League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County, CA November 7, 2006 Election
	David Montagna Answers Questions Candidate for Trustee; West Valley-Mission Community College District; Trustee Area 1

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 and training would you bring to this office?

As a manager and strategic planner in the computer industry, I have worked successfully to develop consensus among diverse groups of people. I am fair and unbiased and I have a track record of being able to understand, analyze and build consensus on complex issues.

My entire family has benefited from the community college system. My son attended the West Valley Middle College program for his last two years of high school and continued on to complete his first 2 years of a 4-year program. I have one daughter who has just transferred from community college to SJSU and a second daughter currently attending West Valley.

I am on the district Advancement Foundation Board, the fundraising and development organization for the district.

I was on the committee to pass the Measure H WVMCCD bond and I am currently on the Bond Citizens Advisory Committee.

I have been involved with the staff of West Valley College for several years as the Saratoga Rotary Art Show's Director of Financial Operations and as past chair of the show.

2. What do you see as the role of the Board in labor negotiations?

The board needs to give faculty, staff and management the respect they deserve by honestly listening to both sides. They need to do everything they can to see that the current situation - a 1 ½ year contract negotiation - is not repeated.

As soon as this current contract is completed, the board should begin sincere discussions with the faculty, staff and the administration on how to ensure future non-adversarial negotiations.

3. What are your goals for the college? Are students, faculty and staff currently meeting those goals?

Our community colleges are the backbone of our higher education system. One out of three of all UC and two out of three Cal State graduates started at a community college.

In addition, West Valley and Mission Community Colleges train our firefighters, criminal justice personnel, healthcare workers and our technicians to name a few. These are the people that are key to Silicon Valley's economic growth. Our community colleges also provide remedial education and new opportunities by training people who are reentering the workforce.

We must continue our great track record of been among the best community colleges in the state. We need to provide the right classes in a modern learning environment in order to keep our enrollment up and receive the funding we need to support our students now and in the future.

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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 10, 2006 13:00
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