County Supervisor Candidates Answer Chamber Questions
The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce asked the candidates for County Supervisor in the June 2008 election about their positions on key issues of concern to the business community. We received responses from fifteen of the sixteen candidates (Eddie Alvarez did not respond), and below are their unedited responses.
The fifteen responding candidates were also invited to attend a Good Morning Santa Rosa breakfast on April 23 to talk with Chamber members. At that event, Carl Campbell, Chair of the Chamber Advocacy Council, asked the candidates one follow-up question on their responses.
The following is the text of the questions:
1. For nearly a decade Sonoma County has lagged other California communities in economic and income growth. Yet the current and draft 2020 Sonoma County General Plan, unlike many other counties including Napa, does not have an economic development section to address job creation and future location of businesses. Should such an element be included in the plan?
Do you believe in the following statement? Why?
There needs to be a balance between enhancing a community's economy and
protecting the environment. You can enhance both without being detrimental
to either.
2. Board of Supervisors also serves as the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency. What do you see as the biggest obstacle to securing a sustainable water supply to meet General Plan needs for the County and for the Agency's customers?
3. Sonoma County has the worst rating for quality of County roads in the entire Bay Area, principally due to deferred road maintenance in the unincorporated area of the County. How do you propose to fund repairs, maintenance and improvements of local roads?
4. Please state your position on the recent decisions by the County to adjust employee's benefits. How would you address the OPED (Other Post Employment Benefits) issue?
5. The key to Santa Rosa's Economic Health is our ability to implement Redevelopment areas throughout our City. Do you support Santa Rosa Redevelopment efforts?
First District
Valerie Brown
Will Pier
David Reber
Lawrence Wiesner
Third District
Veronica Jacobi
Tim Smith
Sharon Wright
Shirlee Zane
Fifth District
Efren Carrillo
Rue Furch
Maddy Hirshfield
Dan Kahane
Tom Lynch
Jim Maresca
Guy Smith