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The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
City concerns,
Budget,
Leadership,
Balancing interests,
Campaign financing
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?
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Answer from Madison Nguyen:
Public safety is the number one priority. I want to use the savings we are receiving from the pension reform measure (Measure B) to hire more police officers. My goal is to bring the number of sworn officers to 1,400 for the San Jose Police Department. We need to restore the burglary unit to ensure when someone's home is burglarized, they should not have to wait hours or days before a police officer shows up at their house to take a report.
Answer from Mike Alvarado:
Public safety needs to be restored in San Jose. We need to eliminate Measure B and bring back funding and pay levels back to the SJPD and SJFD. We must reprioritize the city budget and find new sources of revenue to support public safety. We need to support public education for our youth. Graduation rates are much too low and the skill levels of graduating seniors are below what is required to work in Silicon Valley. We need to prepare our students for college and a high tech work environment. We also need to bring more business and jobs to San Jose by making our city more attractive to the business community.
Answer from Dave D Cortese:
The major issues facing the City of San Jose are adequate funding of city services (mainly public safety and the needs of safety net families), traffic congestion and economic stimulus. Divisive leadership at City Hall is worsening conditions in our community. My long-term vision is to:
1) immediately restore adequate funding packages to San Jose's workforce in order to bolster public safety and reopen community centers and libraries so San Jose can once again be a true "Safe City" in the USA and families can enjoy safe recreation and educational activities locally. These funding packages can compete with CalPERS jurisdictions or merge with the CalPERS system.
2) Reprioritize transportation funding towards rebuilding aging infrastructure, specifically local streets and roads.
3) Seek out additional opportunities to protect and grow the city's tax base through regional, statewide and national partnerships + relationships I have been developing over my last several years in elective office.
Answer from Pierluigi C. Oliverio:
will update this week, see website in interim.
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2. San Jose budget difficulties have resulted in unprecedented cuts to staff and services. How will you deal with coming shortfalls? Restoring some of the City services? And, if you think the City needs additional resources, what are your ideas for increasing revenues?
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Answer from Pierluigi C. Oliverio:
will update this week, see website in interim.
Answer from Dave D Cortese:
I believe we can control shortfalls and restore city services through:
Greater contributions to benefits by employees
Consolidation of services
Prioritization of ending fund balances toward essential services
Revenue increase will come in large part through making it easier for businesses to open and operate in San Jose. This includes:
Comprehensive deregulation of small business downtown and open up our streetscape to vendors and artisans.
Rebuilding and revamping the Planning department to create a volume operation that can move permits and environmental reviews quickly and competitively.
San Jose has a historically low tax base. To expand sales tax generation I will call for a comprehensive retail opportunity study across all geographic areas of the city. This is to determine what retailers may see as opportunities not yet designated in the General Plan.
Answer from Mike Alvarado:
We need to reprioritize our budget to make sure that public safety is number one. Education must also be a high priority which it hasn't been for years. We must look to all sources of potential revenue including growing the tax base, bonds, parcel tax and sales tax increases.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
For fiscal year 2014-2015 we will have a small surplus of $2.5M. However, what's more important is that we are now discussing ways to improve and increase core city services instead of cutting services and programs. I want to work with my colleagues to restore the burglary unit, increase library hours, and expedite our permitting process so that we can help businesses operate expeditiously. Government must operate at the speed of business. If businesses are successful we will generate more sales tax revenues and therefore channel those revenues back to the community by providing better services and programs for our residents.
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3. How would you work with individual Council members and the Council as a whole to further your plans and agenda? Describe your leadership style.
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Answer from Mike Alvarado:
I look to build consensus with like minded leaders. We must bridge the gaps between us to work together for a new and more cohesive future in San Jose. We have had too much divisive acts within the city for the past 8 years. I work to build coalitions so that we can tackle our common problems that face us all. I look forward to bringing people together towards our common goals and achievements. It is certainly time for all of us to come together.
Answer from Pierluigi C. Oliverio:
will update this week, see website in interim.
Answer from Dave D Cortese:
I have been in elective office for over 20 years at the school district, city and county levels of government. I have brought warring sides together over the most contentious issues and achieved common ground. Having worked in both the public and private sectors for several years, I understand how to identify the interests of both sides and how to create a synergy of these interests. I did this on the San Jose City Council with just cause. I did this on the Board of Supervisors and helped achieve over $200 million in concessions with our bargaining units. I intend to continue this pattern of leadership and bridge building.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
I am a team player. I played sports all my life. That's why I have a deep understanding of the importance of working together to achieve effective results. As Mayor, I will reach out and work with all of my colleagues to ensure that we have a mutually respectful relationship. When we work together effectively, we will deliver better services for our residents.
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4. How would you balance City-wide, district and interested parties' needs and desires?
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Answer from Dave D Cortese:
I believe my voting record reflects thoughtful deliberation, issue by issue. My public calendar reflects my willingness and interest to meet with all parties and hear their concerns on each issue.
Answer from Pierluigi C. Oliverio:
will update this week, see website in interim.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
Every council member has his or her own needs and desires for his/her respective district. However, we are also elected to serve the residents of San Jose and do what's best for the City of San Jose. I expect my colleagues to always keep that vision at the forefront when they vote on different issues that affect our city.
Answer from Mike Alvarado:
We can't please everyone that is certain. We must make some tough and hard choices to do what is best for the majority of our citizens. Public safety, education, job creation and business growth are all common goals we all embrace. We must build on these strengths that bring us all together as one. We must prioritize our highest and best policies that can serve and protect the great city of San Jose.
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5. How much money do you expect to raise/spend on your race, and how will you assure voters that financial contributions will not affect your decisions/positions should you be elected?
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Answer from Pierluigi C. Oliverio:
Proud that approximately 80% of campaign contributions originating from San Jose.
Answer from Mike Alvarado:
I do not accept any contributions of any kind. Money is a corrupting influence in politics that dilutes the purity and effectiveness of any elected official or candidate. Publicly funded elections or campaigns with tiny budgets, under $1000, are the only way to go in the future. As in everything in life you get what you pay for. Unfortunately in politics the special interests are the ones paying for big money candidates. The people deserve better.
Answer from Madison Nguyen:
I expect to raise the maximum amount allowable under the expenditure limit which is approximately $794,000. More than 70% of my donations come from San Jose residents and they are mostly in increments of $5-$25. I have served on the San Jose City Council for almost 9 years. There is no amount of money that can influence my position or decision on any matter. I vote based on the merit of the issue/project and what is right for my constituents and the city as a whole.
Answer from Dave D Cortese:
I plan to raise and spend the maximum allowable under the law. I believe my voting record reflects thoughtful deliberation, issue by issue. My public calendar reflects my willingness and interest to meet with all parties and hear their concerns on each issue.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. Please answer each question in no more than 400 words.
Direct references to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
