SEIU Questionaire
List of Questions
- Briefly describe your top priorities and the policy areas that will be of most interest to you as a County Supervisor.
As the Second District Supervisor, my top priorities will include public safety and youth development which includes prevention, intervention and education strategies to deter the flow of youth into gangs and other anti-social behavior.
Concentration on human services delivery, for all ages, that provide both mental and physical health care, and in the near term, the reopening of MLK as a full-service hospital, foster care and stronger and more visible elements of the child support enforcement systems.
Economic development, smart growth with emphasis on the centralization and concentration of jobs, transportation and housing along corridors and in planned neighborhoods.
Equitable distribution within the District of the local share of federal funding, state bond funding, regional and local transportation funds. Emphasis on the county gaining its full share of revenues owed and implementation of full cost recovery for services where appropriate.
The pursuit of most priorities requires cooperative relationships and in some cases joint efforts with the nine municipalities in the District; maintaining those relationships is a priority as well.
2. What public administration or leadership experience do you have? Please explain the programs you have developed and implemented for the benefit of the public.
My public administration or leadership experience spans (4) four decades while working for the City of Los Angeles. My career started as a recruit officer for the Los Angeles Police Department in 1965. I worked my way up through the ranks to become the 54th Chief of Police in the history of the City of Los Angeles in 1997. During my tenure within the police department I held assignments in every aspect of administration, supervision and management holding commands as the Commanding Officer of 77th Street Area, Personnel & Training Bureau, Special Services Bureau, Headquarters Bureau, Central Bureau, the Office of Operations and the Bureau of Special Investigations prior to becoming the Chief of Police and commanding a workforce of over 12,000 personnel. During my tenure within the police department I supported my practical experience with educational accomplishments with a Associates of Arts Degree from Los Angeles City College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Management from Pepperdine University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from U.S.C. along with several thousand hours of in-service and continuing education opportunities.
I have developed and implemented numerous programs, both internally and externally, which has benefited the public. The redesign & reorganization of the Department with specific emphasis on the Department’s Juvenile Function, the Discipline Process, Directed Response to crime (FASTRAC), expansion of the number of police facilities , implementation of Community Forums, creation of Community Foundations to generate additional funds for needs and safety equipment, renaming of police areas stations to emphasize the community’s role, Basic Car Plan Realignment with the Ideal Basic Car Concept, Creation of the Office of the Ombudofficer, Chief Duty Officer Program expansion, Defined the ‘State of Community Policing”, revised Retaliation, Anti -Discrimination , Alternative Dispute Resolution and Hate Crime Policies, Implemented Command Accountability, created Risk Management Division, Created the Rampart Corruption Task Force which developed the Rampart Board of Inquiry Report, Strategic plans for the Y2K and the Democratic National Convention , linked the Department’s Vision, Mission and Core Values. Theses are just a few of the most significant changes
3. What are your top priorities for the County?
My top priority for the County is public safety. These efforts include the retention and expansion of state and federal funding levels for the County’s physical and mental health efforts, foster care, child support and welfare programs, the protection against further state encroachment of the County’s share of sales and property taxes, youth development, gang prevention, intervention and suppression in unincorporated areas, equitable receipt of state bond funding and the pre-funding of the County’s retiree health care obligations. The answer to question #1 provides a more in-depth analysis of my priorities.
4. How would you ensure that less affluent areas of the county receive the same level of services as more affluent areas?
I think that this complex issue has taken several decades to reach this level of disparity. It will take a multi-faceted approach to start the slow process to change the current trends. The county must make a concerted effort to ensure all funds that rightfully belong to the county are being recovered. Full cost recovery for county services rendered should be implemented where and when appropriate. Enterprise funds should be created to reduce the impact on the general fund budget of the county. Budget policies should be established to provide consistent guidelines for funding expenditures, reserve fund allocations and priority setting to ensure that the general fund provides the broadest and fairest means of fund disbursement. I believe County funding formulas need to be reexamined and should be based on an assessment of need rather than on a mechanical application of relative subjective criteria. Priority and even disproportionate funding for infrastructure, parks and recreational facilities, for example, should be accorded to the “best use and most need” theory in an effort to reduce, mitigate and eliminate historically “poor” areas of the County. Federal Block Grant monies should actually be used to reduce to eliminate poverty. The actual impact of most funding formulas widens rather than reduce the gap between areas of relative poverty and areas of relative affluence and I will work to close that gap.
PUBLIC SECTOR
5. Under what circumstances, if any, do you favor privatizing existing government services?
Many services of the County that were formerly administered by the County are privately operated by contract. These include the County’s golf courses and airports, for example. I cannot readily think of any services currently performed by County personnel that lend themselves to “new” privatization. I have found in my 40 years of government service that privatization should be considered in only rare circumstances primarily when a unique expertise is needed and it is unavailable in the governmental employee pool or the civil service system is unable to attract the needed experience and/or expertise needed for the long term benefit of the workforce or if the government has a short term labor intensive project that would make it non-feasible to hire employees to complete such a specific short term project. Even when a prior decision has been made to privatize it is the responsibility of government to reevaluate and assess that prior decision each time a renewal, rebid or extension of the privatized service is being considered. In an effort to evaluate the full scope of reopening MLK Hospital to a first class full service emergency in-patient care facility there is a need to keep all options open to determine the best long term future for this medical facility. There should be full consideration of several options county run, university operated, a private firm in the business of managing hospitals or a combination of these or other options that will permanently solve this health care need.
6) Under authority from Proposition A, the County of Los Angeles contracts out thousands of jobs (custodial, clerical, food service, security, landscaping, etc.) when it can demonstrate “cost effectiveness.” In many cases the cost savings are achieved by replacing decent jobs with low-wage, low benefit jobs. What is your position on this kind of Prop A contracting?
If the above is true the county needs to reevaluate and reexamine its Prop A contracting criteria and establish added criteria that goes beyond just the sole criteria of “cost effectiveness”. In the City of Los Angeles Charter Section 1022 requires an independent evaluation of both the “economic and the feasibility” of outside contracting. Criteria examined are cost, required expertise, length of time to complete the job, comparative analysis of hiring v. contracting. Then if the final decision is to contract out the “request for proposal” or “request for information” should contain required standards such as “living wage “, vacation and health benefits to ensure that contracted employees are receiving a decent wage with appropriate accompanying benefits.
7) In the event that any public services were to be contracted out, would you support or oppose the requirement that the private contractor would have to offer its employees comparable wages and benefits?
The county as with any governmental agency should require that all work contracted to a private company would have to offer employees a living or comparable wages with benefits.
8) What rights and benefits do you believe the county should afford its part-time and temporary employees?
Part time employees that work ½ time should receive ½ time benefits. Temporary employees if seasonal or predictable and routinely hired should be moved into a permanent part time or full time category to ensure that partial/full benefits are accrued.
9) The LA County Public Library is staffed by over 1000 “temporary” library aides and pages. They are ‘at will’ employees with few rights on the job. Many have been working in county libraries for years. Would you support transitioning such employees to permanent positions?
As stated in answer # 8 these temporary aides and pages should be allowed to migrate to permanent part time or full time positions after a certain time in grade. After, this migration occurs then partial or full benefits should be earned.
10) What is your position on Safety Retirement for Probation Officers, Public defenders and Deputy District Attorneys? Please explain your position.
I am personally sensitive to this issue as I worked for 38 years in law enforcement and currently receive a pension for that service.
I support the inclusion of Probation Officers, Public Defenders and Deputy District Attorneys into the Safety Retirement Plan. Their jobs are similar, which requires active law enforcement, and as important and in some instances equally as dangerous as other members of the County’s Safety Retirement Plan. Their pensions should reflect the professional standards and challenges that they experience in their day to day activities.
11) Unions in Los Angeles County have a goal of developing investment strategies for LACERA retirement funds to promote social responsibility and development that benefits LA County workers and the communities in which they live. What is your position on such “capital stewardship” strategies? Would you consult with the unions before making appointments to the LACERA boards?
Socially responsible investments should be part of any pension system’s strategy, but must be balanced against fiduciary duties and responsibilities of the system’s trustees to maximize return at minimum risk. PERS and the City of Los Angeles Employees Retirement System have done a good job of balancing social responsibility goals with fiduciary duties and LACERA would do well to emulate them in that regard. The LACERA appointment is an important one and I will listen to all views and recommendations, including those of County employee organizations, before making an appointment to
the LACERA Boards.
12) Some elected officials have been attacking public employee pension funds, calling for a replacement of “defined benefit” plans with “defined contribution” plans. What is your position?
13) Because of dramatic increases in the cost of health care, commitments to retiree medical benefits are becoming quite expensive for public agencies, including Los Angeles County. If elected, how would you address the problem of expensive retiree medical benefits?
I do not oppose the current “defined benefit” plans. Although, I believe that pensions, worker compensation and health care cost are three areas that require significant attention. These three areas would do well to create a labor/management task force for ongoing evaluation, study and recommendations. I believe they can be controlled by good investment strategies, accurate measured projections and assumptions, routine actuarial studies and evaluations, longer term smoothing process to reduce the impact of the significant highs and lows driven by the market, enforcement of fraudulent claims and early response to the needs of the injured employees and preventive and wellness programs that reduce major long term illnesses and injuries. Depending on what actuarial assumptions are used, the County’s unfunded OPEB liability, consisting mainly of health care costs, is between $13 and $20 billion. While imposing, that number is manageable if LACERA continues to administers a pre-funding program, which it is in the process of doing, and if the County steadfastly pays its Annual Required Contribution. I am not among those elected officials that attack public pension plans or the vested benefits retirees under those plans have earned.
14) Many private companies receive public funds or other types of subsidies from the County of Los Angeles. Would you support or oppose requiring these private employers to remain neutral in union elections? Please explain your position.
It is my positions that employers should not interfere with employee lawful rights to organize. These lawful rights should not be enhanced or diminished based on the company receiving county funds or subsidies. The fine balance of fairness of labor/management negotiations should be allow to occur within the legal limits of collective bargaining and not swayed or improperly influenced by pressures that create an unfair imbalance to either side.
REVENUES FOR LOCAL SERVICES
15.) Please describe the circumstances under which you would support creation of any new tax preferences, i.e. tax “breaks”, what kinds of accountability you would require to prevent abuse and how would you propose to pay for them.
I support business tax reform, tax/fee “breaks” for the disabled and seniors and financial incentives for economic development, particularly when the concerned project creates the shared financial incentive. I support financial subsidies for non-profit developers of affordable and special needs housing in disadvantaged communities. All tax/fee breaks or waivers and incentive and subsidies should come with strict oversight and accountability to assure that they are used properly.
16) Do you support or oppose a return to majority vote standard to approve local government special taxes and bond measures?
I generally support a 2/3 vote as mandated by law unless there is a declared emergency which reduces the % to a majority vote.
17). Name your top three budget priorities.
My top three budget priorities are: A) public safety & youth development, B) economic & housing development & C) transportation & infrastructure.
18) What new revenues would you propose to support improved public services?
I would initially propose an in-depth analysis of all fees, taxes, accounts receivable and revenues from all sources owed to the county. I would look at the current fee structure to determine if the fee structure actually recovered cost of county services. I would begin a process of full cost recovery where appropriate and create “enterprise funds” to self support county functions and remove the drain from the general fund. I would evaluate all waiver and fee subsidy programs. Reevaluate how county property was managed, sold or leased. Strongly evaluate the work of the county’s Operational Efficiency Commission recommendations for implementation. These are the necessary requirements along with strict financial policies to guide fund allocations and expenditure policies well before I would suggest new revenues for public services.
19. ACA 4 (Proposition 42), dedicates sales tax on fuel to road and highway maintenance. Do you support or oppose efforts to dedicate revenues and restrict fiscal flexibility?
I believe that dedicated taxes should be spent on the projects and programs for which they are dedicated. I would not support the diversion of the voter-approved ¼ cent sales tax for transit in the County, for example, to another purpose, just as I oppose the Governor’s diversion of state transit funds to balance the state’s budget. While I like the idea of fiscal flexibility and have demonstrated that trait on the City Council, fiscal flexibility cannot come at the expense of breaking commitments to what are called non-fungible funding sources.
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES
20) What would you do to increase access to affordable, quality health care for all Californians?
The best way to increase access to health care for all Californians is through a system of universal health care under a state-adopted plan. I have followed the deliberations on that subject with great interest and would hope that a resolution emerges.
21). What do you think is the County’s role and responsibility for the delivery of health care services in the county?
The County has a major role and responsibility to administer multiple health care programs under both state and federal programs and should continue exercising that role, especially at the neighborhood clinic level. The county should strive for both efficiency and effectiveness in providing services to its 13 million residents. I am not aware of any proposals to reduce that responsibility, with the exception of MLK.
22).What is your plan to re-open MLK to provide complete health care services for the community
23) What should be the County’s role in managing a re-opened MLK facility? What should be the role of the private sector, if any?
MLK must be reopened as a full-service emergency in-patient care hospital, as soon as possible, under the professional management of a university, private hospital management company, county resources or a combination of three or other options that have not been fully exposed or discovered at this time. . The most important ingredient is to establish “milestone and timeline” so that all that are concerned can began to work toward achieving this goal. Although, the prospect of future County management has been tarnished by virtue of its track record when it had that responsibility. I would expect the County Board of Supervisors would pursue all alternative management options within the next six to twelve months then make the best decision for the long term health of the hospital system. In addition to creating an effective management model, contracting and funding support the critical aspect of oversight will continue to remain as a primary county function.
24.) What kind of a voice should caregivers have in staffing decisions at hospitals?
Caregivers should have a voice in staffing and operational decisions in hospitals, but that voice cannot be the sole voice or a voice without oversight, supervision and accountability. Obviously, management should take into account the opinions of employees as part of their decision making protocol...
25). Non-profit hospitals are exempted from paying property taxes as well as other city and county fees, and in return are expected to provide other tangible benefits to the community. Yet many of these hospitals are failing to meet acceptable forms of community benefit, including charity care contributions to the uninsured. If elected, what kind of public oversight and accountability measures would you actively and publicly support?
Non-profits hospitals although exempt from paying property taxes as well as city and county fees and in return are expected to provide tangible benefits to the community. The only way to ensure that these benefits accrue to the community is to ensure the requirements are clearly spelled out in a “mou” type document so that all parties are aware and supportive of the “spirit and intent” of the document and then to periodically audit to ensure that full compliance is achieved.
26) The MHSA is bringing about reforms to the mental health service delivery system. What should be the County’s role in a reformed system?
Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
Approved by California's voters in November 2004 and enacted in
January 2005, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) expands mental
health services for children, adults and seniors in the state, using
programs that have proven to be effective. By taxing incomes over $1
Million at 1 percent, the MHSA will raise up to $800 million or more
each year in state funds. With increased federal funds, the amount of
new money for care for people with mental illness is expected to
exceed $1 billion per year.
MHSA is the guiding body for the Los Angeles County Department
of Mental Health by providing recommendations for the distribution of
new funding and providing recommendations for transforming the current
community mental health system.
The County should play a very active role in creating and sustaining a countywide community oriented mental health model that was promised but never implemented when the State of California closed down the state mental health institutions. The county should be on the forefront of seeking funds then infusing these funds into effective mental health programming for minors, adults, seniors and the disabled. The primary mental health delivery system can not continue to be the responsibility of the court and law enforcement systems. The criminal justice system, as a place of last resort, is not the appropriate primary mental health system. In my judgment creating, maintaining and eventually expanding a community mental health model will have the greatest impact on mitigating and reducing anti-social behavior, the homeless population, incarceration rates and our jail and state prison population in the region. These services will have a positive and preventive impact on the educational achievements and literacy of our youth. The County should work in accordance with the MHSA in order to gain more funding for mental health services. This act should continue to bring significant resources to Los Angeles County to expand mental health services to children, adults, seniors and the disabled. The LA County Department of Mental Health should continue its reform efforts to deliver those services quickly and efficiently to the people that need it the most.
27). If elected, would you actively support proposals to increase state funding to upgrade public hospitals and clinic infrastructures?
I will support efforts to increase state and federal capital facility funding for facility aspects of the County’s health care system. The condition of public hospitals generally and many neighborhood clinics is deteriorating much faster than our financial ability to pay for them with local resources alone. The provision of health care is a state, federal and County responsibility and the funding of its costs, including infrastructure costs, should be more equitably shared.
28). What would you do to advocate for lower caseload levels for DPSS and DCFS workers?
Caseload levels must be held to objectively determined standards that assure efficient and effective service. Audits must be done to identify the industry benchmarks, efficiencies created to waste is removed from the system and systems and protocols must be implemented to ensure effective delivery of service.
29) Would you support or oppose efforts to lift state and federal caps on funding and dollar matches relating to homecare worker’s wages?
Yes!!! Strongly support efforts to lift caps...
30). Would you be willing to allocate County money to provide benefits for homecare workers, such as healthcare, retirement benefits, sick pay, etc.?
Health care and benefits are a right for workers not a privilege. Health care workers are in a professional career and should be treated as professional employees with a career ladder. If it is a legal source of funding county or other funds should be put in place to make health care, retirement benefits & sick pay a reality over time. The more professional and stable the county makes the homecare workers career the better those in need of the care and services will be treated and cared for.
31).Would you actively support efforts to improve the payroll system for homecare workers (CMIPs) so that they would be paid on time and be able to receive sick pay and benefits?
YES! See my answer to #30. No employee should suffer the indignation of failure to receive their rightful pay upon earning it. Late pay is unacceptable.
32). Would you support or oppose efforts to improve access and increase funding for training and referrals as well as to develop career ladders to attract more workers to the industry?
Yes I will support! Professionalization of any work force requires training, standards, code of ethics and promotional opportunities.
Education
33). Do you support or oppose school vouchers?
No. I do not support the school voucher program. I fully support the LAUSD and it efforts to create small school environments, charter schools and innovations in education. I also do not support the breaking up of the school district.
34) What do you see as your role as a County Supervisor in relation to the School District?
There are several school districts within the Second District. With respect to all of them, including LAUSD, I think we need to do a better job of educational achievement, shared responsibility for youth development, more community and business support of our neighborhood schools, implementing joint use opportunities for facilities by making school facilities available for such things as community recreational opportunities and neighborhood medical clinics. I am disturbed that school sites are not part and parcel of the communities whose students they serve. Elected officials can make a major contribution to students by highlighting their achievements, funding their activities, attending their events, inviting students to view and participate in government, creating a special environment on and around the campus.
PROPERTY SERVICES
35).As a Supervisor, would you be willing to encourage building owners, the true controllers of the building service economy, to provide livable wages and benefits to the janitors and security officers who service their buildings?
Yes, currently working with SOULA on several issues related to relationships with building owners and professionalism of security officer’s standards.
36). Would you ensure that all buildings owned by the county and leased to private entities use unionized janitors and security officers?
My first responsibility is to ensure that when county buildings are leased to private entities that they pay living wages with benefits to janitor and security officers. My second responsibility is to ensure that private vendors do not inhibit, deter or prohibit employees from legally organizing or unionizing. My third responsibility is to ensure that county building when leased by private companies provide the most professional, well respected and trained employees (janitor & security guards) that are secure in their employment due to a stable work environment.
37).Will you ensure that only responsible contractors are used for services overseen by the county?
38). Would you publicly support or oppose card check recognition and neutrality agreements for security officers, hospital & healthcare workers, janitors and other property services workers?
I do not oppose card check recognition or neutrality agreements.
It is reasonable to expect that only responsible contractors be used for County services. I believe the County ordinance in that regard should mirror the Contractor Responsibility ordinance of the City of Los Angeles and will work towards that end.
OTHER ISSUES
39). Which of the following actions would you take to support workers engaged in union activity such as bargaining and organizing?
YES NO
-------- ____ Walk picket lines
__x__ ____ Mediate with employers
__x__ ____ Write letters of support/ Create a council motion
__x__ ____ Fight for proper enforcement of current labor law
__x__ ____ Hold a press conference
__x_ ____ Speak at rallies
Additional actions or comment: I have personally done all of the above except walk a picket line
40) Would you cross a picket line?
YES NO
____ __x__Not knowingly
41) As a Los Angeles County Supervisor, what kind of relationship would you like to have with SEIU? Please be specific.
I would like to have a strong relationship in which there is a free flow of ideas and information that is grounded in respect for each others positions that even when we disagree we are aware that there are other issues to work together in the future. I would hope that SEIU would feel comfortable to bring improvement, efficiencies and job betterments forward to improve the work environment for their members and increase the overall effectiveness to the general public. I hope we will always remember we are public servants in the fullest sense of the word and that we would never get distracted or involved in self interest to the point of not being a professional public servant.
42) If elected, which of the following will you commit to for the purpose of building a strong working relationship with SEIU?
YES NO
_x___ ____ Call for and welcome SEIU input on relevant policy matters
_x___ ____ Attend SEIU leadership and worksite meetings
_x___ ____ Work with SEIU to develop legislative proposals
_x___ ____ Ensure direct access to you and your staff
__x__ ____ Work to appoint qualified union members to appropriate Boards and Commissions
initiatives/ civil rights
43) Did you vote for or against Proposition 75 on the November 2005 Special Election ballot, and what did you publicly do to support your position?
I public ally opposed Proposition 75 and voted against it.
I did not agree with the stated position of Prop 75 which prohibited using public employee union dues for political contributions without individual employees' prior consent. It excluded contributions benefiting charities or employees and requires unions to maintain and, upon request, report member political contributions to Fair Political Practices Commission.
This in my view was an unfair intrusion on the operations of the unions.
44) What is your position on immigration reform?
My position on immigration reform is that it must be multi-faceted. It must include a) path to citizenship, b) stronger controls and secure all of our boarders, c) identification protocol for all entrants into this country, d) enforcement for illegal entry, e) enforcement against employment of illegal immigrants, f) harsher penalties for return of legally deported immigrant, g) deportation of felony convicts that have served their time, h) more aggressive efforts to prosecute criminals , in their own country, who flee this country after committing a felony crime, i) stronger controls and verification and monitoring of visas, visiting students and those who legally enter country but stay beyond their legal limit.
45) Is there anything else you believe is important for the members of SEIU to know about you and your campaign?
My campaign is just getting off the ground with some outstanding polling numbers that I believe will assist in garnering support and eventually sufficient endorsements and votes to win this election.
