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The questions were prepared by the the League of Women Voters of San Jose-Santa Clara and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Experience,
Concerns,
Budget,
Ethics
Click on a name for other candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What kind of experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?
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Answer from Madison Nguyen:
I've worked hard as the President of the Franklin-McKinley School Board. In my tenure on the Board, we have increased the test scores of our students, increased parent participation, hired more teachers and balanced an $80 million budget.
Like the other candidates in this race, I have been a strong advocate on behalf of working families in our community, but I am the only candidate who has worked within the bounds of government to achieve results. In short, it's easy to be an advocate on behalf of good programs, it's far more difficult in tough budget times to work within the system to build consensus and pay for them. I am the only candidate who has achieved that.
Answer from Linda Nguyen:
I grew up in San Jose and want to give back to the community. I have mentored and tutored young people, volunteered at the East San Jose Law Center and serve as the Director of the Vietnamese community's Spring parade. No one will work harder than me to push for expanded after-school programs, home ownership opportunities and environmental justice.
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2. What are the concerns of particular importance to District 7 and how would you address them?
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Answer from Linda Nguyen:
- Gang activity has reached an alarming rate. I want to work with police, neighborhood leaders, parents and teachers to stop gang violence.
- I will provide strong leadership for District 7 so that our neighborhoods get their fair share of services and have their voices heard at city hall. In the past, many or our neighborhoods have been neglected.
- Expanding after-school programs so that kids are safe and have help with their homework.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
Given the current environment and the circumstances under which this election is occurring, I think it is important for District 7 to have a councilmember who is both accessible and trustworthy. I am open and honest and can act as a unifying force who can bring the District 7 neighborhoods together.
My passion is education as a way to create opportunity. However, the only way we can achieve that goal is to ensure safe and livable neighborhoods, where we can create affordable home ownership and good jobs with good wages and benefits. With my open and straight forward consensus building approach as a city councilmember, I can help make this dream a reality.
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3. Where would you make cuts in services, staff or projects to meet the current city budget?
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Answer from Linda Nguyen:
As we face a $60 million deficit, we must be more creative and develop more partnerships to maintain services and programs. We need to reevaluate the City's priorities so that the health and safety of our citizens are protected and basic city services are maintained.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
As a School Board President, I have had to make difficult budget decisions. Should I be forced to make similar decisions on the city council, I would protect our city's basic services. Additionally, I would look to minimize any reduction in workers who provide services directly to the public and instead look at ways to streamline and reduce management costs and non-essential expenditures.
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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?
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Answer from Linda Nguyen:
I believe the key to Ethics Reform is full disclosure that is accessible and timely. I think campaign contribution reports should be posted on the Internet as they are filed. That gives greater accessibility to our citizens, the news media and all the candidates.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
As you know, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Ethics has been disbanded by the city council. Before they had concluded their work, I wish they would have looked at ways of making San Jose's campaign finance and ethics ordinances less complicated as well as creating a way of rooting big money out of campaigns such as some kind of partial public financing that would pass constitutional muster and help balance the influence of large campaign donors.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
