May 30: Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Through
June 5 Mon.
–Fri., 8am-5pm: early voting at the Registrar of Voters’ Office,
1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, 299-VOTE. Saturday-Sunday,
9am- 3pm: early voting at the Registrar of Voters’ Office. For more
information, visit www.smartvoter.org or
www.sccgov.org/portal/site/rov
Water District
Three people are challenging three-term incumbent Rosemary Kamei for the District 1 seat on the Santa Clara Valley Water District. She will go up against fellow Morgan Hill resident Terry Mahurin, a retired engineer; Morgan Hill rancher Johne Baird, formerly of the Santa Clara County Open Space District; and water resource specialist Ram Singh. District 1 includes South County, Los Gatos and large chunks of San Jose.
District Attorney
Two men and two women are vying for the position of district attorney, being vacated by George Kennedy.
Kennedy announced his retirement after 16 years in office. The district attorney heads up the county office responsible for analyzing evidence from the police and prosecuting criminal cases based on that evidence.
The four candidates include Assistant District Attorney Marc Buller, Superior Court Judge Dolores Carr, Deputy District Attorney Jim Shore and Chief Assistant District Attorney Karyn Sinunu.
Sheriff
Incumbent Laurie Smith is running unopposed for the position. The Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services for the unincorporated areas of the county as well as a few cities within the county.
Proposition 81
Proposition 81 would raise as much as $600 million through bonds for construction and renovation of public libraries.
Proposition 82
Proposition 82 would provide preschool for all California 4-year-olds through a 1.7 percent tax on personal incomes of more than $400,000, or $800,000 for couples.
Measure A
Measure A authorizes a half-cent sales tax in Santa Clara County for general purposes. The county would not be required to use the money for any specific purpose or particular project. The measure also provides for the creation of a “Citizens’ Oversight Committee” to review the annual audit. The county would be obligated to work with the committee on the audit review, although the committee would have no authority or control over the use of the money.
The tax would expire after 30 years.
Measure B
Measure B would let the county continue to transfer money from the general fund to the county park fund for 12 years.
The provision that authorizes the transfer is set to expire June 30, 2009. This measure would extend it to June 30, 2021, and would change certain requirements of the Board of Supervisors. Measure B would require that the board use at least 15 percent of the fund to acquire propterty and at least 5 percent of the fund to develop parks. Currently, the measure requires the board use at least 20 percent of the funds to acquire property, and the remaining funds are to be used for the development, maintenance and operation of the parks.
Measure E
Measure E is a parcel tax that will generate $1.5 million in annual funding to local schools for five years. Seniors ages 65 years old and older are exempt from the tax; others will pay $96 per year beginning July 1.
The money will be used for expanding music, art and sports programs; improve programs for students with difficulties in subjects such as reading and math; conserve teaching positions; upgrade technology; and provide support to teachers.
Measure H
Measure H would let the city of Morgan Hill amend the general plan to allow a supermarket in the Cochrane Plaza shopping center. Currently, supermarkets are not allowed in the center, bordered by Highway 101, Cochrane Road and Jarvis Drive.
Assembly District 27
Incumbent John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, does not have a Democratic challenger in this primary. Mike Morrison is a city councilman from Marina City. He is seeking the seat on the Republican ticket.
U.S. Congressional District 11
Three Republicans are seeking the nomination for this seat. Incumbent Richard Pombo of Tracy is seeking re-election, and he faces challenges from Thomas Benigno, a retired farmer from Tracy and former Peninsula Congressman Pete McCloskey.
Three Democrats are vying for the chance to square off against the Republican candidate in November.
Retired Navy pilot Steve Filson of Danville will face Jerry McNerney, the CEO of a start-up wind turbine company who lives in Pleasanton, and Steve Thomas, a union electrician.
