Q&A
1) Why is there no donate button? Is there any way to donate?
I am not currently accepting additional donations. To provide more context, I'm a bit of an idealist, and I dislike how much impact money has on elections. Thus, I've opted to raise and spend less than $2,000 on my campaign (a threshold established by FPPC), so I can't raise any more money at this time. I know it won't be easy, but I believe it's possible to win a local election with that level of funding. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if you could support me by telling your friends and family about me.
2) What is your plan to address the $28 million budget shortfall?
To address Poway's $28 million shortfall, we must reduce spending. While the Board certainly must explore ways to increase funding, hoping for and relying on increased state funding is not a viable strategy. Reducing costs is not easy, but it is possible. I managed $400 million of spend previously, and I was able to reduce spending by $30 million without laying off a single employee. I would first examine a few areas for potential efficiency such as professional/consulting services ($20 million), general & administration ($35 million), and other operational areas. In addition, due to high turnover rates for some positions, PUSD is currently outsourcing these positions at three times the cost! We need to examine whether PUSD would actually save money by increasing the pay for these positions. We also need to assess the cost-effectiveness of the programs that are currently being offered. To do that, performance metrics need to be established for each program, and we also need transparency around the costs of each program. Without objective measures that are transparent, the community cannot feel confident that the best decisions are being made.
3) What do you consider the primary role of a PUSD School Board member to be?
A Board member is the community's representative who is entrusted to make the best possible decisions for the community. The primary role of a Board member is to provide leadership to the school district. To provide effective leadership, a Board member must guide the development of policies, establish strategic goals for the district, provide oversight of the superintendent and district staff, and review/approve the budget. In performing this role, the Board member must never lose sight of the fact that Board members need to serve the interest of the community and serve as a link between the district and the community. Hence, Board members must be receptive to public feedback and carefully examine and consider feedback received. Community members may not agree with every decision of the Board, but there must be engagement and transparency for why the Board believes the decision is in the best interest of the community.
4) What do you think the relationship between the School Board and the Superintendent should be?
The School Board plays a governance role, and it also establishes policies as well as oversees the budget and financial decisions. The superintendent is hired by the Board and reports to the Board. The superintendent is responsible for implementing the Board's policies and decisions, and the superintendent also leads the district's staff and manages the day-to-day operations of the schools. The superintendent, along with other staff, makes recommendations to the Board regarding policies, initiatives, budgets, and other issues while providing updates and reports for various matters to keep the Board informed.
5) Have you attended a Candidates Forum? If yes, is there a video?
Yes, the Poway Chamber of Commerce held a candidates forum on October 16th. If you would like to see how I responded to the questions, please watch the video here (Note: questions do not begin until the 13:00 mark):
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