Transparency and Accountability

Time and again, I have seen examples where the people of Monterey County are not well served by a system that operates without sufficient transparency or accountability. From day one, when I asked for the board packet to be put online, I have undertaken a number of measures to change the culture of county government, including making sure we are holding department heads accountable for their actions, development of  performance measures for every department and a phone number for the County switchboard on the County website. Also, I asked for greater scrutiny of the performance of Monterey County Water Resources Agency general manager Curtis Weeks who operated with little oversight or evaluation for many years.

Strengthening Our Economy

Our rate of unemployment remains high, creating hardships for individuals and families.  The Board of Supervisors created an Economic Development Committee whose goal is promoting new and expanded job opportunities by building on our existing economic strengths and regional assets.  I've made my position clear - we need to cooperate with cities and other agencies to create more permanent, year-round jobs with livable wages. We need economic growth that does not equate to more traffic and loss of natural resources.  We have an opportunity to re-examine how we achieve economic prosperity.  I hope you will join me in challenging our local governments to approach economic development with this broader perspective in mind.

Protecting the Beauty of Monterey County

The Board frequently approves projects without sufficient scrutiny to issues of suitability, sustainability and location. This leads to decisions that threaten our precious natural resources. The Whispering Oaks site on the old Fort Ord for a new MST bus yard is a prime example. Development plans for this site were well down the road by the time I was elected to the Board, but the more I looked into it, the more I realized this site should be preserved. There are several other sites that MST could choose that will not require cutting down 3,400 trees and threatening existing recreational activities. As for a business park, let’s fill existing buildings throughout the county and develop the blighted areas of Fort Ord first. Ft. Ord is a world-class destination for bikers, hikers and horse riders, linking the coast, the inland BLM lands and regional parks that together provide many miles of trails. Seen this way, open space on the base is the real key to vibrant and sustainable economic development in our area.

Veterans Cemetery

I have been working  with leaders in our state and federal governments to bring a national Veterans Cemetery to Ft. Ord – a long-held dream of veterans and their families. Tens of thousands of people did their basic training there before being deployed overseas.  Ft. Ord is a fitting site for a Veterans Cemetery to honor its history and the valor of the soldiers who served here. I am committed to helping make sure the cemetery gets the funding it needs in time to get it moving from a dream to reality on schedule, and I encourage you to join me in making a donation to the Cemetery Foundation at their website: www.ccvcf.com