Issues

Cleaning mercury from our streams, reservoirs and fish

Mercury is one of the most toxic contaminants we have in our environment, and Santa Clara County has the worst problem in the state with mercury contamination. Much of the problem is a left-over from old mines dating from past generations, and much of the problem is from modern contamination.

Five of the twenty worst mercury-contaminated water bodies in California are in our county including the very worst, Almaden Lake. It's bad enough that people can't eat the fish they catch here (and some don't realize that); the mercury goes into our Bay and the ocean, contaminating the fish that everybody eats.

I will continue and attempt to expand the mercury treatment programs that the Water District currently has. If elected, I wlll also vigorously pursue new state-level legislative program called "Extended Producer Responsibility" that requires the producers of mercury, not just the end users, to be responsible to make sure it is cleaned up. A well-designed program will go far to cleaning up the problems for our County, our Bay, and our nearby ocean waters.

Greater public transparency and public control

Fixing the Water District system through real public involvement and through change at the Board level. The Water District does not have a citizen advisory committee structure for the vast majority of its work. I will change that by redirecting existing or new advisory committees to provide feedback directly to the work done by staff operations, not just the limited issues that come to the Water District Board.

I will eliminate the existing barriers that block the public from providing information to citizen advisory committees, and publicize exactly how citizens can get involved.

I will work for direct involvement in community organizations so the Water District provides real support for public involvement in protecting their local water supplies, though actions like support for establishment of "Friends of (your local stream)" and meaningful participation with Chambers of Commerce to achieve real environmental and flooding protection.

I will support holding evening meetings to make it easier for people to attend. I will support term limits of two or three terms, and I pledge to serve no more than two terms myself, regardless of whether term limits are passed. When redistricting occurs after the census, I will encourage reconsideration of the citizen advisory panel's first two choices for the best and most representative districts. The overall structure of the Board of Directors may need to change from its current part-time, partly paid structure to one that people with less time and full-time office-hour jobs can become directors.

I will be just one of seven Board members, so making this happen will need some help, but public support and public involvement can help push through changes that make even more public involvement possible.

Making the District the environmental champion for our watersheds

The District has acknowledged protecting the environment is as important as its functions of flood protection and water supply, but this function gets the least attention. The public clearly wants a better environment and is willing to pay for it. I will work to see that Clean Safe Creeks environmental enhancement projects remain fully funded. I will also work to ensure that the District uses its environmental knowledge and expertise to provide neutral, unbiased commentaries on projects that can harm streams, streamside areas, and the local environments, rather than sitting on the sidelines.