League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA June 7, 2005 Election
	Beth Gonzales Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of San Jose; Council District 7

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of San Jose-Santa Clara and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What kind of experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?

I am running for this office because I have spent 30 years working in this community to improve the quality of life for all residents. I have many years of experience working with elected officials and making them accountable to the everyday person. I feel that serving as a Councilmember will enable me to help my community even more.

Some of my accomplishments working with city government:

• Working with my fellow activists at PACT, I helped garner millions of dollars for the Children's Health Initiative (13,000 children now have insurance who did not previously have it.)
• Along with other community leaders, I challenged elected officials to create after school homework centers with City funds. We now have over 150.
• Together with other members of the community, we showed the City how Redevelopment dollars can be used to build youth centers like the Alum Rock Youth Center. The Strong Neighborhood Initiatives (SNI) are an outgrowth of the idea that neighborhoods can receive Redevelopment dollars.
• I have lobbied Boards of Education and Superintendents to build NSAS (New Small Autonomous Schools) for minority students who have little chance of success. There are three in Alum Rock and I am presently in dialogue with the Franklin-McKinley School District to do the same.
• With other community members, I worked to secure funds for the re-design of roads, stop signs, and sidewalks, as well as the anti-graffiti programs.
• I worked with anti-gang programs like BEST and Project Crackdown to control the drug epidemic in housing complexes and after school recreation programs.

I am proud that I was able to accomplish these things while teaching high school and raising 2 children. I want a better quality of life for my grandson and I know that when people work together, we can make that happen!

2. What are the concerns of particular importance to District 7 and how would you address them?

My top priorities are making our neighborhoods safer, improving schools across our area and providing relief for families by creating good-paying jobs and lowering health care and housing costs. The challenge will be to make progress in these areas during difficult fiscal times. But I believe that jobs, education and affordable housing are key to the economic recovery of San Jose and the surrounding area and so I would work to protect and increase public financial support for these areas.

My vision: All people will have access to good paying jobs with health benefits; people will have affordable housing; the streets will be safe and clean; all children will be able to learn in an equitable educational system that will open doors for their future success as residents who will be able to enhance the community.

3. Where would you make cuts in services, staff or projects to meet the current city budget?

As a starting point I would look at cuts that won't directly affect basic services to our residents, such as cutting administrative positions, travel and city cars. I'd also look to cut down on government waste.

4. In addition to the issues already addressed, what particular Ethics issue would you like to see the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Ethics consider?

If the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Ethics were to reconvene, I'd like them to consider campaign finance reform. We need a system where Councilmembers do not feel beholden to special interests because of campaign contributions.

I support partial public financing of city council and mayoral campaigns. We should reward candidates for accumulating small grassroots donations with a match of city funds for donations of less than $100 up to a certain maximum. The City of Oakland is good model to consider for San Jose.