Tracy Jensen

8/8/2019 Tracy Jensen

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The Island’s CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Name: Tracy Jensen

Age: 49

Occupation: Senior Services Administrator, City of Oakland

Relevant experience:

→Elected office - Alameda Board of Education 2002-2010

In 8 years on the school board I have been recognized for myindependence and my ability to build consensus. Here are some of thethings that I’ve accomplished:

• Hired two Superintendents to manage the District’s $85 million budget

• Developed a condom distribution policy with input from students and

staff that protected student privacy and ensured that students

received information about the consequences of sexual activity.

• Built the first new school in Alameda in more than 25 years; Ruby

Bridges elementary school was built with support from Catellus, the

developer at Bayport, and with a project labor agreement it came in

under budget.

• Led the Board’s efforts to improve student and employee health

through the adoption of a comprehensive Wellness Policy that

addressed nutrition, environmental, physical, mental, physical health

• Faced a recall because I believe that elementary students must be

taught that all families, and all individuals, deserve respect.

→Community Involvement going back to Alameda High School, where I

started a service organization for girls called Kounteract.

• Member of the board of the Alameda County Community Food Bank,

where I ensure the availability of resources and programs to feed one

in six Alameda county children.

• Co-chair of the Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth and their

Families, where with my support Alameda was recently named one of

America’s 100 Best Cities for Youth.

• Member of BikeAlameda, and editor of the bi-monthly newsletter.



• Member of the Alameda Hospital Community Relations Committee,

• Member of the Board of Avalon Village, a non-profit that helps

Alameda seniors stay independent by providing direct support and

referrals.

→Public Service Positions in local, state and federal government. My

career has been spent in public service. I have received awards and

commendations from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services,

and been recognized by employers and community providers as a

resource for seniors and youth.

During my tenure with HHS I was appointed to the White House Health

Care Reform task force, and I spent almost 2 years in the Office of Vicepresident Al Gore, working on implementation of the National

Performance Review initiative (“Reinventing Government”). In everypublic position I have held my objective has been transparency andintegrity.

I am currently the Senior Services Administrator for the City of Oakland.

• I manage 4 senior centers, a $2 million budget, 4 City contracts, and a

staff of 14.

• I represent the City in negotiations with public employee labor unions.

• I have been recognized by Vietnamese service providers, St. Mary’s

Center of Oakland, Supervisor Alice lai Bitker, Supervisor Nate Miley

and many others for my advocacy, responsiveness, and knowledge of

the issues impacting seniors.

• I am a key member of Oakland’s disaster preparedness team, and I

have been trained to provide services and manage shelters in the

event of a manmade or natural disaster.

• In 10 years as a division manager I have made numerous staff reports

to the City Administrator and to the City Council, with

recommendations for programs, funding, personnel and facilities.

• I improve access to services for seniors, youth and families by being

part of regional panels such as the Alameda County Long Term Care

Task Force, the Senior Services Coalition, and the Bay Are Nutrition and

Physical Activity Coalition.

→Here are some highlights from my previous positions:



• While working for the Maryland Democratic Party I organized the

February 1992 debate between the Democratic candidates Bill

Clinton, Tom Harkin, Jerry Brown, Paul Tsongas and Bob Kerrey

• Served as a policy analyst in the Department of Health and HumanServices in Washington D.C., where I negotiated with public interest

groups and drafted regulations to implement federal Medicare law.

• I served in Vice President Al Gore’s office and developed strategies to

streamline the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP or

CHIP) application process.

• My name appears in the U.S. Federal Register as the author of

regulations to implement federal Medicare law.

Why are you running for this office?:

→I am running for the City Council because I am passionate about

Alameda. Alameda cannot be successful and meet the needs ofresidents without city leaders that are dedicated and responsive.

→I am the best candidate for this office because I understand how to

help Alameda families to be successful. It is critical for the public schoolsand the City to work together to meet the needs of families, youth andchildren. I am the only candidate with experience providing services to

seniors, to children and to families.

→I am running for this office because during 8 years on the school board I

have devloperd the relationships, the knowledge, and the consensusbuilding skills that Alameda needs to be able to move forward. I am theonly candidate that has hired 2 successful and, so far) un-controversial

Agency heads. The City Council must hire a permanent City Manager,and give that individual their full support, in order to take advantage ofthe opportunities and potential threats we face.

Why should we vote for you?:

→Alamedans should vote for me because I have the most civic,government, and legislative experience of all of the candidates.

→Alamedans should vote for me because I am the only candidate thathas made cuts to City services (in Oakland) in order to balance mydepartment’s budget.



→Alamedans should vote for me because I am the only candidate that

has hired 2 Superintendents without controversy and with optimaloutcomes.

→Alamedans should vote for me because I am the only candidate thathas been at the table with employee unions to negotiate the impact ofCity budget cuts.

→Alamedas should vote for me because I am the only candidate thathas faced a recall without backing down from the principles of respectand fairness.

→Alamedans should vote for me because not only have I been a schoolboard member for 8 years I am the only candidate that has worked in

local, state and federal government. I know how to make governmentwork!

→Finally, Alamedans should vote for me because I can make the dream

come true for Alameda. I understand what Alameda needs and how totake advantage of the opportunities

What do you feel are the roles and responsibilities of the office you’re

seeking?: Alameda has a Council-Manager form of government. The CityCouncil works with the community – their constituents – to identify issues of

importance and develop responses in keeping with the City’s mission. The

City Manager’s role is to implement the City Council’s objectives and toensure that the City is in compliance with all local, state and federal laws.

One of most visible and most important roles of the City Council is to hirean effective City manager. I understand this function very well, because Ihave hired two successful executives to run the Alameda Unified School

District. And in Oakland I often work with the city manager.

Another critical function of the City Manager is to represent the City

Council in matters of litigation, public contract negotiation, and liability. It

is critical that the City Council give the City Manager the financial,administrative and policy tools to accomplish these tasks without

interfering in the day-to-day operations of the City.

On the other hand, the City Council must take a strong position and beprepared to analyze and review all of the City Manger’s

recommendations in order to ensure that the objectives of the City – andof their constituents, are being met.



I am the best candidate for the City Council because I understand the

role of staff and elected leaders, and because I have the experience ofhaving hired 2 Superintendents. As an Administrator in a large City Iunderstand better than any other candidate what it takes to accomplish

the City Council’s mission.

What do you think is the most pressing issue you would face if elected and

what would you do to address it?: The most pressing issue I would face if

elected would be to get the City Council together to work as a team.Only if that happens can the City Council move forward to respond to theoutstanding issues that will make Alameda a 21st century model city. The

current City Council has demonstrated that they cannot get along, theydo not support their staff, and that they cannot come to consensus onissues that impact their constituents. Asking the current City Council to

take action on Alameda Point, or Chuck Corica Golf Complex, or discipline of the Fire Chief, or any other matter is futile because theycannot come together to achieve the best outcome.

If I am elected I would use my facilitation skills to share information, todevelop consensus and achieve the results that Alamedas deserve.

What do you think needs to be done with Alameda Point – and what steps

would you take to make that happen?: Alameda Naval Air Station is not atypical open space that can be easily transformed into an economically

viable neighborhood. As opposed to the relatively painless and quick

process that resulted in the beautiful expansion of Alameda known asHarbor Bay Isle, Alameda Point development is held hostage to a variety

of competing and often inefficient processes. Any development must firstaddress the lengthy and confusing federal disposition, the need to cleanup the toxins, the lack of building code standards in existing facilities anda crumbling infrastructure – to name just a few.

A city managed non-profit development corporation may be one of thebest ideas to address the opportunities at Alameda Point. Oneadvantage would be that if the City were to manage the project we

could move more slowly because it would not be necessary to comply

with a master developer’s investor–driven timelines for production.

The City could take advantage of federal and state incentives for usage – for example (thinking outside the box) if Proposition 21 is passed the Citymight have the opportunity to receive funding to establish shorelineaccess and or establish a new State park at Alameda Point. (Note: If

passed Prop 21 will provide funding to “Develop… state park units and

Protect.. coastal waters, and marine resources.”)



There are corresponding disadvantages to a city-run project. If the City

were in charge of the project there would be immediate fiscal burdens,including payment to the Navy, infrastructure improvement and a greatdegree of toxic remediation that would be necessary before

development could begin. A master developer and private investorswould have the means to take on those costs more quickly that the City.

A master developer works best for the developer and the developer’s

investors when the developer makes all of the decisions. It works for thedeveloper but not for the city. By allowing SunCal to put Measure B onthe ballot the City Council basically offered Alameda Point to a Master

Developer without ensuring that the developer would meet the needs ofAlameda residents. As the San Francisco Chronicle said when theyopposed Measure B, the City Council bowed to political pressure and

quote balked at putting a Measure A exemption on the ballot.” Rather,the Council allowed the developer to give voters a developmentagreement which would have, if passed, left the City and the SchoolDistrict and all Alameda residents paying long after the Master Developer

were gone.

Of course that is not to say that a Master developer model can work, as

demonstrated at Harbor Bay Isle. The difference between SunCal andDoric Development is that Doric is still her more than 30 years later. TheHarbor Bay Isle Developer continues to have a stake in the community

and to provide a venue for resolving any issues that may arise with their

project. I opposed Measure B because there was no incentive for theMaster Developer to stay around after the parcels at Alameda Point were

sold to other contractors. In fact, in my opinion SunCal had the oppositeincentive – they would have made more money for investors if theypassed Measure B, done the minimum required remediation andinfrastructure, and departed. That is why I opposed Measure B.

The ideal solution, in my opinion, would be to have a public-privatepartnership similar to the Treasure Island Community Development LLC.

While alameda Point does not intend and would not be appropriate for

some of the more intensive social service aspects of the Treasure Islanddevelopment, I think that a public-private partnership would more

effectively support a slow growing mix of small business, retail, residentialand light industrial at Alameda Point.

What steps would you take to bolster Alameda’s economic base?: The firststep would be to come up with a community supported plan to moveforward at Alameda Point. One of the most successful recent drivers for



the City’s economy has been the wineries and other businesses atAlameda Point. Expanding the opportunities at Alameda Point is the best

and most available way to expand Alameda’s economic base.

Alameda should also move forward to being a greener city and

attracting customers who view environmental sustainability as anincentive to patronize a business. I would provide incentives to businessesto become greener, to recycle green waste, and establish a “greencertification” to help businesses attract environmentally-aware shoppers.

I have been working with businesses to ensure that any new parcel tax for Alameda public schools is equitable. Alameda businesses care about our

city and they care about our youth – that is one of the things that makesAlameda so attractive to families. One of the most effective things that Ican do on the City Council is to continue the partnership between the

City and the School district that I established with Mayor Johnson in 2002.Prior to my election the City and the School Board did not meet to discussissues of mutual interest. Since I came onto the school board I establishedbi-monthly meetings with the City council, the School Board, the city

manager and the Superintendent to ensure that City continued for fundcritical crossing guards and school resource officers, to addressimprovements at School fields and city parks. To discuss issues related to

the new Boys and girls club, and to ensure that the City was behind theparcel taxes proposed by the district.

One of the most contentious and critical issues that I worked on with the

City Council was a review of the Measure B initiative. I took an early andprominent position against Measure B after lengthy discussions with city

staff and the school superintendent.

Questions have been raised about whether the city is transparent enough

in conducting its business. Do you think this is an issue and if so, what do

you see as being specific problems and how would you seek to resolve

them?: I think that it is always critical for elected officials to be availableand accessible to their constituents. The City Council must make it clear

to their staff, beginning with the City Manager that information is to be

shared without question whenever it is easy and appropriate to do so. Inmy position as an administrator in the City of Oakland I am well aware of

the tensions and barriers that can arise when requests for information onsensitive subjects are received, and I also know how much it can improvethe city’s image and staff morale when information is shared.

The City Council must adopt a Sunshine Ordinance to outline and clarifythe roles of both the City staff and the City Council in sharing information.



The Brown Act is clearly not enough to inform either council members or staff about the best practices for sharing information, and their fiduciary

duties to keep certain information confidential. I would move quickly toaddress that issue with a clear and concise Sunshine Ordinance, similar tothe one that I have complied with on my 10 years as a manager for the

City of Oakland

At this point there are some candidates who are making transparency abig issue for this election. I think that transparency will result from a City

Council that has the same objectives and shares a common mission.

Pensions and retiree health benefits will be a huge financial issue for the

city. How would you address it?: The only way that the pension liabilitycan be addressed is through open communication. The City Council hasbeen avoiding the issue, like many other California agencies.

Unfortunately it will not go away, and the longer the City Council avoidsasking their public employee unions to help with the analysis the longer itwill take to resolve the problem.

City employees are critical to Alameda. Public safety, public access,clean streets, parks, infrastructure and maintenance, and so many other services we rely upon would not be possible without dedicated public

service employees. Those employees cannot be asked to change theretirement system under which they began their employment, however new employees can and should come in under a different and less

generous system if it means the City’s solvency.

Would you seek to preserve Measure A or amend it and if you’d amend it,

under what circumstances would you do so?: I will not independentlychallenge Measure A under any circumstances. Measure A is atremendous benefit to our dense, island City, and it has done more thanany other incentive or penalty to retain our historic architecture. It is not

the role of the City Council to challenge or change Measure A – that canonly be done by the voters.

This City Council allowed a developer to use Measure A to put a choke

hold on the City. The City Council should never have reneged on their responsibility to address the issues at Alameda Point by giving free rein to

SunCal to put Measure B on the ballot. And so while I would always seek to preserve Measure A to ensure that Alameda’s historical heritage is notlost, I would also take responsibility for addressing the opportunities atAlameda Point. If a publicly supported development plan for Alameda

Point could only be realized with an amendment of Measure A I would be



supportive of placing such an amendment for Alameda Point on theballot for voters to decide.

How are you financing your campaign and to whom are you reaching out

for money?: I am financing my campaign with donations from people

who think that I would be the best candidate for the City Council. I havethe most grassroots campaign of all of the City Council campaigns withvery few donations over $100. I have no contributions from organizations,interest groups, developers, or labor unions. And finally, I am not soliciting

or accepting donations from outside of Alameda. My friends in Atlanta,Washington D.C., Reno and Annapolis have asked if they could sendmoney but I declined.

I think that this race should address the issues of Alameda and if themoney for my campaign came from outside of Alameda then it may notbe long before I am asked to provide some support, or information, or

encouragement for an outside entity. That would be biased, that wouldbe inappropriate, and that would not be good for Alameda.

I am passionate about Alameda, my support comes from Alameda and I

plan to stay in Alameda. If I am elected to the City Council I will alwaysput the needs of Alameda families first.

Tracy Jensen

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