DPSC-Candidate-Questionnaire-TAMAYO-SMUD-WARD-6-FINAL

Candidate Questionnaire Note: The answers to the questionnaire will be shared with the members of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County and local Democratic clubs and may become pub

Candidate Questionnaire

Note: The answers to the questionnaire will be shared with the members of the Democratic Party of

Sacramento County and local Democratic clubs and may become public

The DPSC Candidate Questionnaire contains questions from many subject areas that you may feel are not pertinent to the office you seek We ask these questions because: candidates may go on to other offices, we use one questionnaire for all candidates, and we share the questionnaire with our many clubs which have broad interests Please answer to the best of your ability Thank you!

Section 1 - Background 1.1 Full Name: Dave Tamayo

1.2 Email address: tamayo4smud@gmail.com

1.3 Office Sought: SMUD Board, Ward 6 (re-election)

1.4 FPPC ID: 1359356

1.5 Occupation: Environmental Scientist

1.6 Employer: Sacramento County

1.7 Campaign Phone: 916 390 4076

1.8 Campaign Website: tamayo4smud.org

1.9 Campaign Manager: Brandon Ruiz

1.10 Campaign Consultants: Natalie Bruton-Yenovkian

1.11 What is your anticipated budget and how much have you raised to date? $45,000 budget $48,000

cash on hand

1.12 What are your primary sources for fundraising? Community members, unions, solar energy

businesses Please list your top three campaign contributors IBEW 1245, Plumbers and

Pipefitters, Teichert

1.13 Will all your campaign materials be printed by a union printer? Yes.

1.14 Do you voluntarily decline contributions from any particular contributor or class of contributors (e.g., Big Oil, Walmart, developers, lobbyists, charter schools, etc.)? Yes If so, list who they are and why

Big Oil, coal and natural gas companies…Their interests are contrary to climate change mitigation.

1.15 Please list your top five elected or appointed offices currently/previously held and any key

affiliations, clubs, or community organizations Please include your role and a contact name and phone number for reference

Number

SMUD Board member

Ward 6 (elected 2014)

Director, Vice President Donna Lofton, 732-5079 California Structural Pest Board President Susan Saylor, Executive

Control Board, appointed

by Assembly Speaker

(present)

Director 916 561-8700

Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito

and Vector Control District,

appointed by Board of

Supervisors (present)

Board President Gary Goodman, District

Director 916 685-1022

Oversight Board,

Redevelopment Agency

Successor Agency,

appointed by Sac-Yolo

MVCD (present)

Board member Leslie Fritzche, Executive

Director 808-5450

Parks and Recreation

Commission, City of

Sacramento Appointed by

Councilmember McCarty

(previous appt)

Commissioner Lori Harder, 808-5172

South Sacramento

Community Plan Advisory

Committee Appointed by

BOS (previous appt)

874-6221

Other affiliations:

Sacramento Housing Alliance, Sacramento Mutual Housing Assoc (board member), People United for a Better Sacramento (founding member and president), ECOS, Sierra Club, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, California Native Plant Society, California Water Environment Association, Association of Environmental Professionals, Fruitridge Manor Neighborhood Association

(founding member and past president), Sacramento County Alliance of Neighborhoods (SCAN, vice president), Sacramento Neighborhood Coalition, API Democratic Club, Latino Democratic Club, Stonewall Democrats, California League of Conservation Voters, Climate Hawks Vote, Environment California, American River Natural History Association

1.16 Please attach your biography, a list of current endorsements, and any campaign literature or social media information as a single file Please name your file: last name/office sought ATTACHED

1.17 Have you ever been registered to vote as a member of a political party other than the Democratic Party, or No Party Preference? No

1.18 Have you ever endorsed, contributed to, campaigned for, or otherwise supported a candidate for election or appointment to a partisan or nonpartisan office that was not a member of the Democratic Party? Yes Endorsed and contributed to Jonathan Rewers, who opposed Kevin Johnson in a

non-partisan race for Mayor of Sacramento

1.19 Are you a dues-paying member of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County? No.

1.20 Do you plan to purchase a ballot statement? Yes.

1.21 What will your ballot designation be? Incumbent/Environmental Scientist

1.22 Have you read the Platform of the California Democratic Party? Yes.

It can be downloaded at https://www.cadem.org/our-california/platform 1.23 Have you read, and will you adhere to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices distributed by the

Sacramento County Elections Department? Yes

It can be downloaded at http://www.elections.saccounty.net 1.24 Have you ever been the subject of sexual harassment/abuse/assault allegations investigated by law enforcement, governmental institutions, businesses or any other organizations? No.

1.25 Is there anything in your history on the subject of sexual harassment/abuse/assault which, if

revealed, would bring you, your proposed office, or the Democratic Party into disrepute? No.

1.26 How long have you lived in the district you seek to represent? 29 years

1.27 Out of the last five elections, how many have you voted in? Five

1.28 Why did you decide to run for your position and what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure? List your top three issues I wanted to make sure that SMUD continues to ensure a reliable,

affordable, and clean supply of energy to the community Ensure that SMUD maintains and builds

on its local and national leadership in achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later (emissions for the Sacramento community at large, not just SMUD emissions) Ensure that SMUD continues to improve how well it serves disadvantaged communities, including assistance with energy efficiency, access to clean energy, workforce and economic development, and

addressing environmental justice issues Top three issues: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally and nationally Improve conditions for disadvantaged communities Economic development for the Sacramento region

1.29 If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished during your tenure? Increased SMUD

connections with and support of disadvantage communities Initiated Board discussion to require SMUD to increase regional and national leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Increased Board and staff awareness of environmental justice issues

Section 2 - District & Governance 2.1 Are you familiar with the budget(s) for which you will be responsible, if elected? Yes If so, state how large it is, what its principal revenue sources are, and what its largest expenditure categories are $1.7

billion Primary revenue is electricity sales Largest expenditure categories are energy commodities, labor, and energy capital

2.2 Will you support moving to by-district elections (rather than at-large) where they are not held now? Please explain Yes Better representation for communities, and lesser barriers to those aspiring to be

elected

2.3 What sets you apart from other candidates for this office? Currently unopposed so there are no

other candidates I am the incumbent My strengths include a long-term, demonstrated commitment

to community service, and professional experience and educational background in natural resource

protection I have extensive public policy experience at the local, state, and federal level, through both professional and community activities This includes service on a number of public and non-profit boards, commissions, and advisory committees For the last 20 years, I have worked in the community to support science education and community involvement in schools, smart growth policies and re-investment in inner city neighborhoods, pollution control, equitable use of public resources and access to public services, environmental justice, affordable housing, living wage, and social justice I have provided demonstrable leadership in getting SMUD to be more focused on providing leadership for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and being more successful in

addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities

2.4 How will you work with community advocates? What will you do to be accessible to community members and other stakeholders? As an incumbent, I have continued to maintain and expand

connections with to a broad and diverse cross section of the community My contact information is publicly available

2.5 What will you do to promote transparency and ethics? As a board member, I supports laws and

internal policies that promote transparency and ethics, and participate in Board activities to ensure compliance within our organization

2.6 What whistle-blower protections should there be for public employees who expose corruption, sexual harassment, or other illegal/unethical activity? Such employees must be protected from retaliation,

and employers who retaliate should be subject to punishment

2.7 Do you believe that current campaign finance rules should be changed? If so, how would you change them? Yes Citizens United should be overturned and all sources of funds must be subject to

disclosure Public funding options for campaigns should be developed

Section 3 – Civil Rights

3.1 What will you do to advance the rights of:

A The LGBTQ community? As a SMUD director, I will support LGBT equal rights within

SMUD policies and practices As a public figure, I will publicly stand up for LGBT equal rights

as issues arise that call for a show of community support I will maintain a relationship with Stonewall leadership to ensure I am up to date on LGBT issues

B Racial and ethnic minorities? I will continue to ensure that SMUD maintains activities to

have a diverse workforce reflective of our community Ensure that our programs to support energy efficiency, economic development, education, and workforce development provide benefits to disadvantage communities Ensure that environmental justice concerns are

adequately addressed by SMUD

C Gender and gender identities? Support activities at SMUD to ensure that gender identity

is respected in the workplace

3.2 What will you do to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, and housing? Support and maintain connections with organizations that

work on those issues Ensure that SMUD programs are non-discriminatory

3.3 What is your position on a woman’s right to comprehensive healthcare, including the right to choose and access contraception, and the right to obtain a medically safe, legal abortion? I support those

rights unequivocally

3.4 If elected, what will you do to close the gender pay gap? Ensure that SMUD hiring and promotion

practices are designed to eliminate that gap in our own organization

3.5 What is your position on immigration? Immigration to this country is vital to our economic well

being, and to our moral authority as a force for good in the world Immigration policy needs to be reformed to protect immigrants from abuse and exploitation by employers and criminals, and to allow them to be here without fear from authorities We need to have pathways to citizenship and legal residency for law abiding undocumented immigrants

Do you support an amnesty program for those immigrants already living in the United States? Yes, Do you support a clean DREAM Act, without any enforcement funding attached to it? Yes

Should undocumented immigrants have a path towards citizenship? Yes Why? Because that’s the fair

thing to do

3.6 What will you do to protect immigrant communities? Support sanctuary city status, and the

efforts of the Attorney General to resist Trump

3.7 Should there be limits on free speech or assembly in public places, such as protesting or picketing?

No, as long as protestors remain peaceful and don’t interfere with bystanders

3.8 Do you support background checks for all gun and ammunition sales? Yes What other restrictions on firearms do you think are appropriate? No automatic weapons or bumpstocks Restrict Sheriff’s

ability to issue concealed carry permits

3.9 Do you feel the criminal justice system is just and fair to everyone? No If not, what reforms would you like to see? Improved funding for public defenders Eliminate sentencing and drug prosecutions

that result in disproportionately incarcerating minorities Eliminate prisons for profit

3.10 Do you support capital punishment? No If so, please explain when you think it’s appropriate 3.11 Please share your views on the Black Lives Matter movement I support its goals.

3.12 How will you work toward greater police accountability? What role would the community play in that? We should have a civilian police accountability board with more authority to investigate incidents and practices

3.13 Do you support the universal use of police body cameras? Yes When is it appropriate to release police body camera footage? I don’t know a specific threshold, but the policy should lean toward

transparency and timely release

3.14 What will you do to make your community more accessible to people with disabilities? I am

working on getting SMUD and the County/cities to reduce barriers on sidewalks that are created by infrastructure

3.15 What will you do to ensure that non-English speakers can fully participate in public meetings and access public services? I will explore options to provide translation services when requested

Continue to support SMUD translation services for our customer service center

Section 4 – Healthcare 4.1 Do you believe that healthcare is a human right? I believe it’s a right that should be established in

law. If so, what do you believe is the most effective way to provide quality healthcare for all ? I think we

should have universal, single payer health care

4.2 What is your position on parental notification prior to a minor terminating a pregnancy ? Oppose a

legal requirement for parental notification, and providers should be disallowed from notifying

parents without the minor’s consent Please explain The minor should be allowed to make that

decision on her own

4.3 What measures would you support to ensure adequate mental health services for all? Support

mental health services as a budget priority for the County and State, and should be included in universal health care

4.4 What will you do to help address high child mortality rates in the black community in Sacramento County? Support funding of County programs to address this Increase economic opportunities,

and lower utility bills for community members, so that they have more resources available to address their basic needs

Section 5 – Good Jobs for All 5.1 Describe your relationship with organized labor I am known to be a friend of organized labor For

the past 26 years, I have been a member of Local 39, Teamsters, and Environmental Management Specialists of Sacramento County (EMSSC) I was a board member of EMSSC for several years I

am supported by IBEW 1245, IBEW 340, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Carpenters, Laborers, Sheet Metal Workers, and Operating Engineers, Firefighters, and Bricklayers

5.2 Do you support the right of workers to unionize by card check? Yes

5.3 Have you attended the Sacramento Central Labor Council Candidate Academy? No.

5.4 Do you support project labor agreements? Yes.

5.5 Which labor unions will you be interacting with in your role? What is your plan for building

collaborative relationships with union and nonunion employees? IBEW 1245, IBEW 340, Plumbers

and Pipefitters, Carpenters, Laborers, Sheet Metal Workers, and Operating Engineers, and

Bricklayers

5.6 What is the role of the office that you seek in promoting good jobs for our region? The SMUD Board

adopts SMUD Policy, which includes support of regional economic development, STEM and vocational education, workforce development, and attracting companies that want to partner with SMUD on developing energy technology

5.7 What solutions would you propose to solve budget shortfalls and how would you prioritize the needs

of your constituents? We are constantly seeking savings through operational efficiency, and

development of new revenue streams, such as promotion of electric vehicles, and providing services

to Community Choice Aggregations, such as Yolo’s Valley Clean Energy

5.8 Do you believe income inequality is an issue in your community? Yes If so, what steps would you take to address it? I have been actively supporting SMUD programs to support workforce

development and STEM education in the communities I represent As well as supporting programs

to increase energy efficiency and lower energy burdens for low income households I also support efforts by local organization such as Franklin Blvd Business Association and Stockton Blvd

Partnership to promote economic development along those corridors and for local residents

Section 6 - Local Economy & Public Resources 6.1 Under what circumstances would you support raising revenues by means of taxes or fees to support public services and why? I generally support taxes and fees that are needed to support public services 6.2 How do you balance more progressive vs more regressive forms of taxation or other revenues and their specific impacts on the community, and what means of such revenues would you have at your disposal and support? Our revenue source is primarily rates to recover our costs and invest in

long-term infrastructure needs

6.3 Under what conditions would you support the privatization of public or natural resources (i.e water, publicly-owned buildings, schools, park lands, parking facilities)? I am generally opposed to

privatization of public and natural resources

6.4 What is your position on "public/private partnerships"? I am suspicious of them, but I imagine

there are cases where they make sense Where they can demonstrably benefit the public at a

reasonable cost I would be in favor

6.5 When is it appropriate to use public money or tax incentives to subsidize private business? When it

demonstrably helps lift up historically disadvantaged communities; when it helps spur development

or services needed by the community that would otherwise not occur

6.6 What is your plan to support and encourage local small business development? Continue and

improve SMUD’s SEED program for small businesses Support efforts of local area business associations, such as Franklin Blvd and Stockton Blvd

Section 7 – Environment 7.1 Do you support the construction of the Delta tunnels and the Southeast Connector? No Please explain Doesn’t look like it would be good for the Delta environment.

7.2 When is it appropriate to expand the urban growth boundary? We should avoid doing that until we

have adequately developed within the boundary, including focusing on transit oriented

development, and good infill in blighted areas

7.3 Please describe your position on regional habitat and working lands conservation We should

preserve habitat and agricultural lands in our region

7.4 What will you do to address climate change in your role? Please be specific I am leading the effort to

ensure that SMUD continues and expands its efforts to provide effective leadership for our region and the nation in timely achievement of zero greenhouse gas emissions Not only will SMUD achieve GHG reductions for its own operations, but will help the County and cities in electrifying

our transportation and buildings using renewable energy.

7.5 Please describe your education and/or experience with land use planning I participated as a

community member in the Blue Print process, and was a member for several years on the South Sacramento Community Planning Advisory Committee

7.6 Have you read the General Plan and do you agree with its vision of future development? No, I have

not read the General Plan If not, what changes would you propose? We need to focus on achieving higher density transit oriented development, and reducing dependency on automobiles

Section 8 – Education 8.1 Do you support Restorative Justice and funding such programs? Yes.

8.2 What role do you believe charter schools should play in public education? I don’t know, but I think

we should focus our resources on achieving access to good public schools for all communities

8.3 Do you support reforming teacher tenure, due process protections, or teacher salary and benefits? Please explain I value public school teachers, and believe they are underpaid, but otherwise I don’t

know much about these issues I’m in favor of preserving due process protections

8.4 What will you do to minimize bullying and promote tolerance in school? Discuss your feelings about the bullying and harassment of LGBTQ students because of their real or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity It’s wrong and must be resisted vigorously, both proactively and reactively How will you help promote a safer environment in schools for all students? Public policy that supports

these goals in schools should be adopted and maintained I don’t have specific suggestions

However, we need to continue advancing our culture as a whole in support of these goals so that they eventually become the norm In support of that notion, public figures should act and speak out

in opposition to bullying and intolerance, and in support of equality

8.5 For school board candidates: Please explain LCFF and LCAP in three sentences or fewer

8.6 Do you believe that public adult education, colleges, and universities should be tuition free? Yes for

adult education and community colleges Not tuition free for 4 year institutions, but much more affordable than they are now I do think that students should have much better access to affordable housing and that the university systems should be a big part of making that happen

Section 9 - Housing 9.1 What is your plan to address homelessness in your community? Provide more support services, and

remove unreasonable barriers to building more housing

9.2 What is your plan to relieve the rental housing crisis? Remove unreasonable barriers to building

more housing

9.3 Do you support rent control and just cause eviction? I don’t support rent control I don’t know what

just cause eviction is

9.4 Do you support the adoption of inclusionary housing ordinances? Yes.

9.5 What is your plan for funding affordable housing construction? I don’t have a plan but I think that

we need to reduce infrastructure impact fees and permit fees in urban core areas especially those blighted with empty lots

9.6 Would you support a local ordinance to end Housing Choice Voucher discrimination (Section 8)? Y es Please explain Seems only fair.

9.7 What is your plan to ensure that working class people have opportunities for home ownership?

Support economic development that benefits working class people, and increase inventory of affordable housing

Section 10 – Transportation and Public Transit 10.1 Would you support a local sales tax measure to fund transportation and public transit? Yes, but it

must provide significant funding for alternative transportation modes

10.2 If you are seated on the board of SACOG, STA, or Regional Transit, how would you use your role and what would you prioritize? Prioritize higher density infill development, transit and workplace

oriented development, and de-emphasize road building

10.3 What is your plan to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled in the region? Prioritize higher density infill

development, transit and workplace oriented development, and de-emphasize road building

10.4 What is your plan to improve local and regional public transit? Please describe a priority project

Prioritize higher density infill development, transit and workplace oriented development, and de-emphasize road building Provide better connector bus service to low income areas, and eliminate transfer fees