Ashcraft wants larger retail base

Friday, September 24, 2004 By Susan Fuller, Alameda Journal

Attorney Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, 52, managed the successful Health Care District campaign, and co-chaired with Councilman Frank Matarrese the bond measure for the new main library. She has served on the Alameda Hospital board since 2000 (both the nonprofit organization and public district) and has two years remaining on her term. An Alameda High School graduate, she has degrees from UC Davis and Santa Clara University Law School.

What do you think about what the city's done on work/live lofts? Should there be more work/live?

Do you want retail at FISC? Why or why not.

It should be considered. I would like to see more definitive studies on a business park before we close the door on it. Alameda's retail needs new businesses for residents and for shoppers from off the Island. Competition with existing businesses, particularly Webster Street, has to be addressed.

We have to look at ourselves not as victims of developers but as partners at the negotiating table. I want to make sure the city is doing independent research or verifying developers claims.

What do you think about the budget cutting decisions the council made? What else would you have supported?

Cutting back on hours is preferable to laying people off, but we need to be sure we aren't over-staffed. I don't want police and fire cut.

At Alameda Hospital, every department was asked to make some cuts. I hope the city is doing things the hospital did -- consolidating ordering and shopping for insurance while protecting benefit packages.

To generate revenue we need to increase retail. We can't simply sit with so much vacant space.

Should the city continue helping the schools financially?

Schools are an important part of our community. I'd hate to see crossing guards and the DARE Program cut.

It's give and take. The school district has been less than flexible on charging the city for the library. They should be willing to help us out.

What would you have advocated for Harbor Island tenants that is different from what the council is doing?

I would have liked to have gotten there earlier. I don't understand how, if the city was part of the task force working to make things better, it came to this.

Litigation isn't always the best solution. We need do a financial analysis before we pursue legal remedies. These people need help relocating. A lot have long-standing ties to the community and there are a lot of school children.

How would you use the barracks at Alameda Point, considering their historical status, challenging layout and Measure A?

When Measure A was instituted it had a specific and good purpose, saving Victorians from being replaced by multiple units. It never contemplated being applied to the base, which was active Navy property. It would be a shame to tie developers' hands, forbidding houses at Alameda Point except houses with less than 2,000 square feet of land.

I'm not opposed to tearing down the military barracks. We need to preserve history but we don't need to preserve every building. A mixed use development, a real neighborhood, with single family homes, multiple units and retail to support it should be considered.

What could the City Council do to break down the real or perceived East-West Alameda divide?

I think the council needs to pay more attention to Webster Street. You can get people moving back and forth if you give them something to go for. Every Tuesday people come from all over town to the Farmers Market.

Public transit and a transportation corridor would make it easier. If we could give people a reason to go to the West End, people might not feel like a separate entity.

What actions has the council taken in the past four years that you strongly support or oppose?

I'm pleased they put the library measure on the ballot.

I marvel when I go to Peet's Coffee and remember there was a time when we were going to get Cigarettes Cheaper and check cashing.

There was a time when we were very shortsighted and not as courageous as we could have been bringing in somebody to develop Park Street. (Editor's note: Ashcraft is referring to an unsuccessful 1999 proposal by developer Trammell Crow to redevelop a block of Park Street.)

The city should have done better by Webster Street.

We need to look at Measure A. There are people, who don't need to be in a single family dwelling. I'm leery of consultants (Editor's note: The $150,000 proposal in 2003 to study the measure). I would like the mayor appoint a commission to study Measure A's ramifications.

We don't want to stay the way we were 30 or 50 years ago; nobody can halt progress.

Some say Alameda Theatre is a white elephant, some say it's the key to Park Street's economic success. What is your position?

I think Alameda should have a theater but I'm still not convinced we can or should support eight screens.

We do need some parking in downtown. Park Street is coming along. We can have a mix of mom and pop stores and bigger-named franchises.

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Last Modified: September 24, 2004

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