The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Experience, Concerns, Balancing Needs

Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

Answer from Marby Lee:

I think the best experience I've had, both in my corporate career and in groups I have been involved in, is working with different types of people, and how they approach problems. Everyone looks at an issue differently, and I think it's important to accept that everyone may not look at an issue in the same way, but it is important to maintain focus on what needs to get done, and work through the differences to find a solution. I think I bring to City Council a willingness to look beyond solutions that have been tried before, to look outside the box and try new and innovative solutions to problem-solving.

Answer from Greg Sellers:

As a two term incumbent and a policy consultant with a Master in Public Policy, I bring an unmatched combination of experience, education and extensive ties to our region's leaders. My wife and I grew up in Morgan Hill, and our four children all attend (or will soon attend) Morgan Hill schools. I have been an active member of our community for nearly two decades, and have a proven record of success in the past eight years on the city council.

Answer from Alex Kennett:

The ability to probe deeper and deliver a conciousness regarding the environment and fiscal responsibility.

Answer from Al Tervalon:

City government is a large corporation. I have extensive experience from my professional background in data analysis, team building, problem solving, cost management, and goal setting. I am an effective communicator, both when listening to input and presenting ideas. I would bring a new level of community involvement to the council, to ensure the decisions accurately reflect what the people of Morgan Hill want to see happen in our town.

Answer from Chris Borello:

City governments are comprised of people who truly care about the communities within which they live. Elected officials carry with them the voices, hopes and desires of each and every person in the community. I would like to be the voice for the people of Morgan Hill. I earned my Bachelors degree from San Jose State University and majored in Political Science, with a focus in Practical Politics. My four years of Political Schooling taught me that all politics are local politics. As a Morgan Hill City Councilmen I will bring 25 years worth of Morgan Hill history to the table. I've experienced this community first hand, from the schools, sporting events, extra curricular activities and as a businessman.

Answer from Alex Kennett:

The City needs to take control of it's economic development and not rely on the economy at large. Developing the downtown is but part of my plan. Public Services must catch up with growth. Maintenance of environmental and life-quality issues must not be forgotton.

Answer from Marby Lee:

My biggest concern is our budget situation. We have run deficits for several years, and I am worried that if we continue the way we have been going, we will bring our city to a financial crisis. We have built many facilities with RDA dollars that are required to be maintained with General Fund monies. These facilities aren't coming close to paying for themselves, and continue to be a drain on our budget. It ends up taking away monies from the basic services that every city should provide - public safety - and puts recreation in front of the important services of police and fire. In my mind, this is an upside down use of the public's tax dollars, and is not fiscally wise.

To address this, I would start with a bottom up or zero based budget strategy, looking at what is essential to running our city. I would make sure our basic services are covered first, and then look at where we can find additional money from other items I find questionable - I am concerned about how much money we have used in the past for consultants, and would like to see if there is a way to get the same services by using city employees.

To counter the argument that I am against recreation, I would argue that I think recreation is a very important aspect of our city. I have a young daughter who is very active in a number of recreation activities. My problem with our facilities is this: we are a relatively small town, and we have built several facilities that 1) overlap with what they offer, and 2) are not even coming close to paying for themselves. Our current Council is moving forward with an Outdoor Sports Complex that they don't know the build-out costs for, nor how they will pay for the maintainance and operation of. We already have parks with fields and baseball diamonds that the City has cut back on the maintainance of because of budget difficulties, and I can't understand the logic of building even more when we can't maintain what we already have.

Answer from Al Tervalon:

- Downtown: Identify ways to (slightly) increase population and foot traffic, to support a revitalized downtown economy
- City Finances: Identify methods of increasing revenues outside of personal taxes, most likely from expanded business opportunities. Ensure expenses reflect our true priorities.
- Recreation: Identify ways to make local facilities more available to local residents.

My approach to these and other problems is the same - gather data on the problem (information meeting, web poll, etc), get the right people together, and brainstorm solutions. In my experience, all problems have more than one "right" answer, and creative solutions are encouraged!

Answer from Greg Sellers:

Our city in better financial shape today than at any time in our 100 year history, but we need to find new revenue to meet the needs of our community. My focus will be on selecting appropriate economic development opportunities that provide benefit to our residents as well as revenue to our city. We need to expand our police and fire services, which will require creative budgeting and dedicated funding resources. We need to maintain and expand recreation opportunities at our new recreation facilities. And we need to complete the renaissance of our downtown by adding mixed use housing and completing key infrastructure improvements.

Answer from Chris Borello:

I want to improve our city by focusing on realistic issues that matter most to our community. Clean drinking water, ending temporary power interruptions, a stable budget, and public safety.

Clean drinking water is the lifeblood of any community and as your City Council member I am going to strive to provide the healthiest, most affordable drinking water as possible. Improving the quality of our drinking water will be my primary objective as your City Councilmen. Our drinking water has been contaminated with Perchlorates and the cost to clean the water has risen exponentially over the years. By working closely with The Santa Clara County Water District we can develop a plan to improve the drinking water in Morgan Hill and reduce its costs to consumers. With your votes I will rapidly implement a plan to flush out the contaminates in our water and open the spouts to pure, clean, and refreshing drinking water for our City.

Power interruptions in our City have decreased since the energy crisis we faced a few years back, but we are still plagued with interruptions during heat waves. As our city grows its demands for energy will also increase. I would like to work closely with energy specialists, new home developers, and PG&E to develop a plan for Morgan Hill that will end these interruptions. There is a solution to this problem and I will make it a priority to discover it and end the inconveniences they cause. I will welcome any and all recommendations and carefully analyze each energy proposal to ensure we receive the best and most efficient energy resources available at the lowest cost.

The budget has become a hot button issue during this election. It's an issue that we can all relate to. Everybody in this room has a budget and it's vital to live within it. We need to be responsible with the limited resources available to this community and use them in the most productive and profitable manner. Fiscal responsibility is the key to the long term success of this City. A plan needs to be implemented to decrease the drain on our General Fund and increase the revenue for the City without, new taxes.

The Police Force in our City has done an excellent job at protecting the citizens of Morgan Hill and enforcing the law. Even though the crime rates in Morgan Hill are considered low in relation to our neighboring cities we can reduce them even further. As our population grows, the demand on our police force continues to rise with each additional person living in the City. The increased demand on the police force can only be met through the addition of new police officers. By carefully working with the City's Police Chief I will work towards implementing a plan to hire more officers while working within the resources that are currently available to the department. The safety of our city is vital to its continued success. I as your City Councilmen will do everything in my power to strengthen the Police Force and provide the citizens of Morgan Hill a safer city to call home.

Answer from Marby Lee:

My first and foremost concern is doing what is best for Morgan Hill. I think I will have to look at each situation and the merits of all sides, and make a decision. I am sure in the course of my tenure as a Council Member, if elected, there will be very difficult decisions to be made. I think that by keeping focused on the needs of all the residents of Morgan Hill, I will best serve the community.

Answer from Greg Sellers:

I have always made decisions based on what's best for our city, even when that meant opposing friends or supporters. When individual interests are at odds with clear community goals, we need to work towards solutions that meet city needs without unduly harming any individuals. It is difficult to stand up to special interests, but it is important that elected officials always put the needs of the City ahead of special interests. I have done that consistently, and will continue to do so if re-elected.

Answer from Al Tervalon:

The nature of interest groups is to provide an organized voice on a given issue. It is the responsibility of the City Council to ensure that all sides are heard equally, regardless of organization, and that decisions are made in the interests of the entire city, not just the loudest or best-funded group. I will keep that concept in mind during deliberations on any council matter. I intend to be a councillor for everyone.

Answer from Chris Borello:

Every member of this community has a voice and it's the responsibility of each councilman to recognize the needs and desires of the community as a whole, and the needs of each individual. I would balance the needs of the City and specific groups by making myself available to them. If there is an issue that a member of this community would like to discuss, I would be sure to listen to them.

Answer from Alex Kennett:

When a plan is conceived, ALL parties must be at the table. Eventhough not everyone will have a perfect solution at least they will have been part of the solution.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.