www.themilpitaspost.com/ci_9183647?source=most_emailed -
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Published on: 5/7/2008
Last Visited: 5/12/2008
Moderated by the chamber Government Affairs Director Frank De Smidt, the forum included San Jose Vice Mayor Dave Cortese, Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves and Sunnyvale City Councilman Otto Lee, who responded to questions posed by editors from the Milpitas Post Newspaper.
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Lee, a two-term councilman who saw re-election to Sunnyvale City Council last year, terms out in 2011.
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Likewise, Lee suggested the county needed to grow its revenue base, and needed to use under utilized lands, which may potentially include development of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds with retail, to increase county property and sales taxes.
"Another area that I would like look into is the Ã"green' environment issue," Lee said, adding solar, wind and other sustainable technologies could bring more jobs to Silicon Valley.
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Lee said the county should consider using San Jose's Reid-Hillview Airport site for more development.
To create cost savings, Lee added the county should look for ways to eliminate duplicated services within its various departments.
"I think it makes sense to work together to eliminate a lot of the stovepipe mentality," Lee said.
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Besides the budget, Lee said public safety was the county's next biggest challenge, including the apparent rise in gang activity.
"I think it is so important to stop gang recruitment," Lee said.
New gang members, he added, included children ages 13 to 17 years old.
"We're not talking about 20-year-olds; 13- and 17-year-olds should be in school," Lee said.
He further suggested police and school districts should work together to prevent the cycle of drugs and gangs.
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Lee suggested the county fair was not an area where the county should continue to spend money.
"The county fairgrounds itself is an area that we could use for development," Lee said, adding the county fair might continue at a future site farther south in the county.
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Esteves and Lee both agreed county officials should look at developing Reid-Hillview as well as other options or locations around the county.
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Likewise, Lee suggested that area was less and less favorable for a correctional facility and that Elmwood should be relocated.
"It would make a lot of sense," Lee said.
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"I do believe he will carry himself honorably," Lee said.
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Lee said his campaign reinforced what he called the "Three Greens": money, the environment and public safety.