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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Experience,
Important Concerns,
Balancing Interests
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?
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Answer from Brian O'Neill:
I have the leadership and the background to work with the City Council, the City's workforce and our community. Working in the public sector I've learned how government functions, how to make necessary adjustments to make it more efficient while continuing to provide quality public services in trying times. As a faculty member at San Jose City College I have become all too familiar with ever decreasing budgets and the impact this has on students and our community. I know what it takes to be a leader and have proven to be successful in bridging the gap when it seems compromise cannot be reached.
Answer from Leslie Reynolds:
I am a school board member in the largest school district in Santa Clara County, with over site to 3,000 employees, 33,000 students, accountable to 250,000 San Jose Residents, and a $330 million annual budget. Former President of the Santa Clara County School Boards Association.
Answer from Johnny Khamis:
I have been a dedicated community leader for many years. In my role as the chairman of San Jose's Small Business Development Commission I was able to work along side San Jose business owners to help create a better working relationship between them and the city. I was also the chairman of the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission and was named Human Rights Leader of the Year in 2007. My passion for our city and dedication to our community will translate well into the passion and dedication needed to be an effective leader on City Council. I am involved in numerous community organizations like Almaden Cares, the Almaden Kiwanis, Martin Fontana Parks Association and coach of my son's Lego Robotics team from Los Alamitos Elementary. I have also been committed to consistently attending City Council meetings to speak in favor of Measure B and to speak out against the raising of sales tax, property taxes and business licensing fees. I have also weighed in on the adjustments in business licensing, golf courses and single use bag ban. I will continue to fight for small business and for the taxpayers of San Jose.
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2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?
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Answer from Brian O'Neill:
Create Jobs: Job creation must be our top priority. Our city must invest in entrepreneurship and ease restrictions on the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. With millions of dollars in infrastructure projects on the horizon, we must work to maximize this opportunity and create a pathway to a strong and sustainable economic recovery for our city.
Craft a Sustainable Budget: We must reevaluate how the City spends our tax dollars and work to craft a sustainable budget that addresses the needs of all our residents. Our elected representatives must work together and bring community, labor and business leaders to the table, as these decisions affect all of us. Fiscal sustainability can only be achieved through collaboration and compromise, not through political stalemate.
Improve Neighborhood Services: San Jose residents expect their government to deliver basic services efficiently. We want safe, clean communities, smooth roads, bike lanes, accessible parks, and a top-notch education system.
We need to conduct a thorough review of all city departments and engage in transparent discussion about how to streamline and improve city services. We must embrace the latest technologies to make delivery of basic services.
Answer from Johnny Khamis:
With our city facing one of the worst economic downturns in its history, San Jose needs financial leadership more than ever. With my 17 years of experience as a financial advisor helping companies manage their assets and reduce their costs, I have the ideas and financial knowledge to help our city close its structural budget deficit. Beside my unmatched support for Mayor Reed's pension plan reforms, I have ideas on bringing efficiencies to the way we purchase health insurance for our employees to save millions of dollars a year. I would also like to institute a new "Fast Track" permitting plan which will streamline and reduce permitting costs for home owners and businesses. My plan would give autonomy to contractors to sign off on permits as long as they take an annual continuing education course on local building codes and participate in surprise inspections to insure compliance.
Every other issue facing our city stems from the budget crisis. As a father I want to raise my children in a safe neighborhood with full access to libraries, parks and community centers. Until we can get the city's financial house in order we cannot stop, let alone reverse the erosion of those services. So, of course the safety of our community is of utmost importance to me, of course I desire to see our libraries and parks open 5.5 days a week and of course I want to provide children and adults alike with vibrant community centers filled with resources, classes and activities to enrich their lives. When elected, I can lend my expertise in finance to collaborate with City Council and bring back the services we all love.
Answer from Leslie Reynolds:
San Jose has not had a balanced budget in 11 years, and that's not acceptable for the 10th largest city in America. We need to put everything on the table, commit to supporting our core services, and eliminate all the nice to have items, while San Jose can figure out a way to support itself. Eliminate barriers to businesses so we can attract a strong revenue stream, which will go a long way to support the core services. I support revising our pension system for all employees.
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3. How would you balance the needs of the city as a whole with groups’ interests?
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Answer from Leslie Reynolds:
We need less government and more personal accountability and responsibility. Let's focus on what our real responsibility is, and fully restore all our core services while maintaining a sustainable, realistic balanced budget.
Answer from Brian O'Neill:
Government cannot solve problems facing our community alone. We all need to play a role. Non-profits, community organizations, private sector, labor and the residents of our community need to come together to set priorities and get directly involved in solutions. If we come together to focus on the nuts and bolts and encourage all sectors to play a role in the day to day betterment of San Jose, we will all rise together. My experience as a small business owner, city worker and union leader gives me a unique perspective on how to bring people together towards tangible solutions.
Answer from Johnny Khamis:
Being the Councilman for District 10, my greatest priority would be to my constituents. Their concerns for our community are my concerns and I would work my hardest to serve them well. With that said, as a city council member I would also recognize the importance of collaborating with my fellow council members in always seeking what is best for the city as a whole and achieving our common goals. With my experience as a financial advisor, I will try to be a resource for fellow council members in helping them analyze the financial viability of future projects so that our tax payers and employees are protected against frivolous spending. I will also try to bring a small business prospective to regulatory and permitting decision. My expertise in finance and dedication to providing our citizens with the best quality of life possible will be an asset to City Council.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. Word limits for answers are 400 words for all questions.
Direct references to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
