League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
	Homer Tong Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Cupertino

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?

5 terms of almost 20 yr. on the FUHSD School Board of Trustee has prepared me well to become a City Council member.

Similarities between the School Board and City Council:

• Both have 5 elected members
• District budget is $100M, larger than the City's
• Both hold public meetings
• Subject to the Brown Act
• Board President (Homer President 4 times) similar to the Mayor
• Both vote on issues.

I will bring more consensus and fit very comfortably on City Council.

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

So much of Cupertino is about Schools. Yet there are no council member representing schools. Schools will soon run short of State funds (1 to 2 yrs.) due to State financial crisis. My background (see Biography) best qualifies me to help the city proactively develop programs to help schools. I can easily serve as liaison between the city and schools.

The City also badly needs to attract more businesses and help existing ones such as Apple to expand (Campus II). This provides residents and visitors with more convenient shopping and services and stimulate jobs creation. Additional tax revenues can be used to finance student and other programs.

See my other concerns under Priorities.

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

One of the most important duties of a Council member is to listen and show their concern for their constituents or groups of constituents speaking before Council. Council members should represent their constituents as their servants, not their masters.

There is currently much dissatisfaction among interest groups and individuals that Council doesn't care about them or their issues. Council must properly balance between making objective decisions on an issue and making constituents feel that they really empathize with their concerns. The latter seems somewhat lacking on Council. Without making people feel Council really cares, their decisions will appear insincere and unconnected.

Hearing what residents have to say must be one of the most important parts of council meetings. Council members must give residents the Feeling that they care. Often this is what they want most.

Perhaps City Council should hold periodic Town Hall meetings or special study sessions without the constraints of Council meeting protocol to allow residents an opportunity to publicly address City Council members. Perhaps Council members could also take a class intended to sensitize them to community group feelings.

Most of all we should vote into office candidates who can better connect with constituents. This should help solve many conflicts with groups' interests.

Establishing dialogue to better represent the feelings of residents and consensus building on City Council will be among my first and most urgent priority.

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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 30, 2011 10:50
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