League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Trustee; West Valley-Mission Community College District; Trustee Area 3

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, Negotiations, Goals Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What experience and training would you bring to this office? Answer from Nicholas D. Heimlich: I have attended community colleges, and the University of California, San Diego both of which taught me the value of our public colleges. I have an economics degree and run my own law practice advising small businesses, so I understand budgeting and legal issues. I advise clients on complex legal issues and provide guidance for them during difficult times. This background serves me well and gives me the endurance and drive to keep focused on goals even during challenges. 2. What do you see as the role of the board in labor negotiations? Answer from Nicholas D. Heimlich: The Board should give direction to the administration on the desired result as to what the budget should look like and also impress upon them the importance of having quality employees. The colleges do not exist without quality employees including those maintaining our facilities, teaching classes (including full time and part time faculty), support staff, public safety, and administration. We must also ensure that taxpayer funds are used responsibly and that we maintain a balanced budget because we need financially sound colleges that will continue to provide services for the next generation of students. 3. What are your goals for the college? Are students, faculty and staff currently meeting those goals? Answer from Nicholas D. Heimlich: I look forward to working for the community to increase course offerings in transfer classes, job training, and basic skills including English and math. The Colleges have started this process by adjusting their course offerings to meet critical needs, and I want to continue this process so that we meet community demand for classes. I am also committed to simplifying the transfer process. The Board recently supported a bill that would simplify the process. This is a place where students, faculty and staff could continue improving and would not only be able to serve more students, but also serve the students attending more effectively. The colleges are also increasing their efficiency and distance learning to serve more students without increasing the budget. We need to listen to all members of the community to continue this trend so that we can do more with the same resources. I expect a balanced budget. We must not spend more money that we take in like California or the federal government. The colleges and administration are meeting this goal and I am honored that many employees and bargaining units have already made commitments to help us maintain a balanced budget. This is the type of teamwork we need to keep our colleges strong and serving the community. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.