November 5, 2003

Dear Rancho Palos Verdes Residents,

It appears that you have elected me as one of your councilmembers for the next four years. I will do my best to serve you but I must also have your help. You must bring important issues to my attention and help me determine what needs to be done. I am leaving this website up as a way of trying to stay in communication with you. You can continue to submit questions here or send me e-mails or call me to address the issues that concern you.

Please remember that there are limitations on what I can do. Please also be understanding as I learn my new responsibilities. I am confident I will quickly adapt, but I will always invite your suggestions as to how I can improve.

Finally, I have left posted on this website information as to how you can contribute to my campaign. As many of you know I faced a well-organized and well-funded opposition, some of it from partisan organizations outside the city. This opposition caused me to incur some unanticipated expenses. Unlike many other candidates, all of my donations were relatively small. None were larger than $500 and many were less than $100. A few more small donations from members of the public would be helpful in funding the campaign and perhaps allowing me to repay supporters who advanced costs and some of the personal loan I made to the campaign to get it started.

Again, thank you for your confidence you have placed in me by choosing me as one of your next councilmembers. I will work hard to maintain your trust.

Tom Long
Councilmember-Elect,
City of Rancho Palos Verdes

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October 2003

Dear Rancho Palos Verdes Voters,

After living in RPV for 10 years and volunteering on the view commission and planning commission for 7 years, I have decided to run for city council. This website contains information on my experience and my positions on the issues, so I encourage you to explore it thoroughly. You can submit questions to me which I will do my best to answer. You can also volunteer to assist my campaign and/or to endorse me on this website.

My primary interest in running for city council is to protect the city's open space and low density of development as well as its scenic views. As a recreational triathlete I spend a lot of time out of doors and greatly value the city's unique environment. The boundary between Palos Verdes and the rest of the Los Angeles basin is a line that is visible from outer space on satellite photos because of the additional green space that we have. We must hold that line. As the chair of the planning commission I understand the means by which the city can control development. As the former chair of the view commission I was one of the authors of amendments to the view ordinance that helped protect it from court challenges to its validity and helped the city dramatically lower the costs of enforcing the view ordinance. My experience makes me uniquely qualified to protect the city's future.

There are seven candidates running in the election on Tuesday November 4, 2003. You are allowed up to 3 votes to fill 3 at large seats. My name is the third one on the ballot. I hope you will give careful consideration to all the issues and save one of your votes for me this November 4th.

Sincerely,

Tom Long

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