League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Chris Stampolis Answers Questions Candidate for Mayor; City of Santa Clara

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 have served Santa Clara in either elected or appointed office for more than 18 years, including as a county and city commissioner.

For the past six years I have represented Santa Clara as an elected Governing Board Member of the West Valley-Mission Community College District, including service on the State Board of the California Community College Trustees.

I served six years on the Santa Clara Planning Commission, four years on the Historical & Landmarks Commission and three years as chair of the Citizens' Advisory Committee. I understand government agency budgets. I recognize the role of the elected Mayor and Council is to set priorities and to ensure hired staff implements policy. As Mayor I will provide equitable service to all members of the Santa Clara community, so everyone is treated with respect.

I could create a long list of every subcommittee or "assigned task force" on which I have served. Here are some highlights:

Architectural Review Committee Charter Review Committee WVMCCD Legislative Committee University-City Relations Committee City Candidate Forum Coordinator Historical and Landmarks Brochure Development Committee numerous task forces and liaison assignments at both the City and at WVMCCD

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

• Restart El Camino Real task force to focus attention on the development of our City's main road. Local retail businesses cannot thrive in the current environment. With sales tax a major portion of Santa Clara's budget, we have to create a setting to attract those tax dollars. A "Shop Santa Clara" program will keep local money in town while also recruiting visitors.

• Develop and enhance educational partnerships, including homework centers and a yearround culture of achievement. We cannot expect an underfunded public school system to be responsible for all needs of our City's young people. Let the schools handle between the first bell and the last bell, while the City fulfills its responsibility to step up from the last bell to the next "first bell."

• Santa Clara needs to expand our international partnerships to mirror our City's diverse population. For economic growth and community respect we need to formalize relationships with communities in China, India, Korea, Mexico and the Philippines. Santa Clara needs new investment that is unlikely to come from elsewhere in the U.S., but that we can attract from overseas.

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

There is no single way to ensure that everyone always is going to be happy, but our governance system is designed to provide a level playing field. Everyone who wishes to address the council or staff should be able to do so in a reasonable way, whether they represent any "groups' interests" or just themselves. The job of the Mayor (and Council) is to encourage respectful input and to demonstrate consistency in leadership. Advocates for one position may believe a Council vote contrary to that position is evidence of irresponsible allegiance to a particular "group," but if we ensure transparency and equity in discussion, those tensions can be minimized.

I believe most elected officials vote their consciences in good faith. There are times when an elected official's vote reflects "majority rules," and there are other times when protecting the rights of the minority is a higher value than simply following the loudest voices of the day. A wise City Council also recognizes that the silent majority rarely shows up at Council meetings since they are busy living day-to-day in this working persons' town. As Mayor I will be accessible and will host regular (publicly-noticed) listening sessions throughout Santa Clara.

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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. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 1, 2010 19:11
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