League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Santa Clara County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	John L. Mlnarik Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Santa Clara; Seat 7

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

Questions & Answers

1. What experience related to city government would you bring to the City Council?

My experiences as a business owner and as an attorney would allow me to make a meaningful contribution to the Santa Clara City Council. In both capacities I regularly mediate conflicts and aim to achieve sustainable, productive outcomes.

As an employer, I must ensure that my employees' needs are being met while also considering business requirements. I regularly weigh the concerns of the individual with the concerns of the group. This challenge is analogous to the hurdles faced on the City Council. Councilmembers must balance the needs of distinct constituents with the fiscal and long-term needs of the city as a whole.

My experiences as an attorney and managing partner further underscore this background in conflict resolution. The clients I work with often require both financial and emotional support-- as do the clients on the opposing side. My goal is to achieve a settlement that validates both parties' interests while also being practicable. This skill is readily transferrable to a city government context as there are many viewpoints that require a thorough, multifaceted analysis.

2. What concerns are of particular importance to the city and how would you address them?

a. Public Safety. The most important service provided by our city is public safety and I firmly believe our top priority must be protecting our families, neighborhoods and businesses. If faced with a huge budget crisis and this issue is raised, I would not compromise the funding of our police force and would instead seek creative means of increasing revenue.

b. City Services. It is imperative that we maintain Santa Clara's high level of city services and keep the costs low. I would ensure that the costs are kept low so as to attract businesses, jobs and to increase revenue. Residents now enjoy the lowest combined rate for water, electricity, garbage and sewer in the nine bay area counties and it is my desire to maintain this ranking.

c. Public Education. I would be a strong public advocate for protecting our schools, teachers and children in Santa Clara from devastating school budget cuts. My mother was a grade school teacher for over 20 years and helped to shape the lives of many children. I maintain this passion for education and will actively work with relevant authorities to resolve impending budget conflicts.

3. How would you balance the needs of the city as a whole with groups’ interests?

In the event of a conflict between a distinct group and the City, I would do my best to facilitate a discussion between both sides. From my experience as an attorney, conflict often accrues when there is a lack of accurate information exchanged between both sides. My priority will be making City information open and accessible to ensure that potential conflicts are mitigated early in the process.

If information is shared and a conflict nonetheless perseveres, I would analyze relevant and available data for guidance. If there is data that accurately reflects the views of Santa Clarans on a particular issue, and if the implementation of this view is viable, then I will simply follow this majoritarian perspective.

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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.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 19, 2012 11:29
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