Candidate for
Mayor; City of Stockton

1964: I received B.A. degree from San Francisco State University in the Social Sciences. In 1965 I earned a Secondary Teaching Credential.

1965: I joined the Peace Corps to serve our country and teach people to help themselves. I lived and worked in Iran as a teacher of English as a Second Language.

1979-1992: I was elected to the Lodi School Board and we built 10 new schools in north Stockton to put our children into neighborhood schools.

1981-Present: I founded The Balloonery,Inc.which is located on East Harding Way in downtown Stockton.

1994: I wanted to ensure all citizens had a voice at City Hall, so I ran for City Council and served with Mayor Joan Darrah, Duane Isetti, and Victor Mow.

1996-2003: We cleaned up graffiti and revitalized our downtown, and I wrote the city ordinance to keep shopping carts out of our neighborhoods.

1998: I led an effort to open more than 30 after school homework centers for Stockton kids.

2003: I was named Small Business Advocate of the Year for helping small businesses grow in Stockton.

2008: With a commitment to making Stockton a better place to live, I ran for Mayor of Stockton.

2009-Present: City of Stockton Mayor, serving on the Council of Governments, the Regional Rail Commission, San Joaquin Partnership Board, the Regional Policy Council, Workforce Investment Board, CSUS-Stanislaus Site Authority Board, and the Mayor's Book Club.

2009-Present Accomplishments:
- Obtained millions in federal grant dollars to put more police officers on the street.
- Brought in US Marshalls to work with the Police Department in arresting the career criminals in our community.
- Brought community resources together to launch the Marshall Plan to combat crime.
- Passed Measure H to control fire department management and costs.
- Balanced city budgets three years in a row despite the "Great Recession".
- Hired an experienced city manager and a team of financial experts to lead the city through our fiscal nightmare. Began a "fiscal" examination to account for every last penny in every city fund.
- Began an AB506 Mediation process with city creditors and city unions to avoid insolvency.
- Started an early literacy program, "Read To Me Stockton!" to prepare our youngest children for success in school.
- Partnered with the University of the Pacific in their "Beyond Our Gates" project to bring university resources out into the community.
- Passed a local hire ordinance to ensure local workers get city construction project jobs.
- Lowered and/or eliminated targeted developer fees to encourage private investment.
- Developed a Micro Loan Program for small businesses to access capital and create jobs.
- Initiated a complete overhaul of the Permit Center to improve efficiency and customer service.
- Worked with the State Prison system to ensure local hire and local buy of services and supplies at the prison medical facility in construction on Arch Road.
- Initiated major highway construction projects on Interstate 5, Highway 99, and Eight Mile Road.

My Family: My husband Cliff and I have raised our two sons, Eric and Kirk, in Stockton while running two successful small businesses. I have three granddaughters.