CAMPAIGN PLATFORM
These are my responses to a local candidate questionnaire.
Please comment: daniel_kahane@comcast.net
Why do you want this position?
I have a strong desire to serve my community and to be an advocate for the voiceless. I have spent the past 20 years actively working as an environmental educator and advocate. I have developed skills as an environmental planner, communicator, teacher, ecologist, and interagency facilitator. I believe that we need more than a vote on the Board of Supervisors; we need a fresh and commanding voice for progressive ideals.
How are you qualified?
Experience within a system that needs change is not a qualification to make those changes. Why should we expect change to come from an entrenched political body? I reflect the ideals and the spirit of the 5th District. When I speak about the environment and the need for a healthy local economy, I speak from the heart. I speak with passion. It is not an intellectual exercise. Because I well reflect the spirit of the 5th District, I can best represent it. I will be more than a vote. I will be a voice.
ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT
1. How do you expect to be responsive to the constituency you want to represent?
I will keep an open mind and an open door to my office. I will be attentive to and continue to be among the community, as an educator, a farmer, and a musician. I will have standard office hours at times that are convenient for working people. I will commit to evening and/or weekend hours to be available. I will make use of modern media in its various modalities. If necessary, I will provide YouTube messages for those who cannot attend public hearings.
2. How do you plan to balance privacy with open government?
There are existing rules that protect privacy, and my staff and I will strictly adhere to those rules. Any information released to the public will be carefully screened to be sure that the substance is provided without revealing unnecessary information. I am committed to protecting privacy. Technology brings us many wonders, and, like so many powerful things, we have to make sure it is our servant and not our master.
3. If Clean Money passed, would you run as a Clean Candidate?
Absolutely—so long as its application is assured across the board, so long as “clean” does not mean “uneven.” Campaign spending loots the system. I will be running an effective, low-budget campaign. Borrowing money for campaign spending is a model for deficit. Why should we expect candidates to be careful with taxpayers’ money when they have shown they are frivolous during the campaign?
4. Rank in order of priority:
Voting is number one, and meeting with constituents is also number one (a tie!). What good is a vote if you are voting blindly? Performing issues research would come in second. Learn, plan, and then act. Third is making district appearances. Fourth is meeting with special-interest groups. As supervisor I would be a voice for the community and would to listen to all.
DEVELOPMENT
1. Describe your vision of Sonoma County 30 years from now.
My vision is that in 30 years our beloved county will continue to be a place that we love and care about. The name Sonoma County will stand for a community that is role modeling, remaining in the forefront of sage environmental thinking and creativity as we have in the past. It will be a county that we can be optimistic about having the opportunities to grow in ways that are healthy and wholesome and sustainable. The community commands our respect and care. The sound environmental ideal of Sonoma County in the past has led us toward a positive future. We have led the way nationwide in open-space protection, anti-nuclear activism, coastal protection, zoning that protects agriculture and open space, urban growth boundaries, recycling, household hazardous-waste management, large-scale composting, and more. This district has always been the leading voice on innovative environmental policy. If we continue to follow these principles, we have reason to be optimistic about the Sonoma County 30 years from now.
2. What is your opinion of the current property tax rate?
I believe that we are ready for healthy examination and reevaluation. Taxes should reflect not just the perceived value of the parcel but what takes place on that parcel. Parcels that harm the environment or are not sustainable should be assessed differently than those that are sustainable. Corporate property ownership should not be handled in the same way as personal property.
3. How do you expect to tackle local transportation issues?
I will aggressively support SMART rail and strive to shame Marin County into passing the next ballot measure on the much-needed train along the Highway 101 corridor. I will work to secure state (maybe not this year) and federal funding for a multi-nodal system of clean-air buses that travel on a reliable schedule along useful routes. I will work to continue the expansion of our excellent trail system for cyclists and pedestrians. As a perennial student of geography, I believe that we should look to the many communities in the United States and abroad that have, with effective planning, provided outstanding public transportation.
4. Should the public pay for the cost of developing commercial areas?
Investment in corporate infrastructure is good for the community. We should support corporate infrastructure that supports businesses that are sustainable. Those that are not should be recouped in taxes or assessments.
5. Should the public pay for open space?
Absolutely! The public has spoken.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
1. Do you believe in equal pay for equal work? Why?
Yes, because it is self-evident that that is the correct position. Absolutely, unequivocally, yes!
2. Is it the responsibility of the government to ensure equal opportunity for all?
If so, how should it be supported?The county should be a model in the way it carries out its business, leading the way in terms of equal opportunity. Government at the county level cannot guarantee it. We need to work in conjunction with state and federal agencies and provide support for Affirmative Action contracts, recognizing that the laws they are talking about are at the state and federal levels. We can and should act as a role model through local compliance.
3. How will you address the issue of the growing homeless population?
Homelessness in our affluent county is unacceptable. We have to do everything we can to address it. From a humanitarian perspective, we simply cannot allow this to occur. We cannot blindly accept the cold, calculated financial perspective that promulgates that homelessness is bad because it is a drain on our community. There is no greater waste of a resource then a waste of human resource. We need to support and encourage all our local nonprofits and work in coordination with them. Everybody has a role to play in addressing this problem. It is a moral and fiscal imperative. Again, coordination with federal and state agencies will be an important part of the solution.
COMMUNITY AND STEWARDSHIP
1. Please describe how you would balance environmental and business interests.
When we consider the environment first, it turns out to be best. Sound environmental practice is good business. The old saw that environmental responsibility is costly has been proven to be a myth when you consider the totality of the cost of pollution. Global warming is a dramatic case in point. In looking at the balance of environment and business, we need to understand that over the past 30 years versus the next 30 years, the scale has been tipped against consideration of the environment. We will need to emphasize the environment to counterbalance the damage that has been done in the past three decades.
2. Give a definition of what you believe to be the “concept of the commonwealth” as it pertains to community and stewardship.
They are one and the same. Commonwealth means the good of the whole. When you consider what is good for the whole, that is what is best for all. The responsibility of the commonwealth is to do that which does the most good for the community. There is nothing that the community shares more than the environment, so sound stewardship of our natural resources is one of the best things that we can do for the wealth of the community—the commonwealth.
3. What type of person would you recommend or appoint to serve on a commission or committee?
Dedicated, thoughtful, respectful, hardworking, aware, creative, young, old, of color . . . In many communities you would be lucky to find one or two. In our community we are fortunate that there is a wealth of people of just this ilk, prepared to serve.
4. In your opinion, does Sonoma County have the resources to support its current population and why?
If we are smart and if we apply sustainable principles, certainly we can support the current population level. However, we are rapidly approaching the carrying capacity—the tipping point—and that is why we must grow at a pace and in a manner that allows us to sustain the quality of life that we love about Sonoma County. We have followed a model of grow, grow, grow, and we have thought this to be healthy, but it is not. Until you can show me that we are a sustainable community, don’t come back and ask for more. First show me that you can manage growth. Growth for growth’s sake is a cancer model.
VALUES
1. Do you ascribe to progressive values? If so, how do you expect to incorporate those values into local governing?
I have lived my life as an environmental educator, activist, organic farmer, musician, and now as an aspiring public servant. I would continue and would apply these principles to everything I do in office, not something I would overlay in a vote. This is engrained in me. This is one of my core values. I can’t help but act in a progressive way because of who I am.
2. Who is responsible for ensuring the education of future generations? How should it be paid for?
Education is primarily the responsibility of parents, the school boards and the school districts. Of all the issues I have addressed and as a veteran teacher and mentor, I must say that a supervisor does not have enormous impact on education. That said, the community as a whole should pay for it, and it has to be viewed as an investment. The county should do what it can to support it. Education is an investment in our community. We should not handicap those who need an education and cannot afford it, because their education is a benefit to the entire community.
©2007-2008 Dan Kahane for Supervisor
Kahane for Supervisor | 707.888.7206
These are my responses to a local candidate questionnaire.
Please comment: daniel_kahane@comcast.net
Why do you want this position?
I have a strong desire to serve my community and to be an advocate for the voiceless. I have spent the past 20 years actively working as an environmental educator and advocate. I have developed skills as an environmental planner, communicator, teacher, ecologist, and interagency facilitator. I believe that we need more than a vote on the Board of Supervisors; we need a fresh and commanding voice for progressive ideals.
How are you qualified?
Experience within a system that needs change is not a qualification to make those changes. Why should we expect change to come from an entrenched political body? I reflect the ideals and the spirit of the 5th District. When I speak about the environment and the need for a healthy local economy, I speak from the heart. I speak with passion. It is not an intellectual exercise. Because I well reflect the spirit of the 5th District, I can best represent it. I will be more than a vote. I will be a voice.
ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT
1. How do you expect to be responsive to the constituency you want to represent?
I will keep an open mind and an open door to my office. I will be attentive to and continue to be among the community, as an educator, a farmer, and a musician. I will have standard office hours at times that are convenient for working people. I will commit to evening and/or weekend hours to be available. I will make use of modern media in its various modalities. If necessary, I will provide YouTube messages for those who cannot attend public hearings.
2. How do you plan to balance privacy with open government?
There are existing rules that protect privacy, and my staff and I will strictly adhere to those rules. Any information released to the public will be carefully screened to be sure that the substance is provided without revealing unnecessary information. I am committed to protecting privacy. Technology brings us many wonders, and, like so many powerful things, we have to make sure it is our servant and not our master.
3. If Clean Money passed, would you run as a Clean Candidate?
Absolutely—so long as its application is assured across the board, so long as “clean” does not mean “uneven.” Campaign spending loots the system. I will be running an effective, low-budget campaign. Borrowing money for campaign spending is a model for deficit. Why should we expect candidates to be careful with taxpayers’ money when they have shown they are frivolous during the campaign?
4. Rank in order of priority:
Voting is number one, and meeting with constituents is also number one (a tie!). What good is a vote if you are voting blindly? Performing issues research would come in second. Learn, plan, and then act. Third is making district appearances. Fourth is meeting with special-interest groups. As supervisor I would be a voice for the community and would to listen to all.
DEVELOPMENT
1. Describe your vision of Sonoma County 30 years from now.
My vision is that in 30 years our beloved county will continue to be a place that we love and care about. The name Sonoma County will stand for a community that is role modeling, remaining in the forefront of sage environmental thinking and creativity as we have in the past. It will be a county that we can be optimistic about having the opportunities to grow in ways that are healthy and wholesome and sustainable. The community commands our respect and care. The sound environmental ideal of Sonoma County in the past has led us toward a positive future. We have led the way nationwide in open-space protection, anti-nuclear activism, coastal protection, zoning that protects agriculture and open space, urban growth boundaries, recycling, household hazardous-waste management, large-scale composting, and more. This district has always been the leading voice on innovative environmental policy. If we continue to follow these principles, we have reason to be optimistic about the Sonoma County 30 years from now.
2. What is your opinion of the current property tax rate?
I believe that we are ready for healthy examination and reevaluation. Taxes should reflect not just the perceived value of the parcel but what takes place on that parcel. Parcels that harm the environment or are not sustainable should be assessed differently than those that are sustainable. Corporate property ownership should not be handled in the same way as personal property.
3. How do you expect to tackle local transportation issues?
I will aggressively support SMART rail and strive to shame Marin County into passing the next ballot measure on the much-needed train along the Highway 101 corridor. I will work to secure state (maybe not this year) and federal funding for a multi-nodal system of clean-air buses that travel on a reliable schedule along useful routes. I will work to continue the expansion of our excellent trail system for cyclists and pedestrians. As a perennial student of geography, I believe that we should look to the many communities in the United States and abroad that have, with effective planning, provided outstanding public transportation.
4. Should the public pay for the cost of developing commercial areas?
Investment in corporate infrastructure is good for the community. We should support corporate infrastructure that supports businesses that are sustainable. Those that are not should be recouped in taxes or assessments.
5. Should the public pay for open space?
Absolutely! The public has spoken.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
1. Do you believe in equal pay for equal work? Why?
Yes, because it is self-evident that that is the correct position. Absolutely, unequivocally, yes!
2. Is it the responsibility of the government to ensure equal opportunity for all?
If so, how should it be supported?The county should be a model in the way it carries out its business, leading the way in terms of equal opportunity. Government at the county level cannot guarantee it. We need to work in conjunction with state and federal agencies and provide support for Affirmative Action contracts, recognizing that the laws they are talking about are at the state and federal levels. We can and should act as a role model through local compliance.
3. How will you address the issue of the growing homeless population?
Homelessness in our affluent county is unacceptable. We have to do everything we can to address it. From a humanitarian perspective, we simply cannot allow this to occur. We cannot blindly accept the cold, calculated financial perspective that promulgates that homelessness is bad because it is a drain on our community. There is no greater waste of a resource then a waste of human resource. We need to support and encourage all our local nonprofits and work in coordination with them. Everybody has a role to play in addressing this problem. It is a moral and fiscal imperative. Again, coordination with federal and state agencies will be an important part of the solution.
COMMUNITY AND STEWARDSHIP
1. Please describe how you would balance environmental and business interests.
When we consider the environment first, it turns out to be best. Sound environmental practice is good business. The old saw that environmental responsibility is costly has been proven to be a myth when you consider the totality of the cost of pollution. Global warming is a dramatic case in point. In looking at the balance of environment and business, we need to understand that over the past 30 years versus the next 30 years, the scale has been tipped against consideration of the environment. We will need to emphasize the environment to counterbalance the damage that has been done in the past three decades.
2. Give a definition of what you believe to be the “concept of the commonwealth” as it pertains to community and stewardship.
They are one and the same. Commonwealth means the good of the whole. When you consider what is good for the whole, that is what is best for all. The responsibility of the commonwealth is to do that which does the most good for the community. There is nothing that the community shares more than the environment, so sound stewardship of our natural resources is one of the best things that we can do for the wealth of the community—the commonwealth.
3. What type of person would you recommend or appoint to serve on a commission or committee?
Dedicated, thoughtful, respectful, hardworking, aware, creative, young, old, of color . . . In many communities you would be lucky to find one or two. In our community we are fortunate that there is a wealth of people of just this ilk, prepared to serve.
4. In your opinion, does Sonoma County have the resources to support its current population and why?
If we are smart and if we apply sustainable principles, certainly we can support the current population level. However, we are rapidly approaching the carrying capacity—the tipping point—and that is why we must grow at a pace and in a manner that allows us to sustain the quality of life that we love about Sonoma County. We have followed a model of grow, grow, grow, and we have thought this to be healthy, but it is not. Until you can show me that we are a sustainable community, don’t come back and ask for more. First show me that you can manage growth. Growth for growth’s sake is a cancer model.
VALUES
1. Do you ascribe to progressive values? If so, how do you expect to incorporate those values into local governing?
I have lived my life as an environmental educator, activist, organic farmer, musician, and now as an aspiring public servant. I would continue and would apply these principles to everything I do in office, not something I would overlay in a vote. This is engrained in me. This is one of my core values. I can’t help but act in a progressive way because of who I am.
2. Who is responsible for ensuring the education of future generations? How should it be paid for?
Education is primarily the responsibility of parents, the school boards and the school districts. Of all the issues I have addressed and as a veteran teacher and mentor, I must say that a supervisor does not have enormous impact on education. That said, the community as a whole should pay for it, and it has to be viewed as an investment. The county should do what it can to support it. Education is an investment in our community. We should not handicap those who need an education and cannot afford it, because their education is a benefit to the entire community.
“More than a vote, a voice”
©2007-2008 Dan Kahane for Supervisor
Kahane for Supervisor | 707.888.7206