City Council Candidate Profile: Dan Smith

Benicia Patch has asked each City Council, school board and mayoral candidate to fill out a questionnaire to give residents information about his or her background. We will feature the answers from one City Council candidate and one school board candidate each day. The mayoral candidates will both be featured Friday, Sept. 16. Next week we will feature answers to reader-generated questions.

Basic Background

What is your full legal name?           
Daniel Cameron Smith

What name do you prefer be used in our coverage?           
Dan Smith

Where do you work and what is your job title?           
Solano County Dept. of Child Support Services, office aide; 
DealFlow Media, freelance reporter

When and where were you born?           
July 24, 1957; Anaheim, California

Spouse or domestic partner?           
Wife Diana Smith, married 1988

Children:           
Daughters Jessica Plets and Catie Smith (campaign assistant treasurer)

Education:           
Graduated North Hollywood HS with honors 1975; attended and graduated UC Berkeley 1975-80, double major of sociology and mass communications

Military Service:
None. (Only relevant experience: trained in emergency and bioterrorism response by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and BERT.)

Have you or a business you owned or had a principal interest in ever filed bankruptcy?                      
No

How long have you lived in Benicia?           
24 years in October

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:
No

Campaign information:
web site: danforbenicia.org;
Campaign Manager: Lisa Reynolds

Previous Elected Office           

Elected:           
Benicia City Council 2001-2005

Unsuccessful campaigns for public office:           
Benicia City Council 2005, 2009

This Campaign

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?
Two main reasons: to expand the range of private sector jobs in Benicia through economic development, and to ensure that the City doesn’t force the school system and non-management city employees to bear unwise and unfair cutbacks during the current recession.

What will be your top three priorities if you get elected and why?

• 1)  Foster greater cooperation with and support for our schools at City Hall, stopping all rollbacks of City contributions to Joint Use Agreement with BUSD.
• 2) Shepherd a public-private partnership with the state to keep open the Capitol building, Fischer-Hanlon House and Benicia State Recreation Area.
• 3) Change the city budget to reserve utility user tax revenue for large capital improvements (as promised), like a police substation on Seeno land and a performing arts center downtown.

 What sets you apart from other candidates?           
At least six things.

1. Experience – only candidate to serve on the City Council and 10 years on city boards and commission.
2. Roots – only candidate to raise two children in Benicia public schools.
3. Leadership – only candidate to help lead two groups that built Benicia recreation facilities with mostly (or all) volunteer labor.
4. Work experience – only union worker on ballot.
5. Vision – only candidate to work 20 years on protecting land for a future Southern Solano Regional Park.
6. Dedication – only candidate to serve on Benicia First, Arsenal Preservation Task Force, Healthy Benicia Task Force, Benicia Community Garden board and Benicia Parks and Recreation Commission.

About how much money do you expect your campaign to raise?
About $3,000 to $4,000.           

About how much money do you expect your campaign to spend?
About $3,000 to $4,000.

Will you adhere to the voluntary spending limits outlined in the Benicia Municipal Code?
Absolutely.