These days, leadership is about making the tough decisions to provide better services with less money.

That’s why I support Dave Mandelkern, Patricia Miljanich and Karen Schwarz for re-election to the San Mateo County Community College Board.

Here are a few of Dave, Pat and Karen's achievements:

▪ Carefully scrutinized spending to balance budgets and preserve vital classroom programs despite 20% cuts in state education funding. College of San Mateo, Cañada College and Skyline College now serve more students than they did when the cutbacks began - with no faculty layoffs, no wage or benefit cuts, and no furloughs.

▪ Saved taxpayers a million dollars a year in utility bills with green building programs at our three campuses that won our College District two Sustainable San Mateo County Awards.

▪ Built affordable faculty and staff rental housing, making it possible for college employees to live in our high cost county - with no taxpayer subsidies.

▪ Provide college education and job training to 40,000 local residents each year at low cost – including thousands of students priced out or turned away from UC and Cal State University systems.

Dave Mandelkern, Patricia Miljanich and Karen Schwarz have protected taxpayers by balancing complex multi-million dollar budgets. I hope you will give them favorable consideration on Election Day, Tuesday November 8.

P.S. If you live in Millbrae, where I served as a Millbrae School District Trustee, I recommend Robert Gottschalk and Wayne Lee for election to the Millbrae City Council.