Photograph by Robert Scheer
O'Connor
By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Mark O'Connor rarely hesitates to speak his mind.
When he disagreed with the 1992 transfer of El Camino Hospital from public to private ownership, the 47-year-old Sunnyvale resident campaigned for and won a seat on the hospital's district board. In his charge to return the hospital to taxpayers, O'Connor called for the resignation of former hospital executive Richard Pettingill. He accused Pettingill of conflict of interest because, at the time of the transfer, Pettingill served as CEO of both the hospital and the district board. Pettingill resigned last year.
O'Connor said he will continue to put his ideas--and his experience as a Sunnyvale Planning Commissioner--to work as the county supervisor for District 5. He is challenging former Cupertino City Council member Barbara Koppel and former Palo Alto mayor Joe Simitian for the job.
O'Connor's supporters believe his experience and his concern for the community will make him a good leader. Others questioned whether his political ambition is his top priority.
O'Connor said the county is facing difficult times because of decreasing revenues and increasing human service needs. He said the county has made no effort to decrease large employee benefit packages in proportion to decreasing funds.
"Nowhere else in the private sector do full-time employees have life health benefits after five years. The county should take care of the needy, not just provide jobs and benefits to employees. All the cuts have been in county services, decreasing across the board," he said, referring to cuts in health care, mental-health services and law enforcement. He said these areas comprise 75 percent of the county's budget.
O'Connor, a physician's assistant and co-owner of Foothills Family Medical Clinic in east San Jose for 15 years, said he is the only candidate whose professional background provides firsthand knowledge of the health-care services on which the county spends most of its money.
"People who utilize services for the needy don't vote, and they are politically insignificant," he said.
O'Connor said he is working for what he believes. "I haven't sold my soul to the political devil. I care about these people. To me, it's real. It's a daily thing. I still have that fire in my belly. Not just that I want to be elected to something," O'Connor said.
Larry Stone, former Sunnyvale mayor and Santa Clara County assessor, begs to differ. Stone said O'Connor wants to get elected to office and doesn't care which one or how he does it. He criticized O'Connor for switching his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and for moving from District 3 to District 5 to run for county office.
"I have a real question about his political sincerity," Stone said. "...This ought to be of concern to voters. However, I don't doubt his genuine concern."
O'Connor said his only weakness is lack of name recognition. "If voters want a slick familiar name, then they will get what they deserve," he said.
Los Altos City C ouncil member Bob Gray and Mountain View City Council member Art Takahara think O'Connor's unique background sets him apart from his opponents.
"I think he brings an expertise that so far no one else can match. I think he has the credentials to do a good job for our county and our district," Gray said.
Gray said that anyone who can own and operate a clinic shows business leadership, a skill the county currently lacks. He said O'Connor asks good questions and weighs information carefully before making decisions.
Takahara agreed that O'Connor's experience in the medical field and social services will give him a good handle on those issues. He added that O'Connor's experience on the Planning Commission will help him in deciding land-use issues that come before the county.
"We haven't seen his background before. It's different than the typical county supervisors. It lends itself to the issues that face the county," he said.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 14, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.