|
 Candidate's
Statement:
Why am I running? I’m running for the Santa Cruz City
Council because I believe that we are not making meaningful progress
with solving the problems that are affecting our community.
We have many difficult decisions to make ahead of us, as our problems
have been staring us in the face for quite some time. As we all know,
but sometimes like to forget, ignoring our problems will not make them
go away.
These problems include the need to encourage and develop a strong local
economy, to adequately maintain and enhance our transportation
infrastructure and water system, to somehow create a wider range of
affordable housing options, to preserve our unique environment and
quality of life, and to properly fund public safety.
At the same time, any decisions that are made must reflect the core
values of our community, such as protecting our environment and quality
of life in our neighborhoods; support for children, families, and
seniors; delivery of high quality services for all residents; providing
for safe streets and public places; and a renewed commitment to fiscal
responsibility.
Our immediate adjacency to the Silicon Valley also must be factored into
our decision-making process. I believe that the time has arrived when
we must decide whether we will rise to the occasion and exert ourselves
as a unique city, or be fated to become a suburb of Silicon Valley. I
believe this choice is still ours to make, but we cannot afford to waste
any more time finger pointing, playing the blame game, or denying the
inevitability of change.
There has been an alarming trend on the part of some city council
members to lose focus on the problems that really matter to the people
of Santa Cruz. As we can clearly see today, these problems have
unfortunately only grown over the years in size and complexity due to a
lack of vision and poor policy decisions. We have somehow allowed the
passive stewardship of our city to serve as a substitute for effective
city government.
We have had many opportunities to address the problems that face us in
order to improve our quality of life, but there have been many missed
opportunities as well. I don’t want to see that happen again after the
November 5th election.
I believe that it is time for a change. It is time to get serious about
our city and redefine what we consider to be acceptable performance from
our elected leaders. It is time for all of us to hold our elected
leaders accountable for developing policy that will lead us forward
towards our future.
It is time to start saying yes to tomorrow.
With that thought in mind, I respectfully ask that you cast your vote
for Karen Woblesky on November 5th.
The previous leaders of our city government have had their chance to
influence events and put their stamp on our city. Can we honestly say
that we are moving forward in the right direction as our city stands
reeling from a lack of cohesive public policy? Can we truthfully say
that our public funds are being allocated wisely and with maximum impact
based upon an accurate needs assessment? While asked rhetorically, I
believe that we need to do better for the future of our community.
Everyone in Santa Cruz is entitled to proactive and responsive
leadership that will address the real needs of real people. Citizens of
all walks of life want real policies that will lead to real solutions.
The people of our community have spoken loudly in the last few months:
it is time for our political leadership to get real.
How will I offer real leadership?
I will draw from my varied life experiences. I have put myself through
UCSC, so I understand the struggle of a student to survive on a limited
budget and obtain a hard-earned university degree. I respect them for
doing that.
I have been a small business owner, so I can relate to the boundless
spirit of the entrepreneur and the realities of an ever-changing
business climate. I understand calculated risk, the possibility of
failure, and the joys and rewards of building a successful business.
I have also worked with a non-profit agency that assisted the disabled
community, so I appreciate the significance of being involved with a
purpose greater than your own self-interest. I understand the
importance of relying on fundamental business principles while providing
excellent public service to the community.
Currently, I work in human resources for a public-sector agency, so I am
familiar with governmental processes, policies, and guidelines. In this
line of work, I deal with the problems of everyday people. I also
currently serve on the City’s advisory Equal Employment Opportunity
committee, as I am an advocate of fair hiring practices and promoting
diversity.
I have a collaborative leadership style. I have developed the ability to
work together with a wide variety of people by listening carefully,
communicating effectively, and building a consensus to arrive at
practical solutions, all while maintaining my strongly held beliefs and
respecting the beliefs and opinions of others. I am also able to change
my mind when information is made available to me that supports a
re-thinking of my position. I am flexible, a straight-talker, and value
personal integrity and ethics.
If elected to our city council, I will provide the leadership to plan
carefully for our future, protect our core values, and build
relationships that will strengthen our community. I will work
tirelessly to empower the people of our community to have the confidence
that their voice will be heard and considered.
But most importantly, I will remain enthusiastically optimistic as I say
yes to tomorrow. Be there with me as our future arrives – I
respectfully ask that you cast your vote for me, Karen Woblesky, to be
your newest city council representative.
I invite you to find out more about me and my vision for the future of
Santa Cruz by visiting
www.karenforcouncil.com. Thank you. |
