City Council Candidate Profile: Terry Nagel

In her eight years as a Burlingame City Council member and two terms as Mayor, Terry Nagel has lined up a long list of accomplishments, including founding the Neighborhood Network, the Green Ribbon Task Force, the Community Wishlist and demanding a full inspection of Burlingame’s underground gas pipelines from PG&E. She was selected to sit on the county Transportation Authority, from which she urges cities on the Peninsula to work together to plan for future transportation needs, in addition to other countywide boards. However, Nagel believes there is more work to do.

As a resident of Burlingame for 33 years, Nagel is running for re-election on Nov. 8 against fellow incumbent Vice Mayor Jerry Deal and newcomer Ricardo Ortiz. There are two available seats.

In advance of the upcoming election, Patch asked Nagel a few questions.

What do you want to accomplish in the council member role?

I think the biggest priority is to continue to stimulate the economy and hopefully create jobs and help bring more revenue to Burlingame…We’ve done a lot of [economic development] but I think we need to continue to make that a high priority…We still need to cut cost and get a handle on the pension obligation issues and built the reserve so that we can afford some of the future projects we want.

[Also, I want] to provide better transportation…I believe this is a good time to do the long range planning. Once our cities agree on what they want, we’ll be in  a better position to go after [it].

I want to continue partnerships with schools…and finally, I’m a big believer in encouraging the clean, green projects, especially the ones that pay for themselves. There’s a lot of possibilities out there, and we need to make those a priority.

What experiences make you suited for this role?

First of all, I was a journalist for many years covering local government and school districts. That’s where I really learned how city and school districts work. I also have 10 years experience working for a non-profit, specifically focusing on websites, so I have the web experience. Also in the non-profit world you get a taste of how to make things happen without having a lot of money, so I think I’ve been pretty good about making things happen by tapping into the resource of people power.

I also have some leadership training…The League of California Cities has a California Civic Leadership Institute, and I am a graduate of that year-long program…I think I have a lot of experience, but mostly I think it’s just living in this city for 33 years and really understanding what the problems and the issues are and showing up. I think I really understand what makes Burlingame tick, and I have a feel for what the best solutions are.

Who are your primary supporters?

I’ve been very fortunate to be endorsed by some of the huge leaders in the county. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Assemblyman Jerry Hill, State Senator Joe Simitian, and Assemblyman Rich Gordon.

(For a full list of Nagel’s supporters, including, as she noted, current and former City Councill members, Burlingame organizations and education leaders, click here.)

What do you think is the biggest issue facing Burlingame right now?

I guess I would say two things. I think the pension obligation issue is just the biggest time bomb ticking, and I think that our council has really taken a hold of this issue and has been working collaboratively with employees so that they get it. They understand the need for everyone to chip in more and to make our budget sustainable. (Patch note: Nagel first introduced the issue of pension obligations and pension reform five years ago as the Vice Chair of the San Mateo County Council of Cities).  [The other issue] is the underground pipelines not just in our city, but in all cities. I made this a priority this year to makes sure the pipelines in Burlingame are safe…The good news is that some of them are safe, then there are other ones that we now have to worry about…I think that just from the standpoint of making sure the pipelines are safe that has been my other big priority, and it will be until I’m absolutely sure that we don’t have any unsafe pipelines.

Visit Terry Nagel’s website to learn more about her and her candidacy.