Candidate for
Council Member; City of Santa Cruz

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. I am a moderate and independent choice to represent the people of Santa Cruz.

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 the 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.

Thank you.