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Teachers need help: Steve Blanton
Steve Blanton has been active on political scene
This is the fourth of six profiles on candidates for the 24th Assembly District. We will publish stories on all six candidates prior to the March 7 election.
By Kara Chalmers
Steven Blanton was student body president when he attended West Valley College and he was also president of the Republican Club there. But Blanton was involved in politics long before that. As a child, he stuffed envelopes and walked precincts for Ronald Reagan's campaign for governor of California. At Los Gatos High School, he was part of the Republican Club, as well.
Blanton is running for the Republican nomination for the District 24 seat in the state assembly, the seat being vacated by Jim Cunneen because of term limits.
According to Blanton, the state budget surplus should be spent first and foremost on education in Santa Clara County. Prior to his current position at the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors in Los Altos, Blanton taught public speaking, debate and interpersonal communication at Foothill College. Because of his teaching experience, he says he understands firsthand the challenges that teachers face here.
"It was wonderfully rewarding," he said of teaching. "I really enjoyed being a teacher and at some point I would like to teach again. But I just couldn't make a living out of it. That's the unfortunate reality, especially in this area."
If elected to the state Assembly, Blanton says he would push for increasing the salaries of teachers. "Particularly in high cost of living areas, I think we have to provide some kind of housing assistance for teachers," he said. "Whether it's a [home] loan that is forgiven over time, per number of years you teach."
As a former teacher, Blanton says he knows there are many school districts, as well as a lot of layers of administration to deal with. "I'd like to see more of the money that is currently in the system find its way to teachers and to students in classrooms, than is currently the case," he said. He said that, in this area, unified school districts are a good way to save money and therefore pay teachers more.
As a child, Blanton had a lisp and a stutter, which he overcame in part thanks to his mother's tutoring and, also, because of what he describes as a forward-looking speech program at Blossom Hill Elementary School in Los Gatos. "I understand how not all of us are born perfect and we all need second chances," he said.
Blanton's father unexpectedly died of a heart attack when the young Blanton was 15, a freshman in high school. By the time he adjusted, Blanton said his grades were not strong. But by his senior year, he had pulled his grades up and was able to attend West Valley College.
"I really value the place that community colleges have in the higher education system," he said. "I think they are there for a second chance for individuals." After WVC, Blanton went on to get his bachelor's and master's degrees in speech communication at San Jose State University.
Blanton's close second priority to education, he said, would be to try to help ease the traffic burden in the area. He said his time on the regional transportation commission five years ago gave him needed experience in this area. He specifically proposes to make sure the highway system we have is completed, specifically, the connection between highways 87 and 85 in San Jose.
At that location, drivers must get off Highway 87, drive onto a city street and then get on Highway 85. Making the connection would save a few minutes for drivers and would also take cars off the service street, Blanton said. "I think there are several places like that around the area where we have bottlenecks," he said.
Blanton said that he is inclined to be against SCA 3, a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would allow more sales tax revenue to go toward transportation if a simple majority of voters want it. The amendment would change a two-thirds vote to a simple majority vote.
"I do believe in a supermajority for taxation," he said. "I think we have to be very careful in terms of imposing new taxes."
Blanton believes the state legislature has done things that imperil the current economic boom--including the eight-hour day law that was passed.
"That's just not how Silicon Valley operates and I think it causes severe problems," he said, adding that in some cases an eight-hour day is appropriate.
In terms of building more affordable housing in the area, Blanton says that he thinks cities should look to areas that have already been developed and allow for more housing to occur there. "I don't think its wise to build in hillside areas or other environmentally sensitive areas," he said. "Most downtowns probably have room for future expansion and future growth without having a lot of negative impact."
But while he says the state can articulate an overall vision, local government officials should make decisions affecting their communities. Blanton has served on the Los Gatos Town Council since 1990 and is now mayor.
Blanton is the Government Affairs Director for the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. He lives with his wife Sophia and 4-year-old son, Justin, in Los Gatos, where he grew up.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
