Mayoral Candidate: Al Nagy

We sent an e-mail questionnaire to every candidate running in the local November election. Here are the answers we received from Al Nagy, who is running for Newark mayor and has lived in Newark for 43 years.

Q. What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

A. Leadership, experience and dedication to the City of Newark. I am the founding director of the Viola Blythe Community Service Center, chair of the Newark Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, chair of the Washington Hospital Development Corporation, treasurer of the Newark Library League, and a member of the Newark Graffiti Abatement Team. I have been honored as a Newark’s Volunteer of the Year!

I believe in working hard for a better Newark. Public safety is my highest priority. I continue to be a strong advocate for programs that enhance family, senior citizen and youth quality of life while maintaining our “small town” atmosphere. The Newark City Council and school district must continue to work cooperatively for our children’s benefit. As your mayor, I will continue my focus on economic development, job creation and regional cooperation. We must attract and develop business to provide the economic "fuel" that drives our necessary citizen services.

My demonstrated leadership, experience, and dedication to community service, and proven business skills make me uniquely qualified to serve as your Mayor.

Q.  What will be your top three priorities if you get elected?

A. 1. Public safety — my number 1 priority. Newark citizens deserve the best police and fire protection possible. We must recruit, train and provide our police and firefighters with the best technology available in order to help them do their jobs as safely as possible. I support citizen involvement programs like the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Policing and the Citizens Police Academy. As mayor, I’ll focus on four immediate programs: 1) Neighborhood Watch, 2) Volunteers in Policing, 3) Special Enforcement Team (SET) staffing, and 4) Citizen Notification of crime information in their neighborhood.

2. Fiscal management – with continued raids on City funds by the State of California, we must continue to seek new business opportunities to increase the economic stability of Newark. City spending must be prioritized to insure we are providing our citizens with the highest service possible within given financial resources. We must re-build reserves (or rainy day funds) to help us smooth the challenges of the economic malaise we are now experiencing. My immediate act as mayor will be to form a “blue ribbon” panel of commercial property professionals, real estate professionals and Chamber of Commerce representatives to develop plans for how we can fill up the vacant buildings in Newark. In doing this, jobs will be created and satellite business will prosper from the new customers. This in turn will generate additional revenues for the City. We have a well-established fiscal management process in place that guides us. We utilize a two-year budget process, a strategic plan, and a five-year forecast to guide us. The best deterrence to financial problems is having a strong, fiscally conservative approach to budgeting.

3. We must continue to improve life quality for our families, senior citizens and our youth. Programs must be in place supporting each group to ensure the “community” experience is the best we can make it. I serve as chairman of both the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee and the City and Schools Joint Committee on Youth Issues. These committees are tools for identifying and working on issues of public concern.

Quality of life also begins with education. I’ll work with the Newark School District to enhance education quality for our children. We recognize we can be the best city, with the best roads, parks, landscape and programs. However, when someone is contemplating moving to Newark (or most communities), the first question they ask is, “How are the schools?” We want to ensure that we can say they are the best schools! Better schools increase property value and the desirability of our community. We should all support our schools and teachers in a meaningful way. As Newark mayor, I’ll develop a special presentation for the K-6 students that deals in good citizenship and volunteerism.

Q. What sets you apart from the other candidates?

A. Leadership — Experience — Dedication. I have served seven times as vice-mayor of Newark. My educational and work experience is as a project manager involved in the high tech field. I have an in-depth understanding of the budget process and managing “lean” budgets, both corporate and during my positive service on the Newark City Council.

Q. What date were you born and where?

A. August 26, 1941, at Washington, D.C.

Q. What is your spouse’s or domestic partner’s name, if any?

A. Connie

Q. What are the names and ages of your children, if any?

A. Maryann

Q. List the schools and colleges you attended, the degrees you attained and when.

A. College of San Mateo, American Institute of Banking

Q. Provide details about any military service (branch, date, honors).

A. None.

Q. Have you held an elected or appointed public office?

A. Newark City Council member

Q. Have you run unsuccessfully for an elected public office?

A. No.

Q. About how much money do you expect your campaign to spend on this election?

A. $25,000-$30,000.

Q. Have you or a business you owned or had principal interest in ever filed bankruptcy?

A. No.

Q. How do you plan on building the City of Newark’s relationship with businesses? with the Newark Unified School District?

A. City of Newark Relationship with Businesses

The City of Newark has a good relationship with business. We believe in the one-stop shop concept and go the extra mile to help new business through the paperwork process. Their success is our success and this will be stressed. Retention is another key component of a good business relationship. It’s important to utilize the office of the Newark Chamber of Commerce to work together on retention efforts. This includes business seminars and visiting existing business to determine if there are ways we can be of more service.

Economic development provides the “fuel” for job creation and the revenues needed to support the needs and services that are important to Newark citizens.

I’ll ask the council to create a “blue-ribbon” panel of Chamber of Commerce, business, marketing and real estate professionals to help attract and retain business. “We have had almost a 50 percent reduction in sales tax over the past several years – we must reverse that trend.”

“Newark is a great place to do business” and we’ve got to get that message across.

Newark Unified School District

As the two governing bodies within the city, it’s important we engage each other on how we can best do a great job for our children! I will build on the relationship that already exists. We are one community with the goal to create an enviable quality of life for all residents. The schools are an integral part of that. There are many ways the city and school district can collaborate for the benefit of our children. As Newark’s chair of the Joint Committee on Youth Issues, we have held several joint forums for both youth and parents. These offer an opportunity to present topical information. We have to continue these forums and develop increased participation.

Q. List your past and/or present involvement with city or school organizations.

A. Schools

• Two different school district computer selection committees
• Co-Chair, Joint City/School Swim Facility Committee
• Current Chair, City/School Joint Committee on Youth Issues
• Voted for the Music in School program funding
• Voted for H.O.S.T.S. funding (a mentoring program at the high school)
• Participant in the City/Schools Strategic Plan Committee
• Voted for crossing guard funding and SRO funding.

Q. As an adult, have you been convicted or charged with a crime other than a minor traffic violation? If so, please explain and include dates and locations.

A. No.

Q. Where do you work and what is your job title?

A. SRI International in Menlo Park, CA as a project manager

Q. Do you have a website where people can learn more about your campaign?

A. www.nagy4mayor.com