League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA June 6, 2006 Election
	Candy Russell Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member, 3; City of San Jose; Council District 3

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. There are proposals to add 30,000 houses and more office space in North San Jose, thousands more homes in Evergreen and to build a new community in the Coyote Valley. There has been no in-depth study of how these plans will affect one another or services throughout the city. Should San Jose complete a thorough, public review of its general plan for growth before approving any more major development plans? Silicon Valley needs more housing, but San Jose needs more jobs to strengthen its tax base. How would you balance those conflicting pressures?

Retain what little open space we have left. Leave Coyote valley and Evergreen and the county's far half vacant and green. We need open space and healthy trees to refresh the world. Leave open space and fields for redwinged blackbirds, jays, crickets, grass and trees.

2. San Jose has a council/manager form of government. Over the past few years the balance of power has shifted toward the mayor and there are some elected officials who support this stronger role for the mayor. Should San Jose move to a strong-mayor form of government or have a strong professional administrator? What kind of city manager will you look for?

Good people are always framed and driven away. In any candidate I look for whether he helps people with civil rights issues and can fix technical issues. It's the politician's job to help people and maintain infrastructure. That's why he's in office. I know I'm right. I'm always right. Everybody admits it. I want friendly staff doing well and constituents happy. I want to hear from them. Let friendly service and people skills be the criteria for hiring and retaining staff pubic, private and nonprofit. That's what it's about. Always have somebody there to answer the phone and check office mail and email. Why don't all candidates post campaign statements and philosophy for us voters to see? I'm a voter as well as a candidate. Smartvoter is a good idea and a needed service to candidates and voters and they're here to help us know our candidates and issues and vote wisely like smart voters should as the name implies.

3. Safety often includes services such as homework centers and code enforcement for neighborhoods, but the city budget now being prepared could cut much needed services. If there is no other source of funds to maintain safety-related centers and gang prevention, would you consider reducing the funds going to support the police and fire departments? Can the growing costs of police and for pensions be covered without depleting funds for other community service in the future?

Not just law enforcement and warehousing but honest, constructive, fun, affordable activities for all age groups, not just cerrain ones. We need to serve the general public, not just some of it. Draw funds from commercial ads and sponsors. Music in the Park, San Pedro movies and other public events are sponsored, why can't other needed things?

Have parents, even working parents, get involved in their kids' lives. Don't nag kids or they'll hate you when they grow up. Let's be Reader's Digest heroes and set the world a good example. Abolish the death penalty too. It scares me. Homework centers are a great idea. Like recreation, it gives kids a chance to meet peers and form social skills as well as do better in school.

4. Money to maintain and operate the city’s public facilities such as parks and libraries is in shorter and shorter supply. So while new or expanded community centers have been proposed previously, the city is looking at closing or privatizing up to 30 existing centers it cannot afford to operate. Should the city re-examine its plans to add parks and other public facilities? Are there services the city could cut to find money for these highly valued ones?

Take in commercial advertisements and sponsors. Let libraries provide free printer access if you bring your own paper. Let City Hall remove stuff people dump on our property. We need universal health care for all, not just a certain age, and never rationed. These too can take in sponsors. There's always movies, books, CDs, restaurants and other consumer stuff to advertise people want and will buy.

I'm big on this one. No more going without basic amenities and tired of being asked to vote extra taxes for basics that sould be funded with existing money sponsors can provide. I like to wear shoes and clean shirts. I also like to drink milk (nonfat) I'm not an extravagant spender but I'm still a spender for needed stuff. Let's teach San Jose to live below its means and not squander its resources. Let's make sure we get money too, and it's not taken away. Let's hang on tight to our expenses money and use it wisely. I will never support cutting fire department funding or public safety. Someday you'll all see, we need firefighters. We also need New Year's Eve train toots but all we get is traffic noise and diversion, broken glass and DUI drivers. We need more organizations putting their candidate questionnaires and forum dates online and accepting answers by email. Put voters' feedback surveys and questionnaires online too. With your help and support we can all make it happen and enjoy life, as God means us to.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: June 5, 2006 19:55
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