South San Francisco CA: Aug 30th 2015 - Lentz For Supervisor District 5 Event

Cliff Lentz is running for Supervisor in District 5 that consists of the NW portion of San Bruno and the City of South San Francisco and the City of Brisbane CA.

The following was published previously in San Bruno Patch and is re-posted here for your review.

“This is the second of I hope numerous articles by the candidates running for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in District #5 which includes the communities of Brisbane, Colma, Daly City, San Bruno (north of Sneath lane and west of Interstate 280), South San Francisco (east of Junipero Serra Boulevard and north of Hickey and Hillside Boulevards), and unincorporated Broadmoor Village.

In November 2016 voters in San Mateo County Supervisor District 5 will have the opportunity to elect their District Supervisor.

Clifford R. Lentz is currently Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Brisbane (which is in Supervisor District #5) and he has started campaigning for the District Supervisor’s #5 position.

His web page is http://www.clifflentz.com/

In order to let those San Bruno residents who reside in County Supervisor District #5 know about their candidates, I have provided Mr. Lentz with a few questions that voters may want to consider as they begin to decide if they will support Clifford, work on Clifford’s campaign, and or eventually vote for Clifford in the November 2016 election.

There is a primary election in June 2016 that Clifford will need to win to be able to run in the November 2016 election.

My Questions and Clifford’s Answers follow:

Q#1 - What background characteristics will make you a good Supervisor?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: A life-long resident of San Mateo County, I grew up in a working-class home, went to public schools, and started working at the age of 15. I developed grit and perseverance through the sport of wrestling, earning athletic and academic All-American honors at San Francisco State. I know what it is to struggle and go without, so it is important to me that County services are getting to those who need them. As the mayor of a District 5 city, I’ve applied my interests in fiscally responsible government, strategic and collaborative land use planning and inclusive public engagement to ensure a vibrant and healthy community. I am eager to bring my skills in diplomacy, resourcefulness and consensus-building to the role of County Supervisor to assist cities in dealing with major issues such as affordable housing, traffic congestion, the drought, and the needs of seniors and youth.

Q#2 - What accomplishments give you the background to be a good Supervisor?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: As a Brisbane City Council Member and Mayor, I’ve spearheaded efforts to keep the City’s budget financially sound, improve economic development, strengthen the relationship between the City and the Brisbane School District, and help Brisbane embrace strong sustainability principles. On a County level, I currently serve on the HEART Board, where I have emphasized the need for a targeted county-wide approach to address the affordable housing crisis. As the Vice-Chair on the Commute.org Board, I worked to update the strategic plan to incorporate current technology and expand outreach to San Mateo County businesses in order to improve traffic conditions. I serve on the LPMG committee, which advises the Caltrain JPB on the modernization of Caltrain. As Chair of the SFO Roundtable, I collaborate with the FAA, SFO and Council peers to reduce airplane noise impacts. Apart from my public service work, I am a small business owner (Silverspot Graphics), have coached sports at El Camino High School in South San Francisco (my alma mater, Class of 83), and with my wife am the proud parent of two wonderful daughters.

Q#3 - What is the TOP problem that you as a Supervisor will work on to fix and WHY?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: I believe the top problem facing our County is the lack of affordable housing. With too many people not being able to live where they work, they are forced to commute long distances, which compounds our traffic problems and undermines the social fabric of our neighborhoods because parents spend less time with their children and less time being active in their communities. To deal with this crisis, I would work with my colleagues on the Board to create a framework that explores all housing opportunities, from infill multi-unit construction, to creating more in-law units, to having a more robust house-sharing initiative.

Q#4 - What will you do as Supervisor to improve the County’s infrastructure?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: County government is the social safety net for our most at-risk citizens, providing excellent services in healthcare, financial and food assistance, public transportation, and rehabilitating those who get in trouble with the law. However, great services are only great if people are using them. As a County Supervisor, I would strengthen the relationship between the County and local government, school districts, businesses and non-profits. I believe one of the major roles of a Supervisor is to be the conduit that improves the lines of communication between these entities, so that greater partnering can occur: improvement needs to be a collaborative effort, not a top-down one.

Q#5 -What will you do as Supervisor to increase funding and support of the County schools?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: Though we live in the “Innovation Capital of the World,” we have too many children who are not reading at grade level. Measure A funds are helping to improve this situation, but I believe we can do more. As a County Supervisor, I would work closely with school districts and chambers of commerce to help create opportunities for businesses to greatly increase their investment in our children. I would also seek ways to improve participation in the arts, sports, the trades, and life skills, so our children are more well-rounded. No child should go to school on an empty stomach, worry about having a roof over their head, or go without basic medical attention: it is a priority for me to address these issues.

Q#6 - What do you expect to accomplish in your First 100 Days as Supervisor?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: I believe in order to lead, you also need to listen and be willing to learn. I see myself doing plenty of that in my first 100 days, though I would press to continue the dialog regarding issues such as a minimum wage that allows people to live where they work, a strategic plan to address our affordable housing crisis, long-term solutions regarding the drought, and improved traffic and transportation conditions.

Q#7 - What has been the BIGGEST mistake the current Board of Supervisors has made that needs fixing and WHY?

Mr. Lentz’s Answer: The current Board of Supervisors is a very professional and caring group of public servants, dedicated to providing efficient and effective County services to its citizens. They base their decisions on what is needed, while also maintaining fiscally sound judgment. We have all benefitted from their leadership -- I would be honored and energized to work alongside them.

Mr. Lentz’s final comments:

San Mateo County is a great place to live. We have beautiful open space, a thriving economy, a creative and diverse population. Although we live in one of the most prosperous counties in the country, we have many people who are struggling to make ends meet. Because the County is the entity that connects us all, I believe it has tremendous potential to be the uniting force that helps us deal with today’s pressing issues. I am grateful to have received the support of elected officials throughout the County, particularly San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine, and hope to bring my vision and experience to the Board in 2016.

I look forward to meeting people on the campaign trail and listening to what they have to say. Together, we’ll make San Mateo County a better place for all.

For more information, please visit www.clifflentz.com or

contact me at cliff@clifflentz.com or by cell 650-219-0293.”

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Robert Riechel

Senior Correspondent – San Bruno Patch

Photo Credit: San Bruno Patch Archives

Source Credit: Clifford Lentz

http://SanBrunoPatch.com

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