(Editor's note: The Argus-Courier asked each of the four candidates for Sonoma County supervisor, 2nd District, to complete a questionnaire. This is Mike Healy's complete response.)
Why are you the best candidate for the job? Give specific examples.
I have the skills and the drive to tackle the tough issues and get results. I recruited a movie theater to jumpstart the revitalization of downtown Petaluma when many people thought that was impossible. I've held out for the Rainier cross-town connector and interchange project when its opponents tried to kill it. I successfully led the fight against a casino south of Petaluma, and now I'm a leader in the fight against the Rohnert Park casino.
I'm in my third term on the Petaluma City Council. I've established a strong track record as a political moderate and an independent voice and consensus-builder on key issues. I have a collegial, problem-solving approach.
I do not regard county supervisor as a stepping stone in my political career. If I'm elected, I intend to focus on that job and strive to achieve real results for this community.
How do you differ from the other candidates?
The other candidates are nice people, but their candidacies reflect a continuation of the Hatfield versus McCoy mindset that has dominated Sonoma County politics for decades. All the conservative interests line up behind one candidate, all the liberals line up behind another candidate, then we endure an election that is primarily about platitudes and who has fewer skeletons in their closet. After one wins, they listen attentively to their political backers and politely ignore everyone else.
We can't afford to continue that approach in these challenging times. I strive to be an open-minded independent who maintains open lines of communication with everyone. I'm happy to accept ideas that make sense whether they come from the left, right or middle, as long as they represent progress for the community. Politics needs to be about more than just scoring debating points for the next election.
How will your professional or work experience help you to manage county affairs as supervisor?
I have graduate degrees and work experience in both engineering (Stanford) and law (USF). Technical engineering and legal issues come up frequently in local government, so I have the ability to ask informed questions, engage in collegial discussions with professionals and understand these issues in more detail than others without that background. None of the current supervisors or other candidates in either the 2nd or 4th District are either engineers or lawyers.
With 10 years of service on the Petaluma City Council, I have a detailed understanding of many of our complex regional challenges.
What do you want to achieve as supervisor representing the south county, and how will you succeed?
My top priority will be solving infrastructure bottlenecks that are hampering companies from wanting to locate or grow here. I will focus on completing the widening of 101 from Rohnert Park to Novato and starting passenger rail. I've served on both the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and the SMART board, so I understand the issues in great detail.
I will also focus on solving our water supply challenges. Petaluma gets all of its water through a pipeline that is at the end of its design life, yet the county has stopped work on a "parallel aqueduct" needed to assure reliable water service. I believe that project needs to be revived. With strong Urban Growth Boundaries in place, which I support, having an adequate water supply won't induce further sprawl.
What is your opinion on the county's new general plan? Are there any areas of the plan that you would like to see changed?
The new county general plan was adopted after an exhaustive 5 year process that featured substantial public input. The general plan can best be thought of as a thoughtful compromise balancing competing needs, particularly those of agriculture and the environmental community. I recognize that activists on both sides are would like to re-open some issues where they feel they could have done better, but they need to realize that by reopening the general plan they could actually end up worse off. I would prefer to give the new general plan a chance to prove itself before rushing in with changes.
What would you do as supervisor to enhance economic development and job growth in the county?
We need to promote Sonoma County's long-term economic vitality by making this an attractive place for clean, high quality businesses that create good jobs. The kind of high value-added industries we want to attract have the ability to locate almost anywhere. Sonoma County has great natural beauty and a motivated workforce, but we also need solid public services – schools, roads, water, sewer, police, fire, parks – to attract the quality jobs we need. Completing the 101 widening and addressing water supply deficiencies are at the top of my list. Local government should consider how every decision it makes impacts the business climate.
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