Palo Alto Election Signals Push To Slow Growth: Report

PALO ALTO, CA — If the apparent outcome of Palo Alto City Council is any indication, voters want lawmakers to pump the brakes on growth in this South Bay city, Palo Alto Weekly reports.

The report points to the current frontrunners in the field of 10 candidates vying for four seats.

Former Mayor Patrick Burt, who as of Wednesday morning led the race with 10,017 votes (13.73 percent) with 58 percent of Santa Clara County’s vote reported, and incumbent Lydia Kou, who is in second place with 9,045 votes, are both advocates of slowing city growth according to the report.

Teacher Greer Stone, also a slow-growth advocate according to the report, is in third place with 8,415 votes and incumbent Greg Tanaka is in fourth place with 8,325.

The county expects to update its tabulation at 5 p.m.

Should the early returns hold up, the election of Burt, Kou and Stone would give the city’s "residentialist” block a majority.

"It'll be a council that's going to listen to Palo Altans and take their concerns and their hopes into consideration to be able to make a city that really works for the people and not for outside interests," Stone told Palo Alto Weekly.

"I think we're really going to be able to make a difference on moving the needle on being able to create more housing and having a focused effort on affordable housing and trying to create a more diverse and equitable community."

Read more in Palo Alto Weekly