If you are not yet a member of http://www.nextdoor.com, please join! It’s free and no advertising (yet!). Many/most of your neighbors are already members. We can have conversations about Palo Alto issues without an advertising-monger deleting our comments.
Maybe he’s not being specific with issues so he can find out what the residents want and then state those are his goals – politicians say what people want to hear so they will be elected. I have to agree that living in Palo Alto for 1.5 years is not enough to understand living in Palo Alto, specifically the congestion that was not an issue 8 years ago when we moved back to Palo Alto. Even in the last 2 years, the congestion has worsened. He also is retired so will be unfamiliar with raising children in town with a family – trying to get kids to school and activities – although being retired, he would have time to research the issues first-hand. Being “a consultant in mergers and acquisitions” leads me to assume he will sell out to big business instead of halting growth. Why would he chose to live in Palo Alto and keep it a small town mentality? He’s probably all about growth and more rigorous curriculum in our schools. Not my choice.
Mr. Reddy, most of us appreciate your willingness to help improve the community. Given your little experience in city politics and the hot issues we are currently facing, please look for ways to serve the community in other ways.
Your running for a seat could affect the votes going towards some new candidates who have the right experience to make an immediate impact, as well as benefiting those incumbents who have already caused enough damage and need to be voted out asap.
Hope you can view these requests objectively, and join us to support the experienced candidates we need to elect this year. Thanks.
Mr. Reddy’s short residence in Palo Alto, and long association with companies like McDonnell Douglas, Hughes Electronics and Boeing should give pause to any Palo Alto resident concerned with the dramatic increase in SFO bound jet traffic over our city. Will Mr. Reddy be a strong advocate for the residents on this issue, or side of the aviation industry?
The city of San Francisco owns and operates a large for-profit industrial facility in San Mateo County which is currently using Palo Alto as a dumping ground for the undesirable byproducts of that facility’s operation. Many people know this industrial facility as the San Francisco International Airport.
In regards to jets flying over Palo Alto and for that matter our communities of Menlo Park etc., I totally support residents concerns.
I come from Irvine and Newport where the small John Wayne/Santa Ana airport operates. There are restrictions on low they can fly; and on how late they can land and take off.
The other day, I was looking in the sky that there was a plane turning towards SF/Oakland side north/NE bound. I was surprised it is right above us.
Let us together work on presenting our residents interests and to benefit our communities of PA/Menlo Park/EPA. We can not be ‘dumping’ ground also
Regards
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I repeat I do not know all the school related issues. I am not naïve and
I raised two daughters as a single parent. I know how school boards work and how authoritarian certain schools are in treating the students and parents some times.
There are traffic issues with moving elementary and middle school children; getting every body to school and homesafe.
The most joy I get living in college terrace/Stanford avenue is when I wake up in the morning and try to get my WSJ/NY times in front of our drive way; I see a number of families walking their children to school; some youngsters riding their bikes; people helping children crossing El Camino real/Stanford all working like Norman Rockwell American small town.
We can prioritize top 5 issues about our elementary/middle/high school issues and work to get them addressed in first 180 days.
I had to fight to keep my eldest daughter Vanessa in an accelerated (AAPUS) program in 4th-5th grade and the Irvine elementary School did not want her; they removed her and put her in regular class; I protested; wrote 10 page pp presentation and took it to the ISUD board; still did not win. She did fine! She scored 800 in SAT Math and went on to UCB. As parent/s we are worried about our children; it is for the school to tell us why we are wrong and they are right!
It is what I call give and take. It does not have to be a war between parents and school. They have more experience and we have higher stake as parents.
Let us address one by one by priority.
Transporting kids in and out of our neighborhoods will be one of the highest priorities of mine.
I noticed about morning 7-8 am traffic near Embarcadero where our high school children cross to get to the school and hundreds of cars heading to Stanford etc. We have lot of opportunities for improvement in this area and it will be my highest priority.
Respectfully
Regarding keeping interest of our small town 60000+ population; if I am not mistaken Newport Beach is about that size. I lived in Irvine next door for 22 years and it grew to 115000+ and I noticed big change negatively!
My purpose to move to Palo Alto was deliberate. A small town, smart people, beautiful trees, great access to hospital as I need these services; intellectual stimulus, hundreds of start ups; and many more!
I repeat I feel we live in heaven on earth. My specific work experience on mergers and acquisitions work is on due diligence; day 1 preparation, integration of the acquired company into our company etc.
I did not make the deals – that is a different group; both at Hughes, Boeing and VMware.
I am not going to sell out to any body including big businesses.
We do need their cooperation to take great initiatives to make our lives better and smarter to get 10x fold improvements. We can influence them.
It is again give and take.
Respectfully
Mr. Reddy – Thank you for your willingness to serve. An elected body always benefits from a fresh perspective from people who have wisdom and experience.
> We do need their cooperation to take great initiatives to make
> our lives better and smarter to get 10x fold improvements.
Mr. Reddy–
It’s probably not a good idea to promise things that you can’t deliver.
I would say I am relieved that of the first 6 or so prospective council aspirants the list is not packed with obvious shills for the real estate industry.
People may bullet ballot fewer than five choices if they do not want to pick their five top choices.*
I think a core issue in the fault in governance is the tendency to try to act more like business, like a corporate, like a private-sector entity. To the extent that Mr. Reddy is a product of the corporate system, but is aware of the limits to that, I welcome his input to the debate.
We need more people stepping up, leaning in, speaking out, not fewer.
I’ll even offer a tagline: I’m Reddy. R U?
Mark Weiss
2009, 2012 candidate: +-5,000 cumulative votes
* we should look into rank-choice-voting to remedy some of the collusion effect that 9 posters reference
Bring it!
http://markweiss86.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/hes-reddy-r-u/
> We need more people stepping up, leaning in, speaking out, not fewer.
What good is having people speaking out who have no idea what they are talking about, or offering impossible-to-implement solutions—like free this, that and the other for anyone with a tin cup who wants to have it filled from the public treasury?
Of course running a City government like a business is a good idea. Business operate/survive because they spend less money than they take in. Governments don’t seem to believe that they have the same restraints—and have traditionally spent more money than they take in—borrowing from the future, or from people whom they have no intention of paying back. In either case, there is little to differentiate this tendency of overspending from grand theft!
Over the years, we have had far too many people on the Council “speaking out”—but making no sense at all. People like Ellen Fletcher, Dena Mossar, Peter Drekmeier and Jim Burch, to name a few.
We have had not only far too many people on the City Council making fools of themselves, and our town—but far too little accountability, and too few recalls to make the public’s sense of how government should be conducted clearly know.
Re the traffic on Embcaradero Road near the high school, are you aware that our fine city is in the 9th — NINTH — year of studying how to fix the traffic light timing that backs up traffic ridiculously??
NINE YEARS!!!!
They’re NOW in the phase of getting input from the various “stakeholders” while shoppers and sales tax revenue go elsewhere.
Complaints to Traffic and Planning are unsuccessful. Diana Diamond, the SJ Mercury columnist, has tried and failed to get ANY SORT of response from our city officials who feel they’re unaccountable to the people who pay their salaries.
Think real hard on what you can do about stupidity like this,
“; it is for the school to tell us why we are wrong and they are right!”
So, from this one experience you had, in a different school district, you project that when parents have an issue with the school or district, that parents just need to remember the district is right and parents are wrong?
Thank you for this insight into your decisionmaking process, and confirmation of why I should not vote for you. Please reconsider running. That is the last time I will be this nice. There is too much at stake in this race.
And for those of you who think the City has nothing to do with the schools, remember Cubberley and the $40 million Foothill campus we could have had on a small fraction of the property. The City lease was a part of that decision, and there were negotiations involving the City, district, and Foothill. There is a liaison between City and district. So this candidate’s attitude towards schools is not beside the point, the view into his questionable decisionmaking process that gives aside.
@Ugh,
Please direct your concern to the publisher, we need your intelligent comments through this election season, even if the censor is trigger happy and biased or unaware of their bias.
@Mark Weiss,
I agree, we should have ranked choice votes. For Council and School board. Do you know a City with a good system from whose election code we could borrow? Let’s bring it to the Council and ask them to adopt it. If they don’t, let’s do an initiative. Even if it isnt qualified in time, it gives a chance to put the issue before the voters in this election so they’ll think about their voting strategy.
Mr. Reddy,
Regarding referenda and initiatives, do you think it is for the Council to tell us why we are wrong and they are right?
Mark Weiss, Do you know the deadline for people to run for this election? I’d like to know when to assess the right strategy…
Maybe becoming a school board member would be a better first step. The school board could use a fresh look from other successful school communities and Mr. Reddy could then focus his work with the City to figure out school transportation/commute. This would allow a learning curve and a chance for the community to learn more about a council candidate.
‘The Palo Alto Way:’ Much Ado About Nothing?
The obvious naivete of Seelam Reddy is as surprising, indeed disturbing, as is his stunning inability to communicate fluently and cogently in written, professional American-English. One must wonder about the man’s factual business career, performance and accomplishments. In checking Mr. Reddy’s resume, references and testimonials, PAW as well as competing Council candidates may find illuminating information. Namaste!
Happy Independence Day and have a great summer!
Oldbasse
Comments based on ‘Citizen’:
My first hand experience dealing with school teachers, staff and principal and Irvine USD, which was highly rated revealed me and humbled me.
When I presented 10 page reasoning why my daughter should continue to stay in the accelerated program; they rejected my request/appeal. There is nothing I could have done to change their mind. The teacher felt that my daughter was not doing well in 4/5 class as she was younger.
It was hurtful to me; I had a big ego; but never the less it did not change a damn thing when I took it to the ISUD school board top guy.
Schools have their own reasons.
I could have moved my daughter to a private school; but I did not.
So, please do not say that I said Schools are right and parents are wrong.
It depends on the teachers/school board/chief etc., these are all people and we are affected by their actions; some times biased/unfair.
We need to move on and have a decent experience for our children at their schools. That is what I did. it worked out OK for my family. We all have options and we can chose to take it to the next level to get it right.
Schools have been tough to parents; it is worse at collegelevel. Please be prepared to deal with these people.
I want say Palo Alto is a great town. I became a naturalized citizen in 1984. I always wanted to get to America since I was 12 or 13.
It has been a privilege to be part of America; my Texas experience; LA experience; Orange County living in Irvine and Newport. I am humbled; I come from a small village in India where the weather is 118 degrees now for the last one month; I just visited there.
I am grateful I am here; and to USA for taking me in when I came as a graduate student in Industrial Engineering.
I will be celebrating US Independence Day with gratitude. I will be enjoying all that is in our beautiful city of Palo Alto.
Hope you will too.
Wish you happy July 4th!!
Respectfully
Since you’re presumably running for City Council and not School Board, I would still like to hear what you plan to do about traffic, gridlock and 9-year delays in something so simple as fixing the traffic light timing that backs cars up intolerably and pollutes “our beautiful” city.
Also waiting to hear who would subsidize the below-market rates for renters who can’t afford to be here? Taxpayers? Businesses? Seniors who can just barely pay their taxes and their utilities?
> I had a big ego;<
Mr. Reddy, I think you need to change that to present tense. Your post above is primarily self-centered and irrelevant. It may surprise you that many Palo Altans come from humble environments but we do not walk in and try to take over at the top.
Your application to the Planning and Transp.Commission and now running for the top office in the city, speaks to your innocence combined with ego, and probably money, that is not suitable for a community of educated and involved citizens.
What is your real agenda, aside from loving Palo Alto? To make Scharff and Shepherd look good by comparison?
My real agenda is to live a life.
I worked hard and got through some tough times; raising a family and managing my work life for 37 years even with lot of education and training. I can assure you that you would not want to be in my shoes.
I am here to live in tranquility, clean living; get the best medical care as I am diabetic since 1994; and serve the community where I am able to. I have no agenda. My agenda is ‘Palo Alto’ agenda.
As far as ‘money’ you will be surprised; I do not own a home in Palo Alto; I am a renter like some are; but I worked hard and served the country well working at Northrop – 8 years; Hughes – 11 years; Boeing twice in 1980 and since 2000 after they acquired Hughes Space businesses – total 11 years.
Since Boeing acquired Hughes businesses; I became employee of Boeing and retired in 2010. I am lucky to have a pension that allowed me to have some savings and luckily VMware allowed me to work there through an agency. This all means; I am modest and my needs are modest. I am happy with what I have and my children will be there when I really need them.
I want to contribute and serve the city and the country that gave me the opportunity. That is my motive. You have to respect that some people want to do that without an ultra motive.
In regards to the school traffic issues; many towns in California have a similar problem; namely University High across UC Irvine campus; Campus Drive and Culver drive. The city has taken certain measures and redirects traffic.
So let us make a priority to get the intersection of El Camino Real and Embarcadero figured out so students can safely walk to and back to the shopping center and homes safely.
I am sure there are similar issues with middle and elementary school crossings in Palo Alto we need to relook.
Regards,
Sir,
You miss my point again. While I’m concerned about the students walking safely, I’m equally concerned about the cars and the traffic and the gridlock at a time when the city is pushing to restrict CAR traffic and deter shoppers from shopping downtown.
What are you doing about THAT???
Do you consider 9 years a reasonable timeframe to study the timing traffic lights? Do you want to eliminate more traffic lanes? Do you support the continued density growth in Palo Alto that creates more traffic and more gridlock???
Are you going to do something about the gridlock created by parents dropping off their kids, blocking driveways, even PARKING in OWNERS’ DRIVEWAYS?? And if so, what????
Gridlock is a growing problem and a serious one ALL over town, not just where your daughter happens to go to school.
If you expect to be taken seriously as a candidate, it would be helpful to get your BROADER perspective on the issue facing the entire community.
And you still haven’t answered my question about WHO would pay for the subsidized below-market rents you support. WHO???
Mr Reddy, I applaud you for your efforts, however, I also think its not the best strategy attempting to engage anyone on these forums. Unless you have a platform of returning the city to some rose colored picture that only occurs in folks’ imaginations, you’re not going to change minds any minds here.
On this subject my good friend from Torrance, ca advises that Affordable Housing near million dollars plus homes is not the right way to do.
I agree.
Regarding subsidizing rent is a bad idea as I think more about it unless it is due to disability. This falls under state not us in Palo Alto.
Yes I am aware about congestion and traffic. I am admitting it is a priority and we need experts to help and come up with ideas and not take nine plus years.
I propose for today, let us table the debates as we want to celebrate July 4. I am going to my gym to exercise to control my blood sugar.
We certainly have a great town – Palo Alto
We can have more exchanges in the near future before November.
Respectfully
Sea,
Since you appear to oppose any more affordable housing in Palo Alto, I will vote for you.
Wishing Mr. Seelam success in this City Council race if he campaigns to stop revolving door City government in Palo Alto. Time for a more transparent City government. Time for change.
I’ve been reading this forum for the last 5 years and while posters are blunt and opinionated, the postings here are the rudest I’ve read! Please have some courtesy, posters, even if you don’t support Sea. It’s already brave of him to step into the firing range. To those who criticize him, why aren’t you running for City Council?
Also, “Silly”: it’s grammatically unnecessary to use multiple punctuation, such as 3 question marks, which implies you are yelling, and is impolite, shows a lack of control, disrespect for other human beings and mostly, a loss of credibility.
How can we know whether we support Sea if he doesn’t answer questions that were politely asked the first few times and then repeated a few more times until the multiple question marks got his attention?
I’d desperately like to find candidates I can support based on their answers.
I apologize if I was was rude but it’s not a good sign when a candidate doesn’t respond to specific questions about his positions/qualifications from me and others when he/she throws his hat in the ring.
It’s also not a great sign when a candidate says he’s for subsidized housing and it takes only 2 questions about how he’s going to fund it for him to decide it’s not something the city should be doing. Doesn’t show a whole lot of thought on his part.
The reception Seelam Reddy has gotten in this thread may seem personal, but at its not really. While it may appear that people unhappy with the current council are looking for other candidates, it’s only supposed to be PASZ-approved folks. Anyone else messes up the probabilities that PASZ can get close to a majority on the city council.
One poster warned “That is the last time I will be this nice” if you don’t reconsider running.
That’s a shameful way to treat a person who has offered his services, whether or not you consider him to be a viable choice.
With due respect to the fact that this thread is about Mr. Reddy–
City Clerk Donna Grider is meeting with prospective candidates to “pull papers” now thru July 29. The filing deadline, which as of 2012 required 25 signatures and $25 or 100 signatures, is mid-August, although she can add a week if the incumbents do not run. There were 14 candidates for 5 spots in 2009, and 6 candidates for 4 spots in 2012.
I don’t know what good a rank-choice-voting initiative would do, between now and November. My guru on that topic is former San Francisco supervisor Matt Gonzalez.
I would recommend a “no” vote on the ballot measure, forwarded — and this is an important point, –NOT by citizens but by current office holders to reduce Council composition from 9 to 7. Please note that in subcommittee Gregg Scharff voted for the reduction but with majority assured he is cleverly switching or did switch his public stance to “no”.
I think Mr. Reddy, even new to area, should run just as I think 9 not 7 council composition both lead to more debate and better decision-making processes.
I would say ten or more candidates is healthy, ten or less here in 2014 is less so.
And no the Measure D/Maybell/Sensible Zoning group does not represent all possible non-Establishment or Residentialist candidates.
Jerry Underdal,
Wow, you of all people criticizing other people for even suggesting they might not be nice.
Politics have always been rough and tumble. But don’t worry, I don’t intend to go after Mr. Reddy as a person, only his views and ability to meet the needs we have in our town. Perhaps I would suggest you consider avoiding the ad hominem, too, I’ve read your posts and your protest here comes across as pretty hypocritical.
@Citizen
“I don’t intend to go after Mr. Reddy as a person, only his views and ability to meet the needs we have in our town.”
That’s reassuring to hear. Thanks for your kind consideration of my views.
Lets be real here, if this forum is at all represenative of the community, with Palo Altans holding deep seated animosity towards tech workers, immigrants, anyone who supports ANY development (I suppose the houses they live in appeared out of the ether), renters, anyone who makes more money than them, anyone who makes less money than them, and so on, Sea is going to be fighting an uphill battle.
“Unless you have a platform of returning the city to some rose colored picture that only occurs in folks’ imaginations, you’re not going to change minds any minds here. “
Mr. Reddy hasn’t lived here very long. You’re not helping the man by glossing over the conversation about overdevelopment and what it has done to our town. Sorry, the traffic noise level in many people’s neighborhoods, the towering buildings that exceed zoning restrictions by many times, and length of commutes across town today as compared to two years ago are only too real. (In case you hadn’t noticed, being so dismissive about people’s concerns for the future of Palo Alto also no longer works.)
Good Morning
It is a July 4th. Let us celebrate today, a great day for us that are living in the United States.I am slowly picking up books on our history and dreams of our founding fathers.
In regards to changing positions; I/we have to be willing to “Change”.
I studied under Peter Drucker, a great sociology professor in 1986-1988 at Claremont Graduate School. I took 4 graduate level classes. He is great and is no longer. He taught me/us on evolution of industrial ideas and how some things change for good. When I am in doubt I read one of 20 books he has written. A great thinker on past and future.
Change is inevitable; we are not how our parents were; the issues are different.
Population growth is inveitable due to ‘new’ immigrants from different parts of the world than before. The motives for immigration are different.
It is a different world even after dot.com evolution and new money from technology. We can’t be bystanders and complain.
In essence; we need creative ideas; most likely with technology. Palo Alto is a great place to innovate to solve these issues with the knowledge we have, with the wealth we have, with the philanthropy we have, and encouragement from our county, state and federal government.
Let us think outside the box and let the innovation rise to solve our traffic problem.
We do not need tall building; but we need refurbished energy efficient buildings. Look at the Hoover Building that I go to at Stanford campus for my medical checkups. Without much research; I notice the building retains its heritage, a 1920-30s building; inside it has all the energy innovation of today.
Similarly, let us work with smart people on how to move our people from homes to work places and to school; using innovative methods of ‘people moving’.
Recently I was in London in late May and was impressed by the ‘TUBE’ similar to CALTRAN/BART. Could we have a local people mover/and how?
Yes, I change my mind; when there is better information; when I hear from the experts;
I am not a ‘No’ man. I am for innovation and making Palo Alto better than before.
Yes it is July 4th; I am certainly grateful I am alive and well and am in Palo Alto. I am sure we all are.
Respectfully
Mr. Reddy,
We need people with big ideas. We need citizen energy like that. But for Council right now, we need people ready and able to go to bat for residents. Unfortunately the business of government right now in this town is pressure to let developers put in tall, dense buildings, and to even change our Comp Plan so they can do it more easily.
Change for the worse, for the denser, for the more resource-intensive, is not inevitable. In fact, until lately, that kind if change wasn’t even legal under zoning code, our City Council basically told the development community at some point that Palo Alto was open to exploitation and the zoning code and comp plan could be ignored.
Where do you stand on whether we should be a medium-density college town with high property values and quality of life, or a mini San Jose wannabe? Tall dense buildings block out the sky and bring in people who use water, energy, space, and produce waste of one kind or another. Technology can’t bring back daylight plane from development, that’s gone with land use choice.
If 5,000 people save 10% of the resources they normally use by not having vegetable gardens or whatnot, how much energy is saved overall when 10,000 more pack in the high density highrises for the school district? Can any technological solution bring back the horizon and open space?
@Citizen
“If 5,000 people save 10% of the resources they normally use by not having vegetable gardens or whatnot, how much energy is saved overall when 10,000 more pack in the high density highrises for the school district? Can any technological solution bring back the horizon and open space?”
Interesting questions asked to a native of India where overpopulation, and lack of infrastructure are main reasons for mass migration out of that country.
Good morning
Commenting on ‘Citizen’ and ‘Biking Mom’ inputs
My take on this is:
1. We want sensible Palo Alto growth; not a mini-San Jose; not a city with higher population than what we have; no ugly tall building; no parking lots with more concrete; Keep Palo Alto just as beautiful; let the sunset on trees during the evenings fall on our trees that make PA a wonderful place to live.
2. We want go ‘grow’ in innovative of managing our existing resources and keeping up with ‘energy efficient technologies’ that make our city one of the top cities in our grouping. Plant more grass, plants and improve on the looks. We cannot be sitting idle; can not afford to.
3. Engage industry that is in our town to cooperate; share ideas. Go look at VMware campus – VMware transformed old Roche campus into a beautiful landscape and buildings!
4. Once again, no tall buildings. Sensible growth. Refurbish aging buildings and infrastructure to be energy efficient.
Innovation is not a buzz word; it has to be built in our thinking.
When I walk around College Terrace, I say how lucky we are with what we have in the area; beautiful parks; small library; parents walking with their children; we truly live in a fine town; we are not going to spoil that.
Do we have too many restaurants in downtown? As some businesses leave, can these be transformed into small start-up technology firms; SAT prep/ART learning centers; education focus – like in Menlo Park downtown? (just a thought- your input is valuable!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Respectfully
correction –
2. We want to ‘grow’ in innovative way ..
sorry for the typos.. I need to improve.
respectfully
It is so refreshing to have an aspiring council member who is willing to engage in this public forum. Hopefully his openness will be met with thoughtful responses rather than with cheap shots.
Thank you Seelam.
Mr. Reddy,
As a newcomer to Palo Alto politics, I should warn you to be very careful about who’s support you accept. Mr. Carpenter seems to have identified you, as someone he can “work with”.
“Interesting questions asked to a native of India where overpopulation, and lack of infrastructure are main reasons for mass migration out of that country.”
Naturally it’s hard to compare since the US is such a new and vast, in many places almost empty, place. There is definitely a continuum of loss of quality of life between the good and the overly dense and exploited. But for nature, there are hard limits and for property values, there is a tipping point. This is an arid region, mostly. We definitely don’t want to find that limit of resources the hard way. And we shouldn’t have to experience the loss of property values and assets when it’s too late to do anything about it, either, for the short term benefit of a few already wealthy developers.
This region is the goose that laid the golden egg in terms of property taxes. The state government should be concerned when their rules cause exploitation that threatens to kill the goose for good.
I personally do not know Mr. Reddy – but I come from the same background of McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, So-Cal beach areas, and aircraft / space programs translated to Ford Aerospace, Loral/SSL, and Lockheed Martin.
My mother was born on Stanford campus and other family members entrenched in the evolution of Palo Alto and Stanford.
If you look at the posters they are the same people who complain about the school, complain about the city council, complain about the developers – actually some are the developers. All of those groups are in the throws of change and upheaval with no clear path as to what they are doing. The school system seems to be in a big change process.
What I know is that people who have worked in the environment of government based developing technology understand meeting schedules, accountability, good financial planning, and meeting goals on a predictable timeline. They also understand how to integrate company standards into communities, responsible HR policies regarding all employees since government contracts require equal opportunity criteria for entry into the bidding for contracts. They also understand that people applying for jobs need to be qualified at some skill level to work those jobs.
If you watch enough CC meetings you can become frustrated with lack in a lot of skills required to manage a city – which is a legal, government entity. There is also a lack of skills in the staff for the jobs they are assigned. A lot of people think working in support of the school system is the key to entry – but the school system has its own problems with labor unions and entrenched political agendas.
The criteria for developing and managing a city has specific skills required. I know Irvine – home to UC Irvine – one of the top in the area for engineering. I know Newport Beach – home to the old guard and new guard with a lot of money driving the economy. I know that general area – El Segundo is the location of every top technical company involved in technology. Every corporation involved in technology has representation at that location.
PA needs a new set of eyes to help put complicated agendas into a set of priorities which benefit the city. What you have right now is not working very well and most of the posters have been the biggest complainers regarding that subject know that.
Yeah to Mr. Reddy – new set of eyes.
Hope we all are having a great weekend’
Thanks Resident 1 for your comments.
Truly these cities in Southern California have done some amazing things.
I lived and owned property, rented, my children grew up there and we benefited.
However. Palo Alto is better for many reasons.
1. Great community with the right size 60,000 people
2. One of the highest education citizens
3. Great companies businesses that do a lot of cutting edge tech innovation in this town
4. Brilliant Stanford faculty and students
No where in the world is like here. We got take advantage and solve our local issues of congestion, making our schools better, limiting growth to refurbishing buildings while maintaining heritage like what Stanford did to the Hoover building on el camino real and quarry road
I feel we have this fantastic opportunity and talent and economy to correct our growth issues and come up with innovative way to make our city/town with great heritage to continue to be one of the best places to live in US if not this world.
We will do it with a lot of deliberation and thought while taking input from Local citizens, experts, Stanford, Businesses and visiting places that have done it.
I feel positive and hope u do too
Respectfully
Have a great next week!
@Resident 1,
Us complainers turned out historic levels of participation at City Hall, and fought and won a land use referendum against City Hall, on a shoestring, when three former mayors told us we could never win a land use referendum. Actually, we qualified 2 referenda, one in just 10 days.
All done completely by citizen volunteers. The issues of overdevelopment were a huge part of that and that effort is really why City Hall has even paused in covering our town in zoning busting overly dense eyesores.
People like Tim Gray and Eric Filseth were willing to get involved when hardly anyone could imagine the citizens would prevail. We certainly put out enough information that those who wanted to help could get involved, and we could have used the help.
You have no idea what we would be facing in this town if the results of that election had instead confirmed to this development-frenzied Council that citizens really couldn’t challenge City Hall over land use and overdevelopment But now we’re “complainers” and Johnny Come Lately is the “new eyes”? Or do you mean Underdal/Rupert?
If Mr. Reddy is really for such things, and wants to be involved with City politics, where was he in such a monumental grassroots political movement in our town? It’s a serious question.
Citizen – you have done a great job. Everyone got to vote on that initiative and express their rights.
If we can have the 9 city council members then there is room for everyone. We do not have to accept any limitations suggested by the CC to reduce the number of participants.
All people running have a right to put their positions out there and be listened to.
“Let a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend.” (Mao Zedong, 1957)
It was a good idea then for China and a good one now for Palo Alto.
Tragically, many of those that raised their voices for change in Mao’s China as a result of this invitation lost their liberty or their lives within months as the party clamped down on dissenting views.
I hope the Palo Alto electorate will be more willing to entertain different views from people offering to be on the city council, regardless of whether or not they took part in the Maybell Revolution.
Peter Carpenter says> An elected body always benefits from a fresh perspective from people who have wisdom and experience. <
I have not heard any wisdom or read of any relevant experience from Mr. Reddy.
I have read his vacuous statements and pieties. He should perhaps aspire to religious leadership where empty optimism is the norm.
But this statement tells us about Mr. Carpenter’s values. Carpenter identifies with an older man no matter how off the mark he is.
“I have not heard any wisdom or read of any relevant experience from Mr. Reddy.”
Sea says that he is opposed to affordable housing in Palo Alto. That is real wisdom, something our local long term leaders seem to lack.
Good morning
Our plan
1. No new tall buildings
2. No new affordable housing projects
3. Resolve traffic congestion + school board/school issues
4. Be senior citizen/family/youth/student friendly
5. No new taxes; strive to lower taxes
6. Respect home owners/and renters needs; keep our town clean;remove trash
7. Refurbish old buildings and innovative energy solutions
8. Plant more trees and green grass – less concrete
9. Keep downtown bustling; make it inviting – keep parking rules the same
10.Team with our stake holders; School Board, Stanford, businesses
11.Innovate not stagnate
Respectfully
Have you noticed another thread about the new head of the school system – from out of state and fresh eyes. There is no prohibition here about bringing in new people who can contribute good experience.
I don’t like it when people who do not really stand for anything or do not have a strong record of who they are and what they support run for office … what is the point?
A determined candidate!
I am amazed by the comments of the posters. Mr. Reddy has clearly made his points throughout the time of sign up. Half the people here have made no effort to read what is provided because they have their own candidates.
The incumbents have a track record that is not sterling so whatever reason you voted for them before has proven not a very good idea. What they said to get elected and what they have done after election is problematical.
Most of the other candidates have made no effort to input into this debate on this system except Mark Weiss and See Reddy. If your other candidates are not participating here then what is so great about them? They are letting other people front for them so we really do not know who they are. Personally I do not want to find out after the fact that they have no business skills to run a city.
The former mayors of Mountain View and Los Altos Hills come from the aerospace industry and have done a great job. That is because the discipline used is a great set of skills. Better than what I am looking at with the alternatives.
As far as the school system goes we have great candidates that are running that show so that is not a particularly big advantage for the city council job.
Since See is putting himself out there and respond to these strange comments then the commenters should at least read what he is saying.