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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
Experience,
Concerns,
Balance
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What experience relavent to setting governmental policy will you bring to the Council?
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Answer from Pasquale R. "Pat" Greco:
Experience and knowledge working for a City for 38 years. I dealt with developers, contractors, unions, negotiations, businesses, public, manufactures, sales engineers, and all City departments. My main job was the developlment and design of a complete underground and overhead electric system for the City of Santa Clara.
Answer from Russ Valiquette:
Leadership and the knowledge learned from working in the Military, Private sector and most importantly, from time on both the Gilroy City Council & Planning Commission.
Being elected to Council is more then just showing up for meetings. It's taking the time to get your hands dirty by digging for the answers. It's knowing your community and not being afraid to get involved.
What it comes down too is who is willing to put Gilroy first?
Answer from Art Barron, Sr.:
I am a former City of Gilroy Planning Commissioner. I have been on the Gilroy Housing Advisory Committee, South County Housing Board and Leadership Gilroy Board.
Answer from Paul V. Kloecker:
My engineering, financial and business management education and many years of experience in major costruction management provide a sound foundation for service as Councilman. I have previously served three terms (12 years) as Gilroy Councilman and actively participated in numerous city planning and financial issues. I represented the City of Gilroy in several regional organizations such as County Transportation Commission (Vice Chair), Association of Bay Area Governments (Vice President), South County Planning Committee, CalTrain to Gilroy Committee, South County Cities Association and Congestion Management Agency.
I have the necessary ability, experience and diligent professional attitude to promote teamwork and meet the significant challenges facing the City of Gilroy.
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2. What would your general policy be with respect to maintaining current levels of service during these difficult economic times?
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Answer from Russ Valiquette:
We need to focus on Gilroy's Core Responsibilities, namely Public Safety, Water and Sewer services, and most importantly, how they are funded and managed. I will use the same philosophy we all use for the daily running of our households and make the right choice between a "want" and a "need".
Answer from Art Barron, Sr.:
Encourage Economic Development. Encourage start ups and other industry with the current incentives offered by the City of Gilroy. Tax, employee and fee incentives are already in place.
Answer from Paul V. Kloecker:
My educational background is Financial Management. During my prior service as Councilman, I emphasized detailed knowledge of the City budget. I was acutely aware of the need for maintaining acceptable service levels while adhering to cost effective measures of providing that service.
I would assiduosly search out means to bring technological change to City operations to improve effectiveness at lesser cost. I am able to search out and correct wasteful practices and excessive expenditures of City finances. I would constantly insure that the Best Practices are utilized in City operations.
Answer from Pasquale R. "Pat" Greco:
Cut down on spending, be fiscally responsible.
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3. What components of the Town's General Plan would you support or modify; e.g., pathways, easements for lot development, and open space preservation?
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Answer from Art Barron, Sr.:
I support open space preservation and smart growth. Encourage Infill projects that do not need new infrastructure that is too costly.
Answer from Paul V. Kloecker:
The City of Gilroy, like all municipalities, have experienced a severe slow down of business activity and currently has pent up construction of housing units. I support the current General Plan and was a member of the General Plan Up-Date Committee in prior years. which resulted in the Plan Update approximately 2002.
I would examine the policies and priocedures of City Planning to insure that adequate policies and developement procedures are in place to accommodateefficient developement progress when the economy returns to a more normal pace.
Answer from Pasquale R. "Pat" Greco:
We need jobs and the only way to get them is to bring industry and commercial into Gilroy while still maintaining the beautiful rural farming community we have
Answer from Russ Valiquette:
Because of the way the economy is, and the difficult time for new housing and business, I don't believe that there is just one area of the General plan that needs to be worked on. There has almost been a 3 or 4 year freeze to the General Plan. What I would do is put a taskforce together, much like is done for General Plan updates, and do a review and update of the General Plan.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. Answers must not refer directly or indirectly to another candidate.
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
