Rohnert Park is a General Law City with five City Council members elected at-large. The Mayor is appointed annually by a majority vote of Council members. Each Councilmember serves a 4-year term. The two Councilmembers whose offices will end in 2010 and be on the November 2nd ballot are Amie Breeze and Pam Stafford. The remaining three Councilmembers are Gina Belforte, Joseph T. Callinan, and Jake MacKenzie.
The City Council adopts goals and policies which describe services the City provides to its residents. The Council also approves and adopts the City's Financial Plans, General Plan and the Capital Improvement Plan. For the implementation of policies, the Council provides direction to the City Manager during Council meetings. In addition to appointing the City Manager and City Attorney, the Council is responsible for appointing members of City Commissions and Boards. Council members also sit on liaison committees, advisory boards and regional boards.
City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Hall Council Chamber.
Meetings officially begin at 5:00 p.m.
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Jack Rosevear
10
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Amy Ahanotu
10
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Roger Schwanke
10
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Pam Stafford
10
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Carl Leivo
10
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John Borba
10
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How important is job creation and retention on your priority list if elected to office?
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Jack Rosevear
10
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Amy Ahanotu
10
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Roger Schwanke
10
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Pam Stafford
10
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Carl Leivo
10
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John Borba
10
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Should job creation and economic development be one of the top priorities for Sonoma County City Councils and Board of Supervisors in 2010 – 2011?
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Jack Rosevear
10
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Amy Ahanotu
10
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Roger Schwanke
10
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Pam Stafford
10
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Carl Leivo
10
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John Borba
10
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Are you committed to diversifying and strengthening your jurisdiction’s economy?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that your jurisdiction is doing enough to attract businesses that provide jobs?
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Jack Rosevear
no
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Amy Ahanotu
no
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Roger Schwanke
no
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
no
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Do you support attracting new business and expanding existing businesses in your jurisdiction?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support the coordination of and participation in an economic development effort that promotes Sonoma County on a regional basis?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Should local government offer incentives, financial or otherwise, to attract new business to our area?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
yes
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Should your jurisdiction provide funding to local Convention & Visitor Bureaus to promote tourism?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
yes
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Do you view using the Redevelopment Agency as a tool to be utilized for economic sustainability in your jurisdiction?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support the expansion of the Sonoma County Airport to allow more commercial air service?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support allocating funds for deferred maintenance and infrastructure improvements including roads, airports, telecommunications, water, sewer and power?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support reducing development and impact fees to spur job creation?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that there are too many local regulations preventing or discouraging businesses from starting up or expanding in our area?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Will you consider job creation as a top priority in your decision making?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Will you put your jurisdiction’s jobs and the economy ahead of political agendas and special interests?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support the deferral of local government impact fees on a construction project until that project is completed?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
no
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support a Living Wage Ordinance that would mandate what private businesses contracting with your jurisdiction would have to pay their employees?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
no
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
no
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support local production and distribution of construction materials (i.e. sand, gravel, asphalt, lumber, etc.)?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Should local government set a policy requiring open and fair competition in bidding on all public works projects?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Would you support efforts to position the North Bay to maintain a leadership role or become a leader in key job-producing industries?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that it is important for your jurisdiction to provide flexible land use policies?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that a cost-benefit analysis should be a required step in the process of formulating new regulations and reviewing existing regulations?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
yes
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Will you support land-use and zoning regulations that deter excessive regulatory control?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
no
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support having local regulations that are no more stringent than federal or state requirements?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
no
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
no
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John Borba
yes
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Do you support fast tracking new projects that will create new jobs?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Will you support a streamlined licensing and permitting process if it doesn’t sacrifice environmental protection?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Will you support setting aside money to adequately fund the liability for current and future public employee pensions and medical benefits?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that salaries and benefits for public employees should align with the private sector?
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Jack Rosevear
no
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
no
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Do you believe that privatizing or outsourcing government services should be considered?
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Jack Rosevear
no
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
no
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
no
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Do you support consolidation of government services as a means of providing more efficient government?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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Will you vote to cut your jurisdiction’s expenditures before raising fees or taxes?
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Jack Rosevear
yes
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Amy Ahanotu
yes
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Roger Schwanke
yes
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Pam Stafford
yes
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Carl Leivo
yes
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John Borba
yes
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What ideas do you have for creating new jobs?
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Jack Rosevear
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Amy Ahanotu
Streamlined permitting process of projects City Hall working as a partner rather than as a code enforcer Less intrusive government regulations on businesses Promote expenditures on deferred projects Balanced city budget Encourage and provide grants for green industry such as solar energy Provide sensible environmental policy that encourages business growth Encourage labor/management contracts that take into account current economic condition of the industry |
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Roger Schwanke
By advertising in Business Magazines along with atttending trade shows giving business and industry who are looking for a new home base for their companie see the growth they can attain by re-locating to Rohnert Park and by creating a partnership with them. |
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Carl Leivo
Job creation must begin at the grass roots. The focus should be on growing existing businesses and helping current residents create their own enterprises. Prospecting for industries from outside and expensive marketing efforts seldom result in long term jobs. |
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John Borba
Rohnert Park needs to streamline their development processes, reduce fees, invest in infrastructure, and actively solicit new business ventures. Our building codes should follow state codes and no more. Additional cuts are needed and new avenues pursued for revenue. While not a fan of eminent domain, I believe our redevelopment agency could be utilized on a voluntary basis with landowners to redevelop the area between Cal Skate, Commerce Blvd., State Farm Drive and Golf Course Drive. This area, including the nearly vacant Next Level and AT&T buildings, would be a great area for job creation. Proximity to the Highway and the SMART Train make this area prime land for a unified development focused on job creation. Sonoma Mountain Business Cluster should also be continued for generation of jobs. While the level of city financial assitance must always be carefully reviewed and justified, the concept is sound. |
Rohnert Park desperately needs economic revival. We have some of the best talent and ideas available to generate direction and move our economy forward. I support the creation of an economic development task force to work with us on moving forward the best possible ideas. I do believe in creation of jobs which generate a living wage for employees to live in the general area. This will mean a focus on middle income job creation. I am open to any and all ideas to streamline the City's process to attract viable businesses into Rohnert Park. I also support a regional approach to work with other jurisdictions to attract businesses which can be of benefit to the residents of Rohnert Park.