League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
	Barbara Spector Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; Town of Los Gatos

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 related to city government would you bring to the City Council?

I am currently Mayor of the Town of Los Gatos and was first elected to the Town Council in 2004. Last year, I served as Vice-Mayor.

During my tenure on our Town Council, I have represented Los Gatos on regional bodies including the Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) General Assembly, the Guadalupe West Valley Water Shed Advisory Committee, the Santa Clara Valley Water District Commission, the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee, the Santa Clara County Cities Association City Selection Committee, and on Santa Clara County's Airport Land Use Advisory Committee.

Additionally, I have served on the Town Council's Policy, General Plan, Finance and Conceptual Development Advisory Committees and as liaison on the Dittos Lane Housing and Highway 9 projects.

I was a member of the Los Gatos Planning Commission between 1980 and 1988, often serving as either Chair or Vice-Chair. During my tenure, the Commission developed new zoning ordinances, the Hillside Plan, the Downtown Specific Plan, and a revised General Plan to protect our hillsides, historic homes, neighborhoods and local businesses.

2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?

THE TOWN MUST CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR ITS CITIZENS WHILE BALANCING ITS BUDGET.

In adopting its balanced budget for 2008/2009, the Town also made its financial projections for the next 5 years, noting that in the next 2 to 3 years, our expenses would exceed our revenues.

Now, because of its huge deficit, the State of California intends to take away some portion of our Redevelopment Agency (RDA) funds, further reducing our Town revenues.

We must address this situation by continuing to be proactive and not reactive. The Town staff has already begun the analysis to make its recommendation to address the projected deficit in preparation for a report to Council. Staff must now factor in the state take-away of RDA funding. At the same time, we must determine if the State has the right to "take away" RDA funds that have already been allocated to defined projects such as the proposed library.

THE TOWN MUST LOCATE PROPERTY AND FUNDING FOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR OUR YOUTH.

This concern must be addressed on several levels. First, we must move forward with our plan to spearhead a partnership among the Town, county, private sector, public sector, faith-based organizations and schools to locate property and funding for recreational facilities for our youth and other citizens.

We must also move forward with the priority placed upon the development of the recreation element of our new General Plan so that the public can weigh in on its vision of recreation for the next 10 years and then we must implement the goals that are established.

We must utilize existing recreational areas already identified in the Town's recreational inventory with maximum efficiency while working cooperatively with the private and public sector property owners involved.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR HILLSIDES AND THE ECONOMIC VITALITY THEY BRING TO OUR TOWN.

Los Gatos has been called "The Gem of the Foothills." Our location distinguishes our Town from other municipalities. Our hills are a significant factor in attracting residents, businesses and visitors to our Town, thereby contributing to our economic vitality.

3. How would you balance the needs of the City as a whole with groups' interests?

At almost every public hearing conducted by the Town Council, testimony is received from individuals or groups with differing interests. That is not unusual.

On the other hand, the needs of the Town have been identified by our General Plan, ordinances, standards and guidelines, adopted by the Council following public input.

Therefore, a group's interest must be evaluated against the adopted plans and ordinances guiding our decisions, which must be made with transparency, fairness and consistency.

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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 30, 2008 11:08
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