League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 7, 2006 Election
	Marby Lee Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Morgan Hill

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?

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.

2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?

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.

3. How would you balance the needs of the City as a whole with groups' interests?

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.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 26, 2006 16:57
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