League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA June 6, 2006 Election
	Timothy K. Fitzgerald Answers Questions Candidate for Mayor; City of San Jose

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. There are proposals to add 30,000 houses and more office space in North San Jose, thousands more homes in Evergreen and to build a new community in the Coyote Valley. There has been no in-depth study of how these plans will affect one another or services throughout the city. Should San Jose complete a thorough, public review of its general plan for growth before approving any more major development plans? Silicon Valley needs more housing, but San Jose needs more jobs to strengthen its tax base. How would you balance those conflicting pressures?

San Jose must take care of its own back yard first. Further development of Affluent Housing is not only unproductive to the City's needs, the urbal spawral is irresponsible and unintelligent in light of transportation and economic growth issues

2. San Jose has a council/manager form of government. Over the past few years the balance of power has shifted toward the mayor and there are some elected officials who support this stronger role for the mayor. Should San Jose move to a strong-mayor form of government or have a strong professional administrator? What kind of city manager will you look for?

San Jose is the only major City in the United States still requiring leadership from a 'city manager.' The time is long past, given the expamles of McEnery, Hammer, and Gonzales, to give the Mayor a major role in leadership, authority and accoutablity in the City's Politics.

3. Safety often includes services such as homework centers and code enforcement for neighborhoods, but the city budget now being prepared could cut much needed services. If there is no other source of funds to maintain safety-related centers and gang prevention, would you consider reducing the funds going to support the police and fire departments? Can the growing costs of police and for pensions be covered without depleting funds for other community service in the future?

The City has been run by 'boot jack law' with the Cheif of Police acting like the Sheriff of Dodge City for far too long. The needless waste in double duty of Police surveilance and the human waste from heedless police proceedure requires a hard look at the blank check given public safety in future budgets.

4. Money to maintain and operate the city’s public facilities such as parks and libraries is in shorter and shorter supply. So while new or expanded community centers have been proposed previously, the city is looking at closing or privatizing up to 30 existing centers it cannot afford to operate. Should the city re-examine its plans to add parks and other public facilities? Are there services the city could cut to find money for these highly valued ones?

We can not continue to promote stadiums, parks and trails to enrich the lives of some, at the expense and harm existing City services. The time has come to review City goals and strageies in a 25 year vision statement - setting priorities and objectives for controled growth in San Jose for the next century.

---

Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
SmartVoter Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter

---

Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 7, 2006 18:58
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://www.lwvc.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.