The November 2024 elections look optimistic for biking and walking in Sunnyvale! There is a whole slate of candidates who are champions of biking and walking. Our endorsements focus on the local races, namely, Sunnyvale Mayor and Council and the School Boards governing Sunnyvale schools. Here are the candidates we endorse:
Larry Klein, Sunnyvale Mayor
Alysa Cisneros, Sunnyvale Council, District 2
Charlsie Chang, Sunnyvale Council, District 4
Eileen Le, Sunnyvale Council, District 6
Doug Kunz, Cupertino Union School District Board
Sylvia Leong, Cupertino Union School District Board
Pat Carpio-Aguilar, Fremont Union High School District Board, Trustee Area 2
Danny Choi, Fremont Union High School District Board, Trustee Area 5
Peggy Shen Brewster, Sunnyvale School District Board, Trustee Area 4
Read about our thorough methodology for determining who to endorse. In all cases, our endorsed candidates stand heads above their competition in the active transportation arena and, more generally, livability in Sunnyvale. Read on to find out why the candidates we endorse are outstanding.
Larry Klein | Sunnyvale Mayor
For Mayor, we heartily endorse Larry Klein. As the current Mayor of Sunnyvale, he has been a strong supporter of active transportation. He has advocated for more and better biking and walking infrastructure in the City, found funding for such infrastructure, and increased transportation staff to work on active transportation. He often bikes with us on community bike rides that we organize and enjoys talking to residents about their active transportation concerns.
In Larry's own words:
"As Sunnyvale’s Mayor, I am committed to Safer Streets and a more walkable community. I got involved with our Downtown Vision 20+ years ago, and I’m happy to see our transit-oriented, walkable, vibrant community vision close to completion. Sunnyvale needs to prioritize active transportation—like walking, biking, and better public transit—making it more accessible and safer for everyone of all ages. I believe that better active transportation is one of our city’s top priorities, and I am dedicated to investing in the staff and infrastructure needed to create safer streets, reduce traffic congestion, and promote a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. By supporting active transportation, we can improve our quality of life, protect our environment, and create a more vibrant, connected community for all of Sunnyvale."
Alysa Cisneros | Sunnyvale Council, District 2
Alysa Cisneros is our favorite for Sunnyvale City Council, District 2. As the current District 2 councilmember, she has shown herself to be a rational supporter of active transportation. She values transportation safety, especially where children are concerned. She has a track record of voting in favor of improved active transportation.
Charlsie Chang | Sunnyvale Council, District 4
We endorse Charlsie Chang for Sunnyvale City Council, District 4. As a professional public transportation liaison, she has deep knowledge of how to get transportation infrastructure funded and built. She will work behind the scenes with Staff to do what's necessary to move active transportation forward in our City. Charlsie is thoughtful and soft-spoken. We think she'll be a great addition to Council. Charlsie is the sole candidate for her district, so her seat on Council is guaranteed.
In Charlsie's own words:
"I support active transportation and implementing the city’s Active Transportation Plan through education, working with staff, and coordinating with other regional partners and jurisdictions to make needed infrastructure improvements. We have to make it easier for people to be able to safely walk, bike, and get around Sunnyvale that isn’t limited to just driving alone. Active transportation promotes public health, reduces traffic congestion, and strengthens our community by allowing people to have the freedom to get to where they want to go."
Eileen Le | Sunnyvale Council, District 6
Eileen Le is passionate about making Sunnyvale bikeable and walkable. She stays up-to-date on the City's active transportation projects and activities. She is interested in improving the Safe Routes to School program in our City by bridging the gap between the City and the school districts. Eileen is experienced in local government, as she is currently on the Sunnyvale School District Board. She is thoughtful and intelligent, and she will lead Sunnyvale down the right direction.
In Eileen's own words:
"I am passionate about ensuring equitable bike lane access and safe permissions pedestrian pathways in Sunnyvale, especially in North Sunnyvale. I will advocate for the swift completion of the bike and pedestrian walkway along Tasman, which will allow mobile home residents to more easily leave their complexes without needing to drive. I will work with the school district and DPS to re-envision our Safe Routes to School program so that children can safely walk or bike and build traffic safety skills at an early age. I will be honored to work with Sunnyvale Safe Streets as the councilmember for District 6."
Doug Kunz | CUSD
Doug Kunz is a superstar where active transportation is concerned. He is a staunch supporter of Safe Routes to School (SRTS): he was Chair of SRTS for 4 years at his children's elementary school. He has spoken at Sunnyvale and Cupertino city council meetings in support of active transportation multiple times. As Chair of the Sunnyvale Sustainability Commission, he understands that making our environment safe for biking and walking is key to reducing the 40% of green house gases that cars currently contribute. Doug is thoughtful, conscientious, and respectful.
In Doug's own words:
"I believe that promoting active transportation to schools is integral to the health and safety of our students, community and climate. Active transportation to school furthers multiple worthy goals such as fostering student physical fitness, independence, and academic performance, while reducing vehicle traffic and emissions around schools. I chaired the PTA’s “Safe Routes to School” committee for 4 years at my kids’ elementary school, and would be proud to build on that work in office. My top active transportation-related priority as a CUSD board member would be to adopt a Board Policy that lays out a more comprehensive vision of what CUSD’s Safe Routes to School program should look like and thus sets the table for further progress. I support ensuring that CUSD provides convenient, secure bike storage at all sites. I support educating kids about how to bike safely as an important life skill that will benefit their long-term physical, mental and financial well-being while safeguarding our climate. Finally, as an individual Board Member I will personally support City actions that make student travel to schools safer and more convenient. I already have a track record of doing this, including making public comments that supported the Lawson Middle School Bikeway Project in Cupertino, and lowering Sunnyvale’s speed limit to 15mph around schools."
Sylvia Leong | CUSD
In her 6 years on the CUSD Board, incumbent Sylvia Leong has shown herself to be a strong supporter of Safe Routes To School (SRTS). When her children were in elementary school in CUSD, she led a walking school bus daily for the children in her neighborhood. She has advocated at Sunnyvale and Cupertino city council meetings in support of safer infrastructure for SRTS, including the Homestead Road full-time bike lanes and Lawson Middle School protected bike lanes. We endorse Sylvia unconditionally.
In Sylvia's own words:
"As a board member for the Cupertino Union School District, I have been a champion for student safety, including the importance and value of walking and biking to school. My personal background as a Walking School Bus leader and member of the SRTS committee at Meyerholz Elementary has provided first-hand knowledge in the need for safe pathways for students walking, riding or rolling to and from school. As a board member, I see my role as an advocate and educator. Advocating by speaking with city leaders as they make decisions about active transportation plans to ensure the perspective of students is included in the decision-making process, and educating by ensuring the district provide materials, notices and safety information to parents, and ensure the district work with partner organizations to provide road and traffic education to students through bike rodeos, workshops and more. I look forward to working with organizations like Sunnyvale Safe Street, Bike Sunnyvale, and Walk Bike Cupertino to learn about projects going on around our community."
Pat Carpio-Aguilar | FUHSD, Trustee Area 2
Pat Carpio-Aguilar is a caring teacher who stands up for student equity. She is concerned about the long commute for north Sunnyvale students to high school. She would like to see safe bike routes for students to get to school and provide bus and shuttle service for students.
In Pat's own words:
"As candidate for Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees, I am committed to ensuring that our students have safe and accessible routes to school. As a responsible and data-driven leader, I believe it is essential to work collaboratively with Safe Routes to School and other interested parties to identify and address the specific needs of our students and community. While I recognize that perfect solutions may not be feasible immediately, we can make progress through incremental improvements and strategic planning. Specifically, I plan to focus on initiatives such as traffic calming measures, improved pedestrian infrastructure, and increased community engagement to foster a culture of safety and responsibility. By working together, we can create a safer and more sustainable pathways for our students to travel to and from school, ultimately enhancing their overall educational experience."
Danny Choi | FUHSD, Trustee Area 5
Danny Choi supports making streets safe for students to walk and bike to school. He understands that the car culture has made our streets dangerous for students and he would work to reverse that trend. He would like to see an active Safe Routes To School program at each school. Danny is a sensible person and open to learning about how he can best support biking and walking.
In Danny's own words:
"I share the concerns of Sunnyvale Safe Streets, and am committed to advocating for a commuting model that helps shift our community from a car-centric one to a more sustainable approach that encourages walking and biking to school. I recognize that such a shift requires action that may include soliciting the feedback of transportation experts, partnering with outside agencies, and committing of resources to resulting projects."
Peggy Shen Brewster | SSD, Trustee Area 4
Peggy Shen Brewster has perseverance and single-mindedly follows her beliefs. Her priority is to achieve equity for students in north Sunnyvale including Safe Routes To School for those students. As the only contender for Trustee Area 4, Peggy is guaranteed her seat on the Sunnyvale School District Board, so you won't see her on the ballot. We are looking forward to making good progress on SRTS with Peggy.
In Peggy's own words:
"Walking and biking to school provides essential physical activity, enhances academic performance, and reduces traffic congestion around schools. I support age/grade appropriate walking and biking safety education for students, traffic safety reminders for parents and guardians, enforcement by crossing guards and traffic safety officers, and fun activities like celebrating International Walk and Bike to School Day. All district campuses should provide safe access points for pedestrians and bicyclists and sufficient secure bicycle parking. I will encourage the district to work collaboratively with the City of Sunnyvale to ensure that routes to schools, including city streets surrounding our campuses, are safe for young pedestrians and bicyclists and their families."
Our Methodology for Deciding Who to Endorse
We convened an interview panel of 10 knowledgeable and experienced people who are active transportation proponents in Sunnyvale. For each race, we researched all the candidates in that race. We looked for candidates who have taken steps to promote active transportation, like speaking at public meetings in support of bike lanes. For the candidates who have held public office in the past, we considered their voting record on active transportation issues. We invited a short list of the candidates for a 1-hour in-person interview, at which we asked them questions specific to active transportation, like how they would prioritize bike lanes vs. street parking, ideas for funding the active transportation plan, or their ideas for improving the Safe Routes To School program in Sunnyvale. After researching and interviewing candidates, we discussed and voted on the top candidates to endorse. We are confident the candidates we endorsed will improve active transportation and, more generally, livability in Sunnyvale.
About the Author
Sharlene Liu is Founder and Chair of Sunnyvale Safe Streets. She is a former Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commissioner.
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