League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Alameda County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Richard Raya Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Oakland; Council District 1

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. (Foreclosure challenges) Many Oaklanders have lost their homes because of the economic recession; how can the city help homeowners, and how can the city help neighborhoods experiencing high rates of foreclosures and vacancies?

My campaign is focused on building an inclusive, integrated Oakland that works for all residents, and stable housing is an important aspect of that. The foreclosure crisis continues to hurt Oaklanders--we had a foreclosure rate more than double the national average last year--and low-income communities, in particular, are bearing the brunt of it. I support rental protections in the foreclosure process to protect children and families, and I will work with state and national efforts to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages.

2. (Public Safety) Improving public safety is about more than just increasing the police force. What should be done for violence prevention?

Working with others on council, I will champion the implementation of CeaseFire in Oakland, a nationally recognized program that has dramatically reduced gun violence in cities across the country, including Boston, Cincinnati, part of Los Angeles, and Baltimore. While focusing on the data and collaboration needed to fully implement CeaseFire--two skills I honed at PolicyLink and California Forward--I will also work to increase the size of Oakland's police force.

3. (Bringing businesses and jobs) Oakland needs more neighborhood serving businesses. What can the City Council do to bring more businesses and jobs to the city?

Oakland leaders need to unite around an assertive development plan in order to create jobs, expand the tax base, and launch a new era of economic prosperity in Oakland. We should build on the success of Uptown, and replicate the model of safe, walkable, mixed income, mixed use development in under-invested areas near transit hubs. This plan should focus on four major development projects already in the pipeline: MacArthur Transit Village, Lake Merritt Station Area, Broadway Valdez, and Coliseum City. Oakland is hot, and I believe I am uniquely positioned to bring developers, labor, and community together to take advantage of this window of opportunity.

4. (Your Council Legacy) In 20 years what do you want to look back on as having been your legacy in the City of Oakland?

Oakland is recognized around the world for its food, music and arts, but we also have triple-digit murder rates, massive unemployment and a high school system that only graduates six out of every ten kids. Oakland must do better, and I believe our city is on the brink of a transformation. In twenty years, we will be able to look back and celebrate how we have come together around a shared vision for Oakland, put an end to the backbiting and dysfunction, and rebuilt our city through a relentless, collaborative effort to reduce crime, create jobs, and increase graduation rates.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are presented as submitted. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 1, 2012 10:21
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