League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Director; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Division 7

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 Issues, Experience, Balance, Finance Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What are the three top issues facing the Water District, and what are some of the solutions you believe will address the problems? Answer from Louis E. Becker: 1. Establishing an adequate longterm supply of water for the county. What I would do: Work for a solution in the delta that would meet the essential requirements of both the environmentalists and the water users. Also accelerate plans for recycling water. 2. Inadequate Cost Control resulting in accelerated pricing schedule. What I would do: Make a detailed review of all expenditures that fall in the water rate structure. Then do an analysis on what items are essential. By identfying questionalble items, we can work toward a Board consenus on what items can be eliminated. 3. Increase Water Conservation: What I would do: Work with staff to summarize conservation ideas such as: efficient appliances, efficient plumbing fictures, weather controlled irrigation systems, etc. Establish acceptable performance standards for these items and forward to cities with a request that they be included in all building codes. Also, continue District information policies and increse incentive programs. Answer from Brian Andrew Schmidt: The Water District has a crisis in confidence at the top level of its Board. I will propose evening meetings so the public can attend them and even serve on the Board. I will oppose the restrictions that currently restrain the citizen advisory/oversight committees from doing a better job. I support reasonable term limits that count terms served by current Directors, so democracy has a real chance of operating at the District. The District must do a better job of protecting water resources and managing flooding. I support ramped-up use of water recycling and greater education about water conservation. Removing impervious surfaces can reduce flooding and increase groundwater recharge. We must handle mercury contamination of water bodies and local fish through continuation of current efforts and by championing state-level efforts to require mercury producers to clean up mercury. The Water District needs to control its budget. For example, Board Director compensation should be reduced to levels similar to City Council Members, and I have spoken and written to the Board to advocate for this change. I will also oppose wasteful means of accomplishing goals when cheaper ones are available. I will also closely and carefully scrutinize efforts to get the Water District to spend money dredging and maintaining a deepwater channel through miles of the Bay to Alviso. This scrutiny can keep the District from spending ratepayer and taxpayer money unnecessarily. 2. What experience and training do you have which would help the Water District meet its goals? Answer from Louis E. Becker: I have a MS degree in Civil Engineering with special studies in hydrology, water supply, water transportation and dam design. I have served on the Santa Clara Valley Water Commission for over 10 years, including 2 years as chair. I am a former VP of a major supplier of communications hardware. I have also served on the Los Altos City Council for 12 years. I have extensive experience in both private business and government. I understand budgeting and cost control, and know how to establish policy and follow-up to make certain thing get done. I will bring much needed professionalism along with management and financial expertise to the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board. Answer from Brian Andrew Schmidt: I have been involved in water use and civic issues for nearly 15 years since I moved to this area to study environmental law at Stanford. I've written for legal academia on water rights and co-authored two books on environmental regulation relevant to the Water District (one on the Endangered Species Act, the other on local wetlands regulation). With a grant I won from the Water District five years ago, I wrote a white paper on how the land use planning process could be improved to reduce impervious surfaces and improve groundwater percolation. For over seven years I've been the Santa Clara County Advocate for Committee for Green Foothills, working with and sometimes against a wide variety of governmental agencies and officials in our County for the purpose of protecting our natural resources, natural habitats, and working farmlands. Treating people I've dealt with fairly and respectfully even when we disagreed gives me the ability to get agreements, and can be seen in the widespread levels of endorsements on my endorsement list. I've been involved with the Water District since 2004, as member, vice-chair, and chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee. This committee was called the most effective of any in the last three or four years by a District Board member, covering the period when I was the chair. I know how to get results both at the District and also when working with other levels of government. 3. How will you balance your constituents needs and interests with residential, agricultural and business needs of entire county while safeguarding the environment? Answer from Brian Andrew Schmidt: The constituents of the Water District - the residents, farmers, and businesses - need and want a safeguarded environment, so we already have the political will to balance our interests. Nobody here wants to waste water the way that Las Vegas did or waste land the way that Los Angeles did. The Water District's role of providing technical information to other agencies and education to the public will balance its role of flood protection and water supply. I will help it use natural flood protection, keeping development away from streams instead of lining streams with concrete, balances our interests. Increasing water conservation also increases water supply, and I will support District efforts that do this. Answer from Louis E. Becker: As a member of the Board of directors, I will be committed to becoming well informed on the issues. I will then support and vote for what I determine to be in the best interest of the overall community, while always safeguarding the environment. 4. What is your evaluation of the financial condition of the Water District and how would you ensure that maintenance of infrastructures remains a priority? Answer from Brian Andrew Schmidt: The District is in much better condition than other agencies but still faces significant challenges. I will carefully avoid unnecessary expenditures like examples of given for a ballot measure or for dredging that's not proven necessary. The District should also seize opportunities - the one good aspect of the bad economy is that contractors will bid far lower now than in the past, so the ratepayers can save money. A current lawsuit against the District could eliminate about 20% of the budget if it goes poorly. I believe the District should have a contingency plan to react, quickly, to a definitive loss in court. Answer from Louis E. Becker: The financial condition of the Water District appears to be in reasonably good shape. Reserves appear to be adequate for the current budget level. However, there are risks. One of the dams (Anderson) may have a problem that will require costly repair. Also, there are existing lawsuits over pumping taxes that could expose the District to extensive expenses. The seriousness of these risks is currently unknown, and therefore must be watched carefully. 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.