League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
	Jamie L. Matthews Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Santa Clara; Seat 6

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?

Councilmember + City of Santa Clara 1998 + 2006 (8 years) + Established policy and goals, managed and approved City budget including electric utility ($1 billion) as an elected member of the City Council.

Redevelopment Agency Director + City of Santa Clara + 1998 + 2006 (8 years) - Provided Policy oversight, direction, set goals and approved budget relating to redevelopment projects and areas within the City of Santa Clara.

Open Space Authority Director + City of Santa Clara - 1998 + 2006 (8 years) - Provided Policy oversight, direction, set goals and approved budget relating to Open Space Authority within the City of Santa Clara

Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority - Chair, Board of Directors. 2000 + 2006 (6 years). Established policy, budget approval, Hiring of CEO for JPA resulting in new Full Service Animal Shelter for the Cities of Santa Clara, Monte Sereno and Campbell

Valley Transportation Authority, Director, 2005 + 2006 (2 years). Board of Director representing City Group two (Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara) on multi-agency JPA. Established policy and goals, authorized transit projects, approved budget and firing and hiring of VTA General Manager.

TPAC - Santa Clara / San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant, Director 2005-2006 (2 years). Member of Board of Director for JPA charged with oversight, policy and budget of the Water Pollution Control Plant and facilities

Cal-Train Policy Advisory Board, Member + 2005-2006 (2 years) - Ensured that Santa Clara was involved in guiding the planning, design and construction of projects in the Caltrain corridor.

VTA Ride Taskforce + Co-Chair with San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos, 2005-2006 (2 yrs)- Taskforce assigned by VTA Board to develop a plan to increase readership, improve service and balance service and fare box returns.

Audit Committee, Chair 1999 + 2006 (6 years) + City of Santa Clara - Reviewed the annual independent audit, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and City Auditor's Annual Report.

Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, Member 2003 + 2006 (3 years) + City of Santa Clara - Committee Established February 2003 to allow the City of Santa Clara to have a greater voice in planning and funding of improvements in the Hetch-Hetchy regional water supply system.

Santa Clara Unified / City Liaison Committee, Chair 1998 + 2006 (8 years) Coordination of joint projects/programs between City officials and SCUSD officials. The School Board representatives and School Superintendent are members of the Committee.

Mission College Liaison Committee, Member 2000 + 2006 (6 years) City / College Committee to review joint programs with Mission College. The Mission College President and two board members participate on the Committee.

Santa Clara University Liaison Committee, Member 1999 + 2005 (6 years) Committee established in 1990 to Review student housing issues (formerly Student Housing Committee). Established a forum for on-going communication and problem solving among City officials, neighborhoods, property owners and Santa Clara University officials and students.

Council Goal Setting Committee, Chair 1998 + 2006 (8 years) + City of Santa Clara - Established to develop a Goal Setting Program to identify overarching goals and action goals for a two-year period.

Housing Rehabilitation Loan Committee, Chair - 1999 + 2006 (7 years) + City of Santa Clara + review and approve requests for services from eligible residents using funds from the Neighborhood Conservation and Improvement Program (Federal HOME and CDBG Funds).

Salary Setting Committee, Chair 1998 + 2006 (8 years) Committee meets when needed to review and the salaries/performance of the appointed positions of City Manager, City Attorney, and City Auditor and the elected full-time positions of City Clerk and Chief of Police.

Ethics Committee, Chair 2004 + 2005 (2 years) + City of Santa Clara + To develop ethics programs for Council, Commission and Staff. City's program for Vote Ethics received the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence.

Neighborhood Enhancement Committee, Chair / Founder + 1999 + 2006 (7 years) - City of Santa Clara -Established in 1999 to identify and evaluate both residential and non-residential neighborhoods and implement measures for enhancement of these areas. Neighborhood Connections theme implemented. Fairway Glen and Scott Lane School neighborhoods participated in programs, as well as Haman Elementary School and the Habitat for Humanity Homes

Campaign Finance Reform Committee, Member / Chair 1998 + 2005 (6 years) + City of Santa Clara + Founding Member. Committee developed campaign finance Ordinance with expenditure and solicitation limits for Mayor and Council elections and reform initiatives to reduce influence of Lobbyist and Special Interest groups.

Downtown Revitalization Committee, Chair / Member 1998 + 2005 (6 years) + City of Santa Clara - Committee goals to redevelop and revitalize Santa Clara's downtown. Phase one revitalization implemented and RFP and conceptual plan adopted for phase two.

All American City Committee, Member 1999 + 2000 (2 years) + City of Santa Clara + Committee goal and efforts to compete for the All American City Award resulted in the City being designated an All American City in 2001.

Americans with Disabilities Act Committee + Chair 1998 + 2000 (2 years) + City of Santa Clara- To review accessibility issues and recommend priorities to Council adoption for capitol improvements to City infrastructure. The Committee includes individuals and representatives from various community organizations.

Planning Commission, Chair/ Member 1993 + 1998 (5 years) + City of Santa Clara - The Planning Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the physical development of the City. The Commission makes recommendations with respect to land subdivisions, zoning as prescribed by ordinance, and more. The Planning Commission consists of seven commissioners appointed by the City Council.

Architectural Review Committee, Planning Commission representative 1996 + 1998 (2 years) + City of Santa Clara - The Committee, which includes two appointed members of the Planning Commission, reviews new development projects to encourage orderly and harmonious appearance of structures and property, maintains property and improvement values, and encourages the physical development as intended by the General Plan.

San Tomas Aquino / Saratoga Creekside Committee 1996-98 (2 yrs) Founding Member. Identified trail sections and developed Multi-jurisdictional Master Environmental Impact Report.

My professional experience includes:

24 years municipal experience working for the City of San Jose, the past eleven years as Code Enforcement Administrator / Division Manager in the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement + Code Enforcement Division.

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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 11, 2008 09:27
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