League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
	Bo Chang Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Sunnyvale; Seat 5

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?

Community Service & Activities: County of Santa Clara - Member At Large to the Lower Peninsula Flood Control and Watershed Advisory Committee (2011-Present) City of Sunnyvale - Planning Commissioner (2007 - Present) City of Sunnyvale - Planing Commission - Chairman (2009-2010) City of Sunnyvale - Charter Review Committee Member (2006-2007) Graduate of Leadership Sunnyvale (2006-2007) City of Sunnyvale - City Skills program (2005-2005) Sunnyvale Alliance Soccer Club - Coach (2004-2004)

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

I believe we have five major areas of importance that need to be addressed going forward.

With our mall closed and downtown under construction for the past eight years, Sunnyvale has lost considerable revenues that are paramount in keeping our City running and providing services to our residents. Personally, I want to know that if one of our residents or I have an emergency, the response time will be minimal; or if the sidewalk in front of our homes becomes unsafe for pedestrians taking their daily walk or our children trying to ride their bikes, it will get fixed without an extended wait time while residents or children get injured.

With a 10.4% average unemployment rate in Santa Clara County during the month of July, it is clear that we need an increase in job availability. The downtown development will have employment options for those struggling to survive. Jobs mean independence, increased self esteem and individual prosperity and stability.

In order to attract the jobs needed to support our community, we need to have adequate and diversified housing options. With a long term planning vision, we must take into consideration our future generations and their ability to live in the community they grew up in. We need to provide housing that will not only support future work force needs but housing that will allow our children and grandchildren to live and raise their families in Sunnyvale.

We have one of the lowest crime rates in the County. I am in support of retraining and retention of experienced officers. Our citizens deserve a quick and efficient public safety department that is prepared and ready.

With the state of the economy and its effect on corporate revenues, personal income and employment, we have been forced to survive instead of truly enjoying life. Sunnyvale has a long history of pulling together groups of residents and creating a sense of community. The length of time it has taken to finish our downtown has severely diminished a sense of pride and taken away what was once believed to be the future focal point for community gatherings. The Sunnyvale community desperately needs the downtown completed.

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

I intend to seek the opinion of all interest groups in our city. We have a diverse group of residents, businesses and interest groups. This diversity makes our City the best place to live, work and play. I intend to hear from the Sierra Club to Real Estate developers, small businesses to large corporate citizens, school teachers to Public Safety officers.

I want to set a plan of communication in place to connect with all groups in Sunnyvale. I would recommend monthly or quarterly meetings where we can discuss issues affecting our city.

Through participation in these meetings, we can create subcommittee's made up of business and community leaders with mutual interest in areas of concern to work together to come up with balanced solutions going forward.

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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.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 12, 2011 08:20
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