My Priorities

By Kathy Yamada Sutherland

This includes:

• Ensuring San José is America's safest big city. We need more police officers, but public safety is much more. It's also code enforcement, Park Rangers, and the preventative programs we used to have like after school homework centers, full funding for the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, and activities in community centers.
• Building a strong local economy. Major corporations move through the planning process to quickly open their doors for business. Businesses of all sizes must get the same service. We must remember that when owners of small and medium businesses decide to open in San Jose, they put their personal finances and future in our hands.
• Supporting our neighborhood schools so that all our children have opportunities to succeed. It is not the job of the City to teach, but San José can find ways to help provide programs like after school homework centers, and enrichment activities like art, music, dance, and sports. Strong neighborhood schools will encourage young families to stay in the area and all children deserve access to a quality education.
• Coordinating services for the homeless. San Jose must be a partner with other cities, the county, all levels of government and all organizations to address this human tragedy. We must look at new ways to provide permanent shelter with the necessary services for the chronically homeless.