This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/la/ for current information.
LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
Smart Voter Political Philosophy for Susanne Trimbath, Ph.D.

Candidate for
Board of Trustees; Santa Monica Community College District

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

VOTE TRIMBATH FOR COLLEGE BOARD

Here are highlights of Trimbath's positions on the issues:

  • All Bonds Are Not Created Equal! The 2004 college bond is ill-conceived, ill-defined and ill-timed. Vote "no" on Measure S.
  • Let the Region "Pay for Play" at SMC! There are better ways to allocate costs and benefits. Santa Monica and Malibu residents shouldn't have to pay the entire cost.
  • End Financial Free-Wheeling! Some concerns expressed by the District's Auditors remain unresolved since 1999!

TRIMBATH OPPOSES MEASURE S

College bonds are paid for by surcharges on property owners; and landlords pass it along to renters. So ALL District residents pay for it. SMC tells you that the cost is small per household; but what they aren't telling you is that you have already been paying a surcharge since 1992 and the amount can change each January. What they aren't telling you is that, beginning four years from now, the existing surcharge will have to increase 500% even if they don't issue another bond. The new, quintupled surcharge would stay in place for ten years.

SMC will continue to rely on public assistance via bonds until they have the leadership in place to make the tough financial decisions. Now is the time for real leadership, now is not the time to borrow money for illusory purposes. Inform yourself: http://www.NoTaxHike2004.com

TRIMBATH SUPPORTS THE NEIGHBORHOODS

We are at a critical juncture in the development of SMC. There is no community college without a community to support it. The time for dialogue is over. It's time for SMC to LISTEN. I'd like to solicit ideas for positive solutions from the people who live there. I invite anyone living in the neighborhood of any SMC facility to contact me with their issues so that, win or lose, I can use my candidacy to promote the issues important to the neighborhoods.

These issues need to be brought to the forefront in a way that forces SMC to LISTEN to the needs of the community.

And what about Malibu? The entire community lacks real representation at the College. We need to meet Malibu's interests, too, if we are going to put the "community" back in community college.

TRIMBATH WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

I bring financial expertise, including business management skills and experience, to the College Board. My specialization is efficiency: how to get the most out of every dollar and every hour. Real efficiency means meeting the needs of faculty, staff, students, and community in a responsible manner.

I'm running for this office because I began to see problems while taking classes at the college. Recently, Mario Cuomo (former New York Governor) said to me, "Indifference deserves nothing good." If I walk away from the system in frustration without making it better, we all pay the price later. So I decided to work toward improving Santa Monica College.

I understand real administrative challenges and have worked in positions of fiduciary trust. My goal on the Board will be to enable the College to fulfill its mission by offering the broadest range of services while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

VOTE TRIMBATH FOR COLLEGE BOARD

Thank you for your support.

Next Page: Position Paper 1

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2004 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any candidate or political party.
Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 1, 2004 18:42
Smart Voter   <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://ca.lwv.org