Children and the law are candidate's passion
By ALDRICH TAN/Enterprise correspondent, March 27, 2006

Growing up in San Francisco's Sunset District, City Council candidate Mike Levy said he never knew his neighbors by name.

But after the UC Davis alumnus and his family moved back to Davis in 2000, a dozen of his new neighbors welcomed them and brought cookies and peanut butter brownies. Levy, 39, looks back on the event with fondness.

"That's the kind of Davis that I want to help maintain," he said. Levy was the second candidate to file his application for the Davis City Council. He is an environmental lawyer working for the state's Water Resources Control Board and volunteers as a Sacramento County superior court judge.

Editor's Note: This is one of five profiles being written on the candidates for the Davis City Council. Other candidates seeking the two seats on the council are Ruth Admundson, Mike Levy, Lemar Heystek and Stan Forbes.

Levy also quickly got involved in the Davis political scene. He was the founding member and first president of the Grande Neighborhood Association. He is the chairman of the city's Governance Task Force and vice chairman of the city's Natural Resources Commission.

Levy said his expertise in environmental law will help tackle of the biggest issues in this year's election: Improving the city's wastewater treatment plant so that it meets federal standards.

Water issues in this region are complex, Levy said. The city's wastewater treatment plant cannot treat all the salt and dissolved solids in the groundwater. The solids clog pipes so locals also use water-softeners, which discharge other chemicals into the treatment plant.

"We need to explore our options for cleaner sources of water to meet environmental standards," he said. "We also need to find ways to use less water."

The groundwater resources issue is an issue that not only affects Davis. The issue affects the entire Yolo County.

"We have a limited number of aquifers in this area," Levy said, "and the cities need to work together to minimize the resources that we are using."

Levy is also concerned with improving the city's technology and getting more university students involved in city issues.

"I've learned so much from talking to students on campus," he said, "especially about using e-mail."

Levy also learned that the city is lagging from accommodating the current technology in existence, especially concerning cell phones and wireless Internet access.

"I want to ensure that our infrastructure keeps pace with the technological needs of our citizens and is equipped to adapt to rapidly growing technologies," he said.

He also wants to improve the students' involvement in their community by offering internships with various public works department.

"The things that we call 'student issues' are 'citywide issues' too," he said. "Parking, police relations, shopping, housing, are all city issues. We have such a large student population that it is important for the city to bridge the gap between students and other residents."

As a resident and college alumnus, Levy said he understands the local concerns over college student parties.

"We need to work with the university to provide more entertainment opportunities for 18- to 21-year-olds," he said. "That would help minimize noise issues in residential areas."

Levy said he also connects to the growing number of young families in the community. Levy and his wife Elisa, 34, a UCD alumna and director of human resources at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, are raising daughter Sarah, 3. Elisa also gave birth last week to another child.

"I think it's been a long time since we've had a council member with young children," he said. "For example, I'd like to see buses with places for baby carriers and improved availability of changing stations throughout the city."

Levy is just as concerned with the city's elderly. In private practice, he gained experience in probate and estate planning, and served as an executor, an individual who manages people's estates and after they pass away, and as a conservator, who manages a disabled person's health and finances.

"There are a limited number of housing opportunities for our elderly," he said. "Many people would like to downsize to lower maintenance living quarters, but there is an inadequate supply of housing to meet that need."

Born and raised in San Francisco, Levy attended UC Davis pursuing a degree in political science. He said he wanted to become a lawyer just like his father Raymond Levy.

After Levy graduated from UCD in 1988, he went to law school at the University of San Diego and got his masters degree in environmental law at Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

Levy also remains involved with UCD as a board member of the Cal Aggie Association where he is leading a campaign to raise $5 million for student scholarships. He plans to participate in the Cal Aggie Marching Band at the university's upcoming Picnic Day.

Levy said he looks forward to upcoming forums, such as the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters Forum, to discuss topics with other candidates.