City of Palo Alto

Cari Templeton

https://www.cariforcouncil.com/

Children in Palo Alto are encouraged to ride bikes and walk to school, and the City has an obligation to improve and maintain the bike lanes and sidewalks to reduce incidents and improve safety. I intend to make sure that street safety, maintenance and improvements are a funded priority to benefit our children, seniors, and all people.

1. Over 80% of voters polled say they want elected officials to prioritize children and families. What are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?

   1) Safer transit. Kids need safe sidewalks and bike lanes to get to school, parks, libraries and after school programs. The City should prioritize safety improvements and track all incidents to identify problematic areas for improvement.
   2) Housing stability. Rents change and houses are sold out from under families who are renting them causing children to leave their schools. Renters need more predictability and more people need access to affordable housing in Palo Alto.
   3) Mental health. Palo Alto kids are under tremendous pressure from school work and expectations. We are very lucky to have free mental health clinics for young people, and they need to know about these resources.

2. High quality childcare improves school readiness and parents' workforce participation. What will you do to improve access to high quality childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?

   The Palo Alto Child Care Centers (PACCC) are an essential resource for Palo Alto parents. These after school childcare programs are often run on school sites, but they are at risk if the school board decides to change their policies. The city needs to ensure that affordable and suitable locations are available for these and similar after school programs if they have to move off of the school campus and if demand exceeds capacities of the school locations.

3. Much of the student achievement gap has been linked to the opportunity gap that children in low-income families and children of color confront (e.g., lack of access to healthy food, preschool, tutors, and enrichment activities). If elected, what will you do to increase equity of opportunity?

   One program that I think would benefit students and children from all backgrounds and socioeconomic strata is a free bus pass. With unlimited access to public transit, students will be able to reach locations for after school programs and community support without dependence on their parents leaving work early to drive them. They would also be able to become more independent and learn the value and importance of a good public transit system. By the time they are adults, they will be fluent in using public transit and more likely to use it.

4. What steps will you take to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families in our community?

   Safer sidewalks will make mobility easier for people with disabilities. Easier and cheaper access to public transit will also benefit children and families with disabilities. We can also continually evaluate our public facilities to ensure that they are easily accessible and meet all the ADA requirements for the venue type, including having large bathrooms and changing rooms that are suitable for people with disabilities to use with the assistance of their caregivers who may be of a different gender.

5. If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve children's well-being and access to mental and behavioral health services?

   We do have a state of the art, free, accessible mental health facility targeted at children and young people under the age of 25 in Palo Alto. While we are very fortunate to have this program, it is widely believed that there is more demand than supply for mental health professional services in Palo Alto. Therefore, I intend to work with the City, County, and State to expand this program to have multiple sites throughout the City.