Candidate for
County Supervisor; Sonoma County; Supervisorial District 5

Sonoma County Democratic Party Endorsement Questions

Campaign Organization

1. Is this your first campaign and if not, please list other campaigns. My major at Iowa State University was political science. I was elected as a delegate in the precinct caucus for progressive Senator Fred Harris in the 1976 Democratic Presidential Primary. I have been involved with numerous political campaigns in the past for other candidates and ballot measures in Sonoma County. Helping with stopping widening Hwy 101 Measure B in 1990 and also getting the first Open Space Measure passed. I began a campaign for Congress in 1990 against incumbent Doug Bosco but I ended up not filing. I have been twice elected to the Russian River Redevelopment Oversight Committee.

2. How many people are on your campaign staff?

I have no paid campaign staff. I do have a campaign treasurer and asst. treasurer as well as a large coterie of volunteers. I have not paid anything for political consultants. I do not want to pay anyone to tell me I should not be honest and forthcoming to the voters as to what my positions are on most issues (which is advice being given by some of the consultants I've spoken with).

3. How do you plan to reach the voters?

Ours is the proverbial grass roots campaign with a lot of taking advantage of free press, utilizing the internet to best advantage (check out our state of the art website including videos, radio interviews, historical archive of activism, issues and blog at http://www.TomLynch4Supervisor.com) . Though we don't have the $'s of other campaigns they lack the name recognition and the strong message that we are moving forward with. To me in a large field these are big advantages.

4. Where do you expect to get your political, financial, and volunteer support?

Most of our support is through smaller donations and volunteerism from within the 5th District. I have been very active in the 5th District for almost 30 years. I know thousands of people and am getting a good level of support from many saying they will vote for me. I have a good relationship with Supervisor Reilly; he has been helpful with advice and encouragement. Thus far I think we are # 2 with "in District" contributions.

5. What is your campaign budget?

Thus far we have raised $19000...I think to get our message out there and win the primary we will have to spend about $50,000. It's hard as I have turned down larger donations from special interests inside the district. I do not want to be beholden or appear to have a debt to anyone with large interests affected by Supervisorial decisions.

6. How do you plan to raise the funds?

We've had several fundraisers including taking over the traditional Mike Reilly fundraiser golf tournament at Northwood Golf Course. We have done mailers that have been well received. Also my wife and I have loaned our campaign $5000.

7. List your top five endorsements

We have a top 500 endorsements of golf sponsors, kick-off donors, friends, wives, husbands, lovers and supporters on our website. "Top Five" involves an irrational subjective interpretation of value that dishonors the equally important contributions of the other 495. Not to be flippant or discount the question I think the answer is a measure of each candidate's values. I learned in theatre many years ago there are no "small audiences" when performing...

8. List your top five (in dollar amount) sources of campaign contributions.

To the best of my knowledge: Tom and Sarah Finn $750, Tom and Nance Flynn $600, Dennis and Anya Judd $425, Homer and Tim Canelis $425, Bill Aguirre $300, Josh and Katie McKee $250.

9. What are your FEC & FPPC #'s?

Experience and History

1. What is your current job and place of work, if any?

I am a general contractor specializing in construction consulting and project management. I work out of our home in Guerneville.

2. What community, professional and/or advocacy groups are you a member of?

I have been a twice elected member of the Russian River Redevelopment Oversight Committee (chair for two years and vice-chair for two years); I presently serve as an appointee of Supervisor Mike Reilly's on the Sonoma County Economic Development Board, I have been on the Russian River Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in the past, was a founding member of Sonoma County Environmental Defense. I am also the American Director of the Ocean Rowing Society (http://www.oceanrowing.com), and secretary of All for Villages, an international organization based in Sonoma County that specializes in improving potable water in villages in Thailand and other countries. We are members donating to many local and international organizations involved in making the world better (i.e. the Concord Coalition, Amnesty International, Russian River Watershed Protection Committee, Friends of Guerneville School, River Child Care, Russian River Senior Center, Russian Riverkeeper, the Children's Hospital of Odessa Ukraine, and more...)

3. What are your relevant skills, experiences, or education that qualifies you to hold this office?

I know first hand what it is like to grow up poor and disadvantaged. I am a beneficiary of programs designed to help at risk youth rise above being a liability and becoming a contributor to society. I have a passion for protecting the environment, improving the economy and reforming government services. For 28 years in Western Sonoma County I have demonstrated leadership and commitment to improve our communities.

I am an activist with broad experience with water and wastewater issues...22+ years involvement with encouraging Santa Rosa to reduce wastewater discharge in the Russian River. I have managed multiple multi-million dollar projects with hundreds of workers, managed the largest gay/straight nightclub in Northern California, opened the first internet café in Sonoma County, been involved in over 50 theatrical productions on and off stage, and I live in a multi-generational household with my lovely wife, four year old daughter and Mother-in-law who has moved in full time from the Ukraine.

I have been a student of politics and society for 30+ years and feel I am finally getting a grasp of what we need to do to reform and reallocate our resources in order to avoid a collapse similar to what my wife lived through with the demise of the Soviet Union. I have the courage, patience and sense of humor necessary to be part of leading a progressive agenda together with a very boisterous and strident constituency in the Fifth District.

Campaign Issues

1. Why are you seeking this elected office?

I care...I enjoy being part of making the world a better place for my family, my community, my country and those creatures we share the planet with. I feel I am uniquely suited to move the agenda, build consensus and forge the future; to be part of remaking our society for the better.

2. What do you see as the major issues in this campaign and how do you plan to address these issues?

The measure of ALL our challenges with respect to the environment, the economy and government services is sustainability. With the environment I will address issues with water, wastewater, global warming, wood smoke and air pollution, garbage, and transportation. With the economy I will work to develop more local "green collar" jobs, affordable housing, improved communication services, and improved social services. With government services I will work toward reducing the costs of services and improving the quality; I will work toward reforms and reallocations of our limited resources in creative and innovative ways that utilize our time, talent and treasure to greatest good.

3. What are the most important goals that you hope to accomplish while in office?

I want to be part of the goal to freeze County staff salaries, benefits, and non-essential hires and use savings to increase funds to our struggling non-profits, volunteer and faith based organizations, and outsource to private business where competitive. I would like to reduce the burden to public safety and corrections with an increasing number of mentally ill in the jail by improving mental health services in Sonoma County. It is too our shame we are proposing building a new jail while we closed Oakcrest, a facility that has served the mentally ill for 70 years in Sonoma County. It grieves me to see our children die from drug overdose, gang violence, and highway accidents; and I have ideas to reduce the loss to our community.

Thank you for your interest in our campaign!

With respect,

Tom Lynch