As we approach the 2004 elections, let’s encourage candidates to run for office who are thoughtful, capable stewards for our community. And let’s choose well when we go to the voting booth.
FCGG hopes others will join us in making sure that thoughtful questions and responses become the basis for our municipal elections. We hope, too, that the prospect of a campaign characterized by civility and substance might attract the quality of candidates who too often decline to share their talents with a public that needs them.
Download a printable version of the 10 questions (PDF*, 87KB)
Here are 10 questions to help voters:
On Priorities
- Residents of the City of Fresno have suffered from double-digit unemployment for two and a half decades. What is your plan for tackling this problem?
- If current trends continue, in a few years the entire budget of the City of Fresno will be required to pay for police and fire services, leaving nothing for economic development, parks or other services. What would you do to assure that City funds can be balanced among a wide variety of services?
- What would improve the livability of Fresno? What steps would you take to improve livability? The quality of our air? The quality of our roads? Our transportation system? Our choice of amenities?
On Fiscal Responsibility And Government Efficiency
- How do you define fiscal responsibility? What is the appropriate level of municipal taxation and debt for our citizens? What should our fiscal reserves be?
- Will you put the attainment of government efficiencies for the benefit of the total community ahead of the interests of special constituencies?
On Collaboration
- City issues, such as unemployment, crime, health, and education are interwoven with one another and are governed by multiple governmental jurisdictions. What would you do to address issues that cross jurisdictional boundaries?
- What would you do to engage citizens of Fresno and other with common interests to be part of positive problem-solving efforts? Can you embolden other elected officials to work with you to tackle complex, difficult issues? How?
On Values, Competence and Thoughtfulness
- What are the values you will use as you make decisions about our future?
- What is your history of thoughtful problem solving?
- What attributes and experience qualify you to analyze and help devise solutions for the complex problems we face as a community?
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