League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Sonoma County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Raymond H "Ray" Johnson Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Petaluma

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Sonoma County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What is your position on employee salaries and benefits? If you would like to see a change, please explain.

The current budget as proven by the current $5,000 in reserves is unsustainable. The reason for this is a total lack of revenue growth maintained by our City Council. However I intend to focus on attracting sustainable, viable jobs and enhance the current revenue stream. In the meantime we must look at the current pension system and create a 2 tiered pension much like the privaye sector has adopted for years. As far as the salaries once elected I would analyze the budget for any interim adjustments that would allow us to survive the lack of revenue

2. What are your priorities in developing the annual budget?

Currently the budget is in a reactive mode which is at best a moving target. We must grow the revenue stream by attracting a corporate infrastructur to fill our 40+% Commercial vacancy, add to our property/sales tax base. As we do this, we must look at the budget over 2 and 5 year analysis and make hard but necessary decisions

3. As a council person what can you do to stimulate economic growth?

I spent 30 years in Corporate boardrooms at every level gaining agreement on paths forward. As it stands now, no one is seeking potential Corporate entities that migh relocate or expand to Petaluma. Because of the economy all state/city bodies lacck incentives so Petaluma is competing on a level playing field. We must and I will compete for a job/tax base

---

Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Candidates may not refer to any other candidates in their answers.

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

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
SmartVoter Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter

---

Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 19, 2010 20:04
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://www.lwvc.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.