Willow Glen Resident
News
Forum took different approach to spur on a debate
By Alicia Upano
The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association shook things up at its Feb. 13 District 6 candidate forum by tossing out the familiar short question-and-answer format.
Instead, the neighborhood association crafted 10 open-ended questions aimed at spurring political debate between runoff candidate Pierluigi Oliverio and Steve Tedesco.
The new format was designed to combat stump speeches and canned answers, according to Willow Glen Neighborhood Association President Ed Rast. The questions ranged from a candidate's principles, values and beliefs that drive his decision-making process to increasing San Jose's revenue tax base without increasing taxes. The candidates were sent the questions beforehand.
The new format was intended to help voters differentiate between candidates' viewpoints, but the men seemed to agree on many issues. Both wanted increased funding for code enforcement and police officers and no imminent development in Coyote Valley. They were also in favor of high-density housing along the light rail line, and the need to create jobs in North San Jose.
Oliverio said the city needs to be more prudent with its money, pointing to the $22 million settlement paid to Santa Clara County following the city's legal battle over plans to build a theater at the county fairgrounds. Tedesco agreed about using city money wisely, citing the misspent dollars to construct the new city hall. The building costs taxpayers $33 million annually, he said.
"That city hall was way over budget, and now we're all paying for it," Tedesco said.
Oliverio suggested using technology to cut costs and improve efficiency. He said services, such as park maintenance, can be outsourced to private companies rather than have the city continue to do it, or the city could require developers to maintain parks for five to 10 years. Tedesco would like to beef up the city auditor's office and impose performance measures to keep San Jose financially sound.
The candidates concurred that businesses are key to raising tax revenue. Tedesco said his years of experience as CEO and president of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce had prepared him to help San Jose attract and retain businesses. Oliverio wants to see San Jose become a center for manufacturing medical devices, a constant market that employs more people per dollar than other industries, he said.
The two disagreed on each other's qualifications. Oliverio pointed to a drop in Chamber membership, from 3,000 to 1,800, during Tedesco's tenure. Tedesco countered he had helped raise membership to 3,000, and that the drop was due to a "natural business cycle."
On the campaign trail, both men have pointed to their service background. Tedesco has 30 years' experience working with the city and serving with various organizations. Oliverio has been a teacher, a high-tech executive and a volunteer with several service-oriented projects.
"You've poked a lot of questions at my résumé, and I applaud you for your years of paid service," Oliverio told Tedesco, adding that much of Tedesco's community service was done under the auspices of the Chamber. Oliverio, on the other hand, was not paid by his employer for volunteering, he said. "I think it's a little misleading."
Tedesco said the combination of work and service is what attracted him to the nonprofit sector and asked Oliverio why he left teaching to pursue a more lucrative career in high tech. Oliverio said technology was "alluring," and that he wanted to flex his skills in business. The diversity of these experiences has made him a well-rounded candidate, he said.
"I would ask for your vote humbly. I believe I'm better prepared for the job," Oliverio said.
Oliverio pointed out he has the endorsement of former District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager and seven former Willow Glen Neighborhood Association presidents.
Tedesco countered, "I want to stand on my service and on my experience. I'm not going to stand on my endorsements."
Willow Glen resident Diane Visconti, who has attended four candidate forums, said she was impressed with Tedesco. Visconti said that Tedesco's experience will help him maneuver through the red tape at city hall.
Others, such as North Willow Glen resident Gary Jansen, are still undecided. Even with the new format, Jansen didn't feel either candidate distinguished his views from the other. This forum, he added, was more subdued than previous events.
Oliverio and Tedesco are vying for the District 6 seat vacated by Yeager in December, after Yeager was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in June.
Oliverio grew up in Willow Glen and works for Arena Solutions as an environmental software executive. Tedesco is executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley.
During the November primary election, Oliverio received 30 percent of the vote, and Tedesco 21 percent. Since no candidate earned more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff was scheduled for March 6. Primary candidate Jim Spence has endorsed Tedesco, and primary candidates Brad Imamura and Art Maurice have endorsed Oliverio. The fifth primary candidate, Clark Williams, has remained neutral.
For information on Pierluigi Oliverio, visit fromhereforus.com. For information on Steve Tedesco, visit www.stevetedesco.com. The runoff election is on March 6, and additional details are available at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, www.sccgov.org.
