This is Tim Gray, candidate for Palo Alto City Council. I am not taking contributions and I am not seeking endorsements.

I am urging the current City Council to declare Financial Discipline the most urgent need for Palo Alto. Read more about this in my web site: http://www.vote4gray.com/...

The City must triage financial discipline to the top of the agenda if we really want the bond measures to have any chance of approval.

It's easy to talk about infrastructure, but the citizens will not fund the needs if we can't demonstrate best practices. See my web site:

Financial responsibility must be demonstrated before we can earn the trust of the community to approve bond funding. The City must triage financial discipline to the top of the agenda if we really want the bond measures to have any chance of approval.

Just look at the standards that the large charitable foundations have for supporting not-for-profit organizations -- i.e. "your own house has to be in order before funds will be provided."

Applying benchmarking to the budget and demonstrating best management practices must be achieved before the City can ask tax payers to chip in. What is standing in the way of the library and public safety facility bonds is the belief that the City has not demonstrated adequate financial care in daily operations. It is urgent that we address that concern head-on.

We can fund things like street improvements and underground utilities if we apply just a little fiscal discipline in City operations, and stop thinking that just because there is the appearance of a little surplus, we can just spend it.

Infrastructure needs that can be conveniently overlooked in any one budget year, but that is taking the politically expedient path of not having to say no. I am not a not a name caller, but our current infrastructure deficit is an accumulation taking the easy path vs. taking a stand for the long-term health of the City.

I will take a stand for the long-term vs. the politically expedient. I know that my independence will offer a voice really needed by the City. As with the hiring of any board of directors, I am the finance guy that will complement any other three candidates. We need that diversity of skills. See the "Budget" section of my web site: http://www.vote4gray.com/...

Best regards, and offered in the spirit of cooperation.