Candidate for
Council Member; Town of Moraga

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT. By design and by necessity, Moraga has always been a small-government town. Moraga has always depended on the volunteerism of those citizens who have special interests and expertise that can be applied to the town's business. More times than not, citizens stepping forward make the difference as to whether or not things get done. Government should encourage such volunteerism.

Government should be primarily a facilitator, not a doer. Some essential services--such as police and fire, and vital public works--must be provided by government. But private enterprise in many instances can deliver better results than government. For non-essential services, better performance often can be found in the private sector or through public-private partnerships. It is government's role to determine how best to deliver public services.

Local government--and this is especially the case for Moraga--needs to recognize that teaming-up with neighboring communities sometimes does make sense. Sometimes economies of scale should trump a community's desire to do it themselves, or have their own. The Moraga-Orinda Fire Prevention District is a good example of communities sharing services. When done thoughtfully, such arrangements can be mutually beneficial.

I do not believe in over-regulation. Rather, I prefer that government create guidelines that help citizens understand the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Most people do not like to be told what to do. Nonetheless, most people don't mind suggestions for alternative behavior when such suggestions make sense. Government should always be looking for ways to help people, not interfere with their lives.

ETHICS. Any elected official must recognize that his/her behavior must legal and beyond reproach. Elected persons are held to higher standards than other citizens, and this is how it should be. If an elected representative has difficulty with this concept, perhaps an alternative profession should be pursued.

It's been said that there are two kinds of elected persons: Those who want to have the job, and those who want to do the job. In my view, those who just want the job are the ones who at some point in their political careers will get into ethical hot water. For myself, I long ago realized that the real reason I am doing this is because it is a form of community service. Community service has always been a foundation principle for me. I expect others to feel the same way.