League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Mayor; City of Santa Clara

The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Experience, Concerns, Balance Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the city council? Answer from Jamie L. Matthews: I have 26 years of professional municipal experience including 12 yrs as a City Administrator managing programs, personnel and budgets. In addition to this experience, I have served Santa Clara as both elected Councilmember / Vice Mayor for 10 years as well as City and Community Service as follows: Councilmember / Vice Mayor (1998-2006) (2008+ Current) Redevelopment Agency Director (1998-2006) (2008 + Current) Open Space Authority Director (1998-2006) (2008 + Current) Council Goal Setting Committee, Chair (1998 + 2006) (2008 + Current) Ethics Committee, Chair (2004 + 2005) Campaign Finance Reform Committee, Founding Member 1998 + 2005 Audit Committee, Chair (1999 + 2006) Downtown Revitalization Committee, Chair / Member (1998 + 2005) All American City Committee, Founding Member (1999 + 2000) Neighborhood Enhancement Committee, Chair / Founder + (1999 + 2006) Americans with Disabilities Act Committee + Chair (1998 + 2000) Mission City 21 Committee, Member (2009 + Current) Salary Setting Committee, Chair/ Member (1998 + 2006) (2008 + Current) Housing Rehabilitation Loan Committee, Chair + (1999 + 2006) Facility Naming Committee, Alternate Member (2008 + Current) Planning Commission, Chair/ Member (1994 + 1998) Architectural Review Committee, Planning Commission representative (1996 + 1998) Regional Boards and Multi-Agency Committees Valley Transportation Authority, Director, 2005 + 2006 Alternate Director (2009 + Current). VTA Policy Advisory Committee + Chair (2009 + Current) California High-Speed Rail Authority Policymaker Working Group - Current Cal-Train Policy Advisory Board, Member + (2005-2006) VTA Ride Taskforce + Co-Chair with San Jose Councilmember Nora Campos, (2005-2006) Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) General Assembly (2009-Current) Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) Congestion Management Program & Planning Committee (CMPP) (North County Cities Group-Alternate) (2009-Current) Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) Transit Planning and Operations Committee (TP&O) (North County Cities Group-Alternate) (2009-Current) Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority - Chair, Board of Directors. (2000 + 2006) TPAC - Santa Clara / San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant, Director (2005-2006) Alt (2008-Current) Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, Member (2003 + 2006) Santa Clara Unified / City Liaison Committee, Chair (1998 +2006) Member (2008-Current) Mission College Liaison Committee, Member (2000 + 2006) Santa Clara University Liaison Committee, Member (1999 + 2005) Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority, Director (1999 + Current) Community Service: Santa Clara HS Music Booster Association, President 2009-2010 Buchser Music Booster Association, Co-President 2007-2008 Santa High School Athletic Boosters, Member 2004 - Present PTA Member + Buchser Middle School 2005 - Present Parent Board, Member + Washington Open Elementary School 2005-2010 PTA - Westwood Elementary School 1997 - 2004 Beautiful Day, Better Homes (assist elderly, disabled residents), Founding Member 2002-Current American Red Cross, Disaster Assessment Team Leader - Last Deployed, Katrina 10/2005 Coach, Westside Little League - 1995 - 1997 Historic Home Tour Docent - 1997 + Present Answer from Chris Stampolis: I have served Santa Clara in either elected or appointed office for more than 18 years, including as a county and city commissioner. For the past six years I have represented Santa Clara as an elected Governing Board Member of the West Valley-Mission Community College District, including service on the State Board of the California Community College Trustees. I served six years on the Santa Clara Planning Commission, four years on the Historical & Landmarks Commission and three years as chair of the Citizens' Advisory Committee. I understand government agency budgets. I recognize the role of the elected Mayor and Council is to set priorities and to ensure hired staff implements policy. As Mayor I will provide equitable service to all members of the Santa Clara community, so everyone is treated with respect. I could create a long list of every subcommittee or "assigned task force" on which I have served. Here are some highlights: Architectural Review Committee Charter Review Committee WVMCCD Legislative Committee University-City Relations Committee City Candidate Forum Coordinator Historical and Landmarks Brochure Development Committee numerous task forces and liaison assignments at both the City and at WVMCCD 2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them? Answer from Chris Stampolis: Restart El Camino Real task force to focus attention on the development of our City's main road. Local retail businesses cannot thrive in the current environment. With sales tax a major portion of Santa Clara's budget, we have to create a setting to attract those tax dollars. A "Shop Santa Clara" program will keep local money in town while also recruiting visitors. Develop and enhance educational partnerships, including homework centers and a yearround culture of achievement. We cannot expect an underfunded public school system to be responsible for all needs of our City's young people. Let the schools handle between the first bell and the last bell, while the City fulfills its responsibility to step up from the last bell to the next "first bell." Santa Clara needs to expand our international partnerships to mirror our City's diverse population. For economic growth and community respect we need to formalize relationships with communities in China, India, Korea, Mexico and the Philippines. Santa Clara needs new investment that is unlikely to come from elsewhere in the U.S., but that we can attract from overseas. Answer from Jamie L. Matthews: Santa Clara is facing challenging times and I am up to the challenge. I will be focused on growing our economy and balancing City revenues and expenditures. I am optimistic about Santa Clara's future. Its an amazing place and even now, we have a number of large, job producing projects moving forward that would be the envy of any City. This includes a new 3 million square foot, 12 thousand employee Yahoo campus, rebuilding of the long vacant Mervyns Plaza on the El Camino to include a 140,000 target store, Peets Coffee, a new organic focused grocery store and much more, all in a beautiful Mission Style and last but not least a one billion dollar private investment in the construction of a new state of the art 49ers stadium that will generate thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions to the City and Region. Although we are better positioned than many cities in the State, Santa Clara is not immune from the severe economic downturn caused by the great recession. In order for us to continue to provide needed services to our residents, we will need to align our expenditures to the reduced revenues available. This is challenging because nearly 80% of the City's General Fund is employee Salary and Benefits. Cities are largely service providers and staff are the ones who provide these services. I could not be more proud of the employees of Santa Clara who, following the lead of our Award Winning City Manager who took a 10% wage reduction, are voluntarily in active discussion about wage rededucations to help us get through these difficult times as well as the broader issue of pension reform to ensure a sustainable financial future. This type of collaborative approach is the Santa Clara way. If selected, I will focus on pro-active economic development and create a Mayors Economic Development and Recovery Committee to include members of our Chamber of Commerce and Business Community. For Santa Clara to continue to enjoy the quality of life and services we all enjoy, we must retain and attract new jobs and the revenues they create. Cutting of expenditures alone does not create a stable or sustainable future for our City. I will also seek a one year business tax amnesty for all new small businesses that start up in Santa Clara and work to develop a small business tool kit and mentorship program in coordination with the Chamber of Commerce. Small businesses employ the majority of people nationwide and the innovation of the people of silicon valley create the products that drive the worlds economy. Santa Clara's best days are yet to come and we will get through these times 3. How would you balance the needs of the city as a whole with groups' interests? Answer from Chris Stampolis: There is no single way to ensure that everyone always is going to be happy, but our governance system is designed to provide a level playing field. Everyone who wishes to address the council or staff should be able to do so in a reasonable way, whether they represent any "groups' interests" or just themselves. The job of the Mayor (and Council) is to encourage respectful input and to demonstrate consistency in leadership. Advocates for one position may believe a Council vote contrary to that position is evidence of irresponsible allegiance to a particular "group," but if we ensure transparency and equity in discussion, those tensions can be minimized. I believe most elected officials vote their consciences in good faith. There are times when an elected official's vote reflects "majority rules," and there are other times when protecting the rights of the minority is a higher value than simply following the loudest voices of the day. A wise City Council also recognizes that the silent majority rarely shows up at Council meetings since they are busy living day-to-day in this working persons' town. As Mayor I will be accessible and will host regular (publicly-noticed) listening sessions throughout Santa Clara. Answer from Jamie L. Matthews: I am honored to be supported by a large and diverse number of groups, organizations, elected leaders and residents. Any decision needs to be transparently made and in the best interest of the City as a whole. Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.