Less Than Three Weeks Left Until Election Day

As you can tell by the leaves changing, the surge of mail you’re receiving and the constant campaign commercials on television, we are close to Election Day. In fact, it is only 20 days away!
Many of the absentee voters should be receiving their ballot today, if it did not already arrive in the mail yesterday. Within that ballot, there are a lot of important decisions to make in an historic election and I am honored to be scored among so many worthy men and women as I run for one of three at-large seats on the San Juan Unified School Board. As you know, the school district runs from Sacramento to Folsom between Roseville Road and the American River, including the enclave of Gold River. With its annual $575 million budget, its 42,000 students and 175,000 registered voters, it doesn’t seem like a local election. But the stakes for our schools and communities are high and I'm in it to win it. To understand the magnitude of this particular local election, I would also like to give you three reasons why you should help your family, friends and neighbors be as familiar with their local candidates, such as those for San Juan Unified School Board, as they are with the national candidates.
First, as I have had a chance to meet the good people of this district, I have seen the care and concern they have for our children, even if they do not have students in the district. Most people understand that the condition of our schools is directly correlated to the condition of our communities, on our property values and on our prosperity. I believe I am the kind of leader that can work well with many personalities and interests. I expect excellence in education and will have an agenda to prepare our students adequately in school so that our community flourishes.
Second, many people are frustrated when trying to interact with the district and school board on a variety of important issues. While we have a new superintendent who is dedicated to the collaborative process, there is more that can be done to improve communication at the school board level. School boards exist to facilitate difficult and weighty decisions that impact the schools and community. If participation by any party is unnecessarily hampered or curtailed, then the district loses out on important information and cannot fulfill its mission of preparing our students to be valued citizens. I commit to total transparency and will be accessible to anyone who has an issue that needs to come before the board or district.
Third, as our market moves through some very volatile times, we can expect that economic hardship will impact everyone in the district. Further, our state budget cannot be counted on to deliver constant revenue for Proposition 98 funding and instead will put a higher premium on local property taxes in a struggling housing market. We must be wise and prudent about our finances and make sure that every dollar spent will improve the achievements of our students. I know that my experience with budgeting and finances will benefit the district as we plan through the annual budget and expend voter approved bond money.
If our young people cannot succeed within the controlled conditions of the classroom set forth upon sound academic standards, it will matter little what happens outside the classroom. As a trustee in the school district, I will not marginalize or write off any student as a failure. I want to see every one of our students graduate and lead a productive life after graduation, whether they take the road to higher education or they seek a vocation instead. These are grand goals, but not unrealistic when we are properly motivated and require that everyone is held accountable for their actions.
To make sure that I am elected so that I may accomplish these goals, I ask that you help me in three areas.
1. If you think that I am a candidate worthy of your vote, then please make an effort to forward this letter onto those voters in your address book and ask that they consider voting for me, as well. Refer them to my website for more information.
2. If you think that it is imperative to get past the status quo and get a fresh perspective in the board’s deliberations, then please volunteer to put up a yard sign, walk your neighborhood passing out literature or spend a couple hours making phone calls to undecided voters. This will be especially critical for the days just before the election. I would also like to add your name to my endorsement list on my website.
3. If you want my message to permeate the district more, then consider making a modest contribution to my campaign. Even $10 will help print several hundred flyers. There are no contribution limits to this race. Donations can be made online by credit card or by mail with a downloadable form from my website.
I am energized by the people I have had the privilege to meet at Back to School Nights, knocking on doors, attending community events and at board meetings. It will only get better as I have your help.