League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 8, 2005 Election
	Pete W. Richards Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Sunnyvale; Seat 2

Questions & Answers

1. What is your position on the initiatives that are before the voters?

As a business owner, I support the business license fee increase initiative which has not been increased for 36 years. I oppose the hotel bed tax initiative on the grounds that it is only taxing the business community. The people who stay in hotels in Sunnyvale are here for business purposes, not as tourists. We need to attract business to this City, not discourage it.

2. Where do you see the money coming from to run the city?

Three years ago, our revenue was $15 million short. Today, through cutting back services and increasig sales tax we are down to $700,000 negative. As an businessman and an optimist, I firmly believe that we can increase our sales tax through shopping in Sunnyvale and attracting new businesses into our empty offices and R&D spaces. We can do this through supporting and encouraging the Economic Development Department, and increase the budget each year instead of cutting it.