Politics & Government

City Council Candidate Q&A: Adam Gillitt

Alameda Patch has compiled information about the candidates running for office in the Nov. 2, 2010 election. Adam Gillitt is one of eight hopefuls vying for two seats on Alameda's City Council.

What is the primary reason you are running for this office? I chose to run for Alameda City Council because I felt that the priorities of the current Council were not in the best interest of the citizens of Alameda. I think the wrong choices are consistently being made and that a new voice, that of a regular citizen who is not beholden to corporations or political machines, is needed in City Hall.

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?
Alameda is still stuck in the mindset of panicking over the loss of the Navy. It has been nearly 15 years since the closure of the NAS, and there is still no clear vision of what to do with the land. Now that the ENA with SunCal has ended, this issue is once again at the forefront of the minds of Alamedans and is by far the most important issue of this election. I have always felt that SunCal was a bad fit for our City and was among the 85% who voted against Measure B. The city needs clear leadership over the issues concerning the NAS and the direction Alameda will take into the future.

I think that it makes more sense to reuse the existing structures and leverage all the existing assets to generate income for the City, rather that bringing in mercenary developers who are tone-deaf and more interested in lining their own pockets than doing what's best for our community. We also have a historical background that is worth preserving.

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We do not need to build more housing at the NAS—we currently have nearly 1,000 units on the market for sale or rent. There are so many complications with building on the site and no plans have satisfactorily taken into account the myriad issues from hazardous waste to public transit to the Least Tern's habitat to low income housing balance vs jobs that I cannot support the PCD or any development concept for the NAS at this time.

What sets you apart from the other candidates? I am an Alameda resident and small business owner who is disappointed by the mismanagement, and lack of vision, creativity and citizens' voice in Alameda's City Council. I have no connections to any political figures, groups or corporations, but I have plenty of creative ideas. I will provide Alameda with a fresh start and creative vision to make it the best City to live in and do business in the Bay Area. I want to move Alameda forward, not keep it mired in status quo.

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My campaign website has many ways to get in touch with me, including directly on my site, via email, Facebook, FourSquare and Twitter. I am also an active participant in local City blogs and in City events. This is something I will continue to do so that my constituents will be able to keep me actively informed about their concerns and needs. I will continue to update my site regularly with additional information and encourage community interaction during and after the campaign.

I am running a grassroots campaign—my whole reason for running is to return the citizens' voice to City Hall. So, if elected, it will be intrinsic to my office to incorporate my constituents' voice in everything I do. I will return a voice that has been missing from City Council: a regular, sensible, everyday citizen, who loves Alameda and will stand up and serve in the best interest of my neighbors. I will include my neighbors'  input in the decision making process of this City. I believe in open and transparent government, and being responsible to my neighbors in Alameda. I've also stated clearly that I will not accept contributions greater than $250; I do not want to be beholden to any one contributor because of their generosity.

Where do you work and what is your job title? I work for myself, operating a small business called Gillico, here in Alameda, since 2006.  I provide consulting to companies that need social networking, design and other creative services. My official title is Owner and Principal.

Age and birthplace?  I am 40 years old, and I was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

What are the names and ages of your children, if any? Although I do not have children of my own, I enjoy participating in the lives of my 14-year-old nephew, Coda, and my 11 year-old niece, Coraya, who live with my sister in New York City. I also share my life with three rescued cats.

Please list the schools and colleges you attended, the degrees you attained and when. I graduated with a Cum Laude Degree from St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire in 1988, and I earned a BA in English and American Literature with the equivalent of a minor in Education from Brown University in 1993. I completed significant coursework at UC Berkeley Extension in the late 1990s towards a Graphic Design certificate.

Have you ever held an elected or appointed public office?  No, I have not yet.

Have you run before for an elected public office? This is my first run for elected office.

Approximately how much money do you expect to spend on your campaign, both total spending and personal. Under $4,000, probably closer to $2,500.

How long have you lived in Alameda? Since 2002, first on Santa Clara next to Broadway, and since 2006, where I now reside, a block from Pagano's Hardware.

What's your favorite thing about Alameda? It's difficult to pick only one quality, but I would have to say that I most love the unspoiledness of Alameda. Nowhere else with our proximity to the center of the Bay Area is any other community privileged to have the wealth of resources and quality of living that my neighbors enjoy here: we have space, a reasonable cost of living compared to surrounding communities, a low crime rate, cleanliness, civility, a temperate climate, and a sense of history that is rapidly disappearing from most other cities and towns. 

There is a sense of community here that I know other cities and towns envy and would love to emulate. That is exemplified in how after eight years of living here, and despite my committment to spend the rest of my life here, to those born and raised here, I am accepted as a "New Alamedan," and will have to work extra hard to gain the trust and respect of the "Old Alamedans."

What is the biggest problem in Alameda? We are now a city divided after the schisms artifically created by the unwanted manipulations of SunCal and their attempts to gain control of the NAS. Now that the citizens have voted 85 percent - to 15 percent to remove SunCal, and the current City Council has also voted to end the ENA, it's time for the City and our neighbors to come together. We need to put our past differences behind us and work towards the common good of our City and what will bring money into our coffers, jobs into our community, and stability into our future. Alameda has always been a city where people can disagree about the details but, in the end, come together over a cup of coffee, work towards our common good, shake hands and remain neighborly.


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