Dear Editor:
We endorse Tomi Van de Brooke for Contra Costa District II Supervisor. We have examined the qualifications and experience of the candidates and concluded that Tomi is the best choice for the following reasons.
- Tomi will bring a strong county-wide perspective to the job.
- Tomi has extensive private and public experience managing larger, more complex budgets.
- Tomi will stop pension abuse and ensure tax dollars are well managed.
- Tomi will protect our urban limit lines and the quality of life we enjoy.
- Tomi is the only pro-choice and pro-marriage equality woman in the race and will ensure that Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide women’s health services are funded. Orange County did eliminate this funding and there is a real risk to it happening elsewhere.
Tomi was President of the Contra Costa Council, the leading business organization in the County. Tomi worked for Fortune 500 companies, ran her own small business, and was the managing partner of a successful Walnut Creek communications firm. Tomi also worked for the California Alliance for Jobs, an organization dedicated to rebuilding California’s aging infrastructure. Tomi has a long history of volunteering in our community, serving on a number of non-profit boards including the Economic Development Alliance for Business, the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation, and the John Muir-Mt. Diablo Health Benefit Corporation.
Tomi has served on the Contra Costa Community College Governing Board for more than 7 years and currently serves as President. In comparison to Danville with its $34 million budget and no represented/union employees to negotiate with, the College District operates three community colleges with a $165 million annual budget, 2,000 employees, negotiates with two unions, and serves 50,000 students. Under Tomi’s leadership, the District’s general reserves increased from only 5% to over 23% avoiding deep program cuts during this recession. In contrast, the Town of Danville has cut funding for police, while paying its city manager one of the highest compensation packages in the State.
We are endorsing Tomi because she is fiscally responsible and has proven she can manage large complex organizations and work with diverse groups of people. She is the only pro-choice/pro-marriage equality woman running for Supervisor.
We ask the voters of Supervisorial District II to vote for Tomi Van de Brooke on June 5th because Tomi is the most qualified and will represent our values.
Respectfully submitted,
Congressman George Miller
Former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (retired)
Senator Mark DeSaulnier
Assemblymember Susan Bonilla
Assemblymember Joan Buchanan
Contra Costa Community College Trustee John E. Marquez
