Candidate for
Board Member; Coronado Unified School District

For the District to successfully serve student, parents, and the community, free and open communication is vital. The board should not only encourage, but actively seek input from all interested parties. To this end, I will be a frequent visitor to all of our schools and be accessible to the community. The District must be open and responsive to all.

The fiscal crisis of the state has a profound effect on the District's finances. It is critical that the board spend wisely. A philosophy of fiscal conservatism is necessary to ensure the financial health of the District. This is not the time for frills. Priority should be given to the salaries and benefits of the employees. Not only does treating staff fairly create a positive working environment and good morale, it is critical in hiring and retaining the best staff possible.

The District has been able to upgrade most of its facilities through the use of CDA funding. However, no new bonds can be issued after November 2005. It is critical that we use the remaining time to our best advantage + decide how many bonds to issue; identify the targets for this final push; and budget efficiently. As a side note + one of the big issues in the community is the proposed District aquatics facility. I am opposed to building this unless it can be shown that the public pool will be inadequate, that the allocated District space will not be needed for other projects in the future, that the traffic/noise/parking problems can be mitigated, and that the District will not need to provide general funds for either the construction or the maintenance and operation of the facility.