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Greer gets my vote. We've made no progress on our below-market-rate housing, traffic, and parking problems for years. The current council majority instead rubber stamps whatever wealthy developers want, making things even worse. Greer is the kind of committed, public-minded person we need to fix this.

Greer is on the Embarcadero Institute, an anti-housing “think tank” based in Palo Alto that puts out misinformation about the housing crisis. [Portion removed.]

Greer Stone has my vote! His passion for social justice issues, affordable housing, and experience as a teacher and attorney are exactly what we need right now. It's sad to see people already commenting unsubstantiated attacks against a public servant, but I guess that is how politics goes these days. Hopefully we can do better as a community this year.

[Post removed due to same poster using multiple names]

From memory, there was a Paly teacher who planned to run for City Council several years ago, but was unable to do so as per his contract.

Have things changed?

So glad to see Greer Stone enter the race. Smart, engaged, and passionate about restoring a much needed culture of partnership between the city and its residents, Greer is just what we need in these challenging times. Greer brings great perspective to the table - a teacher, renter, lawyer, human rights advocate - and a long-time community leader who's not afraid to speak up on important community issues.

This is fantastic news! Shortly after Trump's election, Greer helped organize an immigration rights event that was very informative and helpful to many members of this community. He truly cares about ALL members of Palo Alto, and I know we can count on him to represent the many diverse voices here. Greer Stone has earned my vote. Si se puede!

Yippee
This is fine news indeed!
Greer is an upstanding human , dignified and ethical can’t wait to get him on the council!

Thanks so much Mr. Stone for your service to the community and commitment to minority groups

I'm never a single-issue voter, but, this year, "no new office space"/"housing-only" is getting most of weight. So far,

Kou, Stone, 2 of {Burt, Eisenberg, ... ? }

As a Gunn High School student, Mr. Stone was always down-to-earth and trustworthy. He chaperoned a school field trip that I attended, and I found him to be an honest and informed teacher. I would vote for him if I could.

Greer Stone has done so much for this community and I believe he would continue to do so. It is apparent that he has a great passion for this work and we need people like that in office during trying times such as these. Mr. Stone has my vote.

Greer has my vote because his concern for renters is genuine.

This is fantastic news! Greer is a noble and upstanding citizen. We need people who care about their community and who are brave enough to tackle our housing crisis. He's an SJ Warrior.

Greer brings a welcome trio of temperament, experience and abilities that will be a great addition to the Council. And his commitment to the work at hand is and has been impressive. Those who try to couch him as anti-housing are only too quick to judge others who brings critical thinking to the table as anti. Greer's writings have been clear that housing issues are not solved by focusing housing production on those who can well afford market rate accommodations while turning a blind eye to the needs of our essential workers.

Love to see Greer Stone enter the race. He’s born and raised in Palo Alto and he genuinely cares about everyone in the community. He’s got a great of list of priorities as well. Will definitely be getting my vote.

Posted by No thanks, a resident of Adobe-Meadow

>> Greer is on the Embarcadero Institute, an anti-housing “think tank” based in Palo Alto that puts out misinformation about the housing crisis.

Embarcadero Institute promotes local government and affordable housing. Since you are against it, I guess you want Sacramento control and high-end buildings-- am I right?

We need more leaders like Greer in politics. He’s a kind and caring person and brings great experience to the table as a teacher and community advocate. Wish I lived in PA so I could vote for him!

It seems to me that the Greer Stone fan club got the email to comment here!

This is not a popularity contest. I am very concerned about the comments as very few seem to be based on his views, just his ability and likeability as a teacher and member of the community. These things do not necessarily qualify him as a good council member. I hope these people take time to consider his views on important Palo Alto issues that we are facing.

I always thank anyone willing to run for city council and look forward to finding out more of his views. I hope that the issues take center stage and not his popularity.

We had a popular PTA councilor voted in last time. I wonder if her supporters have been paying attention to what she has done on the council.

It's refreshing to read about a candidate who actually has highly relevant experience and knowledge that our city needs. His work with our City and County Human Relations Commissions (the latter appointment by our Supervisor Simitian), and the Justice Review Committee will be critical as city counicl continues to align city policies with race equity. His interest in volunteering for years with these Commissions reveal the good heart of this man.

It's been a few years since the council had a lawyer on it. That background brings valuable skills to it when analyzing and making policy. But professionally, it is to Stone's credit that he followed his heart and his wife into teaching.

I think it's not since Ron Anderson (the olden days) that there has been a teacher on the council? Given covid, having Stone as a direct connection to PAUSD can only benefit his council colleagues in better understanding the situation with the District.

That he is a renter is rare on council, along with being president of his neighborhood assoc. He champions renters who make up nearly half our population, and has spoken up on expanding renter protections - I was in council meetings when he did so. And he knows our neighborhoods and residents concerns.

What an excellent candidate - one who actually knows what he is talking about, knows what the important issues are, and will be a great addition to city council.

Greer has a big heart for this city and public service. His policy proposals are the ones the city needs moving forward to bring equality to ALL residents.

Love Greer's support of telework! Sounds like a great way to create affordable housing and practice social distancing while keeping people employed.

Greer Stone is one of the most ethical people I know and wants what's best for people. I think he will help bring in a new era of kindness and civility so lacking these days.

Greer is not only a great and likable guy, but he also stands for many issues that need to be solved ASAP. His stance on housing and the economy is much needed in a time like now. Not only are we going through a recession due to the coronavirus, but also homelessness is becoming a larger issue, as is traffic, both of which are linked to housing.

As his student, Mr. Stone has been an amazing role model and treated all my peers and I with respect. I'm particularly excited because of his ability to listen, rare for those who run for elected office, and also his commitment to concerns that I believe in. In Palo Alto, the number of affordable housing units compared to the amount of people who need affordable housing is embarrassing to our city. Mr. Stone is the candidate to fix this issue. I'm excited to vote!

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Greer Stone is a dedicated and honest public servant. He has devoted his career to the service of others and wants to help better his community.

Greer is respectful and listens to all ideas and opinions, he is thoughtful in his choices and makes decisions based on fact and not emotion.

Greer Stone will be an asset to the City Council. He will work toward solving the problems of the community and making it a better place for everyone.

Greer's commitment to change at a critical time in our communities and nation is very positive and encouraging. He has show that he has the ability to use his platforms and voice the concerns of the underrepresented in those spaces. I have confidence that he will continue to show up and fight for those who truly need it.

I am afraid Greer is just a little too committed to "affordable" housing and would too easily become just another tool of the real-estate industry by falling back on the city councils business as usual of horse-trading large increases in office space in exchange for small numbers of barely-affordable housing units.

Palo Alto needs to get off the office-housing hamster wheel that ultimately only serves the needs of real-estate developers.

We need a moratorium on all building until the state government figures out how do the right thing and move offices/jobs to places that already have affordable housing and need jobs. Moving offices and jobs to regions with affordable housing would do more to help under-served communities than any amount of barely-affordable housing in Palo Alto.

Palo Alto needs Greer. I have lived here in Palo Alto all my life and raised my children here also. Because I love our city I keep an eye on city politics and was devastated when some running for city council last time mislead voters about receiving money from developers. We can’t let that happen again. Greer is honest, well educated, hard working and he truly cares about all of us — including our homeless population, our housed families, our businesses and the educators and other city workers who make our town a great place to live! Greer understands us and will work hard for us. Please give him your vote rather than giving it to those who are taking money from developers and will be focusing on taking care of developers.

Greer Stone is exactly the kind of leader Palo Alto needs right now. He knows the city inside out, and brings a fresh perspective to tackling longstanding problems. Joe Simitian tapped Greer to serve on the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission because of his dedication to racial equality and social justice. As the City considers serious issues such as affordable housing, traffic mitigation and police reform, Greer's leadership will ensure all voices are heard.

Greer Stone is a teacher and the community needs someone who has been in the trenches and sees first hand what’s going on with our community.

He went from being a lawyer to a school teacher so you know he understands law and policy but also understands the issues that our community is facing as he has been a Palo Alto native his entire life.

He’s a lawyer that chose to be a teacher! In the bay area! That should speaks volumes that Greer Stone is in it for the community, not for monetary gain.

Greer has been in and around city hall for 8 years and knows the ins and outs. Experience and knowledge is not something he’s lacking. He’s one of the most caring, loving, people I’ve ever met. If you vote for Greer our entire community will see just how amazing he is and how he truly cares about our community.

Stone is a residentialist and supports social justice? I'm confused on the compatibility of those two terms when so much injustice is tied to housing in the Bay Area.

Does that mean, Stone supports keeping things the way they are and feeling good about it? Please explain what I am missing.

Greer was involved in a scandal about a year ago that had Democratic Party activists Michele and Ken Dauber calling on Stone to step down from his position as a delegate to the Democratic State Central Committee.

This didn't get much press in the Weekly but did garner quite a bit of ink from other local papers. Since the Daubers are Palo Alto residents and given Michele's role in the Persky case, it is hard to imagine this will not become an issue/distraction in this year's council race. Really surprised that experienced politicians like Karen Holman and Pat Burt, who mentored Stone through his 2016 campaign, did not discourage Stone from running this year.

Web Link

As a survivor of sexual assault (more than once, I‘ll not minimize it with a euphemism like abuse) by an older neighbor when I was a child myself, I respect Michele Dauber’s courage and efforts. But I also find it troubling that she would go after someone like that for participating in the judicial process in good faith. Very often sexual predators are good at hiding who they are from others, even cultivating an image for the sake of being perceived as a good guy, it’s why they get away with it, and everyone has a right to be innocent until proven guilty.

I don’t think anyone should be disqualified from life or anything just because they were related to someone and we’re called to testify to what they knew in a trial, if they were open and honest. I wish Michele Dauber would focus her efforts on reforming the system rather than persecuting individuals who, like in this case, was essentially damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. It’s troubling that she would use that against him in political ways, probably just because she disagrees with his approach to affordable housing and thus assumes his motives are less noble than hers.

[Portion removed.]

Would Michele Dauber have preferred that Stone lied, or presumed guilt as judge, jury and executioner? He was in that situation, did what he thought he was called to do, and justice was served. Is anything else being alleged here?

I find the way this is brought up to be troubling for anyone to use that participation in the workings of a judicial process, because of being related to the kind of criminal who is typically good at hiding their abuse [portion removed.]

This is why hypocrisy is so damaging. Because people believe their intentions make them the good guys who can’t ever be wrong, and anyone who disagrees with them on an issue, even if they are on the same side, must be disingenuous and have bad intent. This is how ideologues are made (of the hypocritical kind who only think other people are ideologies).

I would just remind all of taking the beam from one’s own eye before pointing out the mote in others’. And of the corrupting influence of power in any sphere, even hard-won power. (Please don’t squander hard earned power by backbiting and hypocrisy.)

"Stone is a residentialist and supports social justice? I'm confused on the compatibility of those two terms when so much injustice is tied to housing in the Bay Area. ...Please explain what I am missing."

If you are among those who think that building a lot of luxury/market-rate housing somehow equates to affordable housing and doesn't wholesale displace people of color and low-income people -- as has been happening right in front of you for the last 10-15 years -- then there's little anyone can do to help you see what you are missing.

Greer is among those who is ACTUALLY advocating for ALL residents, not just buying a nice-sounding trickle-down housing lie that helps no one but rich developers and companies that don't want to stop concentrating their workforces despite the pandemic and other problems they create for the community (like unaffordable housing).

Why aren't supposed advocates asking the tech companies to be more cognizant of the impact of their concentrating on localities (on safety, homelessness, the environment, housing costs, etc etc)? As the pandemic has shown, they can solve the affordability and housing crisis problem pretty fast by adding a location with more available and affordable housing and creating a satellite workplace. But that alone doesn't undo all the damage they have done.

A residentialist is someone who looks at civic life in a holistic way, rather than just carrying water for developers (intentionally or not). That kind of detailed concern for all residents and the whole picture of civic life is way more a part of social justice than militantly following an ideology whose actual consequences are the opposite of the espoused values.

Glad to see Greer declaring. He is running NOT his half brother. Don't confuse the two.
Look at Greer's record and hear what HE says. He is a fine person and an excellent candidate.
Thank you "PW" and "paved with good intentions" for your posts. So much misinformation out there; thank you both for clarifying.

I don't know Mr Stone, but will evaluate him against any of the candidates who run. However, I'm concerned about all of the positive comments to this article, all coming from "paved with good intentions", "Love Palo Alto", "Grateful", "Good Man", "great News", " The Right Combination", etc. Please everyone use your names instead of political support, anonymous labels. It makes people think that they are all written by either the candidate himself or his/her campaign manager. Thanks

These are state-level bills, but, will affect all of us in Palo Alto. SB 50 has been split up and, in many cases, made even more draconian by the following bills:

SB 1120, SB 902, SB 1085, SB 995 AND AB 725, AB 1279, AB 2345, AB 3040, AB 3107

I would like to hear the opinion of Greer Stone, and, all the other candidates, on this menace.