SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- In Campaign 2012, Central Coast News made a commitment to cut through the spin and the clutter and give you a chance to hear from the candidates, un-edited. We called them "candidate statements." Now that the results are in, we are holding the winners accountable. On Tuesday, we focus on Bruce McPherson, Santa Cruz County supervisor for District 5.
McPherson said his top priorities are: neighborhood safety, economic development, and environmental resources.
A big concern is safety in the county, particulary in the San Lorenzo Valley, where he said there are only two deputies on duty at any eight-hour period.
"How we get additional funding sources to get another deputy on patrol that would be really great, because that deputy has to go from Bonny Doon up to Boulder Creek," he said.
He said in the upcoming budget session, he'll see if the county has the resources to get more boots on the ground, since it cut back significantly over the last five years.
Another big focus is making the local economy more robust by helping current small businesses grow, and attracting more to come in.
He said that will take creating an economic vitality plan, since the redevelopment staff was cut by the state.
"That's how we're going to build. it's going to be a process, a long process. It's uncertain right now, because we don't have any subsitute for redevelopment agencies at this point," McPherson said.
McPherson said he wants to preserve environmental resources through strict landuse policies and promote the area to get more people to come here.
"We'll continue to do that to the best of our ability, protect the environment and the natural resources that we have," he said.
Central Coast News will check back with McPherson to see how he's doing with reaching his goals, in addition to all of the other candidates who submitted a statement with us.
