League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Council Member; City of Morgan Hill

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 Experience, Important Concerns, Balance Needs Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council? Answer from Mark R. Grzan: Council and Redevelopment Agency member, MH Member and past Chair, South County Regional Wastewater Authority member, MH Past, Mayor Pro Tempore, MH Santa Clara County Water Board member, MH Coyote Creek Advisory Committee, MH CCorporation Yard Committee, MH Chair Utilities and Environment Sub-committee, MH Member Finance Committee, MH Llagas Creek Advisory Committee, MH Past member, Morgan Hill General Plan Task Force, MH Urban Limit Advisory Committee, MH Parks and Recreation Commissioner, City of Sunnyvale Answer from Marilyn Librers: Having been a community leader for the past 20 years and a resident for over 30 years I bring a wealth of knowledge of our community. I presently serve as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner and have been reappointed 3 times plus have served as chair of this commission for 2 consecutive terms. I have held board positions with other organizations. I am the executive director of a non profit foundation and am responsible for fiscal management of the organization. All of these assets will contribute to being elected to the city council position. Answer from Larry Carr: I have served in many positions that bring a wealth of experience to my candidacy for City Council. 2000-present - City Council Mayor Pro Tem for two years Vice Chair of the Redevelopment Agency for two years Chair, Public Safety & Committee Service Committee Member, Utilities & Environment Committee Chair, South COunty Regional Wastewater Authority Former Member, Economic & Community Development Committee Former Chair, Finance & Audit Committee Former Chair, Santa Clara County Housing & Community Development Committee Vice Chair, General Plan Update Committee (2000-2002) Chair, Housing Element Update Committee (2004) 1996-2000 - Trustee, Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Education President for two years Vice President for one year Former Legislative Aide to Congress members Norman Y. Mineta and Anna Eshoo Former Director of Education & Workforce Preparedness, Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group Director of Government Relations, Stanford Hospital & Clinics Associate Vice President, Public Affairs at San Jose State University Morgan Hill resident for more than 29 years. 2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them? Answer from Mark R. Grzan: Blight and economic development within our downtown is a concern. We are addressing these issues by purchasing blighted areas with authorized redevelopment funds to encourage new development. We are also authorizing increased residential use of our down through the November ballot process to develop synergy between new residents in downtown and new retail and commercial development. There are hopes that this investment will bring about changes with our .24% annual growth rate in jobs. Support for public safety is very important to keep pace with growth. That is why Council has proposed a 2% utilities tax to support ever increasing demands. Such an increase will allow for significant administrative and service improvements that are necessary. This Council will shortly consider new funding strategies for fire services that will provide for our needed third fire station and may even reduce long term costs. Open space is very important to our community. We value our hillsides, farm land, creeks and streams. We must continue to build at our core, while securing open space and agricultural easements to maintain our rural charm. This is an active process that requires resources, planning and collaboration with local regulatory agencies. Answer from Larry Carr: Public Safety - As Chair of the Council's Public Safety & Community Services committee I have helped to address the needs of public safety in Morgan Hill. We have developed a plan to increase police services, but passage on Measure G a utility users tax on November's ballot is the funding source. We are currently also addressing fire and medical emergency services in an effort to increase services to our community. Downtown development + Implementing our Downtown Specific Plan will bring more urban scale development to downtown. Significant acquisitions in the downtown by the RDA will act as a catalyst to bring new private development into our downtown. Infrastructure Investments + Use of RDA resources to improve and expand infrastructure as a means of promoting economic development. Investments by the RDA can lower impact fees and be used as an incentive to promote economic development. Continue to develop and strengthen the City's Environmental Agenda - Open space preservation, water conservation, re-usable energy sources, diminishing waste to landfills, a healthier community, a more sustainable city and economy. Answer from Marilyn Librers: Fiscal management is very high on my list of concerns. As a citizen I am concerned about spending. I also want to address the BMR issue and also how to fund more police. 3. How would you balance the needs of the City as a whole with groups' interests? Answer from Larry Carr: Every voice is important. However, as an elected member of the City Council my responsibility is to the City as a whole. I have taken tough positions on tough problems. In doing so I have tried to stay true to who I am and where we, as a community, are going. I try to approach every issue with two things in mind: First, I try to understand the forces shaping every issue, and second I keep a willingness to hear all the views even of those who disagree with me. Government first and foremost should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this great community deserves steady, consistent, principled leadership and that is why I am running for re-election. Answer from Marilyn Librers: Every City is in fact a business. I would address the concerns of our citizens like I would if I owned the business. It will be important to listen to the community and then look for ways to compromise for the advantage of all concerned. Answer from Mark R. Grzan: Achieving balance between the interests of the City and the interests of special groups is achievable. We do this through a meet and confer process where we agree on information, data and studies and look to common ground. We also compromise by looking for and adopting alternatives and/or by developing new alternatives through a deliberative process. Key is trust. You build trust by having everyone participate in the process, making no decisions until the all the facts are in and the deliberations are complete. But once due process is complete, it is time for decision making and leadership. As an analyst by profession, I bring qualitative and quantitative standards and measurement into the process. Without this approach I and the various arms of municipal government cannot be publically held accountable for the actions they have taken and the decisions they have made. I have been and will continue to be a leader in this approach as a process to bring understanding and clarity in the midst of conflicting interests, wants and needs. 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. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.