League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Neal Coonerty
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![[photo]](coonerty_n.jpg)
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This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scz/ for current information. |
League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
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Neal Coonerty
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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).Questions & Answers
1. What guidelines would you use to make decisions about the County Budget in hard economic times?
I read the proposed budget very carefully and play an active role during the County's two weeks of budget hearings where each day the Board of Supervisors hears specifics from each County department from the Sheriff's Department to Public Works.It is a very tough year and the board will be including the work furloughs that saved the taxpayers $11 million in payroll costs last year. Every year we pass our budget on time and balanced . . . and then we wait to see what damage the State of California does to our budget and re-balance it again.
No matter what the financial challenges are in our county, we need to craft a budget that provides for public safety, environmental protection, safety net essentials for our poor, and economic development programs that create good jobs for our community.
2. In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing the County in the next five years?
The key issues the County will face over the net five years are:1) the budget challenges; 2) public safety; 3) jobs/economic development, and 4) the environment.
It will continue to be a challenge to craft budgets that provide the services and infrastructure our community needs with limited resources.
On the issue of public safety, the County needs to ensure the safety of our community amid increasing gang and drug activity. I worked with a coalition of law enforcement, healthcare professionals and community groups to initiate a program getting chronic inebriates off our streets and into treatment- freeing up law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes.
Economic development is a progressive issue. We need to create more good paying jobs in our community. I helped create Solar Santa Cruz which will result in good green economy jobs while providing long term financing for some home owners to install energy efficiencies including solar panels. I am proud of the work I have done on this innovative initiative.
The environment remains a key concern for our community. Not only must we protect our local environmental resources but our County should play a leadership role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Solar Santa Cruz program is an important step in that direction but additional programs are needed in the near future in order for us to meet our emission reduction goals.
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: June 1, 2010 13:38
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