DAVIS. Approaching Election Day has Jose Granda busy nowadays with his 3T’s candidacy. In a publication distributed to Davis Voters, he explains why he calls himself the 3T’s candidate.
In his publication he states: “I am running for the School Board. May I request a few moments of your time to ask you to consider voting for me. I have excellent qualifications in education and fiscal responsibility. I have been a teacher for 32 years. I am a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at California State University, Sacramento. I have lived in Davis 36 years and three of my children have attended Davis public schools. They were amongst the first to attend the Spanish Immersion Program at Birch Lane, North Davis and West Davis Elementary schools. My teaching makes a difference every day in the lives of students, motivating them to study STEM careers. Please consider the 3T’s of my candidacy, if you believe in these 3T’s, please vote for me. “
TECHNOLOGY I would like to help Davis schools to be among the most technologically advanced anywhere. I believe in the use of taxpayer’s money to invest in what matters to our students. The use of multimedia, computers, iPad, iPod, IPhone and social media with all future advances, are tools to motivate our youngsters to learn and study a career that would make a difference in their lives.
TAXPAYERS The School Board has not been fiscally responsible to the taxpayers. It has wasted money and run the budget into a deficit. It cannot manage the 76 million dollar budget of the district. That needs to change. Recently the School Board put forward four tax measures in 18 months. Ask yourself. Have you seen a direct impact on all Davis students as a result? Schools should be supported by our state and federal income taxes which everyone pays, not by parcel taxes which only homeowners pay. Taxpayers should not be treated as an ATM machine where money is readily available every time the School Board runs the budget in the red. Since 1980 these have increased the mortgage payment only on those who own a home, while all others benefit without paying these parcel taxes. We passed Proposition 30 so we are paying a significant amount more to support the schools, the way it should be. Over 90% of the budget comes from our income taxes and not from the parcel taxes. It is time to reflect and take a break and hold the School Board accountable to invest the money wisely in our students and teachers.
The present School Board wants to sell the Grande Property a prime land in North Davis originally designated to build a school. I oppose the sale of the Grande Property which will only benefit some developer to build houses instead of classrooms. We must make best use of the Grande Property which belongs to the taxpayers for the benefit of the students. Once sold, if the district needs property the price they will have to pay will be many times higher.
TEACHING We must invest in our teachers, not only with fair compensation, but also to provide them the tools, materials they need as well as their training in the use of technology in the classroom. I know what it takes to use technology in the classroom, to be a teacher and to motivate students to learn. I do this for a living. The Grande property should be used to benefit the students. I propose the creation of a districtwide tutoring center for students after school and for preparing them to take the SAT or ACT or other entrance exams that will allow them to be admitted to college so that parents do not have to pay private lessons for these. A science center, an art center, music hall, language center are other possibilities that could benefit the students instead of selling it and spending the money on paint and other uses which will see this valuable property and its proceeds disappear.
I am the ONLY candidate that:
- Can bring diversity to the School Board
- Has the best interest of both the students and the taxpayers.
- Is an independent thinker, a different voice with no political commitments
- Speaks Spanish fluently and culturally understands 18% of students and parents in this district.
- Is teaching STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). See my web site at: http://athena.ecs.csus.edu/~grandajj/
He explains his views for election day. “If you vote for other candidates, nothing will change. I would be like reelecting the present board. However, if you believe in these 3Ts and you really want me to be elected, please vote ONLY for me, not for three. This will increase my chances of getting elected on November 4, 2014.” Wrote Jose to the voters in Davis.
Finally he asked voters to www.electjose.org to find out more about him and/or to make a donation to my campaign so you can help him get elected. “If you received your ballot in the mail, you can vote for me right now. Otherwise, may I count on your vote on November 4?” said Granda.
On a single read, it’s hard to tell if this was an article or a political ad, but I’ll leave it to better propagandists than I to make that call.
There are some good points and observations in this piece, but are we really suppose to believe that “diversity” means the same thing as speaking Spanish? The last time I looked at a map, there seemed to be a lot more nations, cultures, and languages that might form part of the definition of “diverse,” but maybe I’m just not up to speed on modern political correctness. Oink!
“On a single read, it’s hard to tell if this was an article or a political ad, but I’ll leave it to better propagandists than I to make that call.”
This section is all submitted content, this came from a campaign press release.