Quick Take
Tom Decker believes his experience as a builder of affordable homes and his commitment to family and service make him an ideal candidate for District 5 supervisor.
Editor’s note: Lookout editors wanted to give you a chance to hear from candidates directly. But we also did not want them to simply repeat their campaign slogans. So we asked them a single question: “How will you provide the sort of leadership our community needs and how are you prepared to meet the moment as it arises?”
We gave them 500 words to answer. We hope their answers will provide one more outlet of information as you decide who to vote for on March 5.
“Thank heavens we don’t get all of the government that we are paying for.” – Will Rogers
I believe the Santa Cruz County governmental bureaucracy has been providing amazingly poor service to the people in District 5 for far too long.
In 2020, the CZU fire destroyed over 1,000 family homes. To date, the planning, building and environmental health departments of our county have allowed fewer than 40 of these homes to be rebuilt.
This is beyond ridiculous and completely unacceptable.
I believe it’s time to change the “mission” of our county government to one of service to the people rather than harassing them.
I was deeply impressed by the actions of former President Jimmy Carter’s work and advocacy for Habitat For Humanity in its mission to build affordable housing. His actions inspired me to choose my life’s work.
For more than 40 years, I’ve been a builder of affordable homes in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. In the past 20 years alone, I have successfully placed hundreds of high-end manufactured homes on residential parcels throughout the Bay Area.
It wasn’t until I began trying to rebuild homes in the CZU fire scar area of Santa Cruz County that I began to realize just how badly broken and deeply dysfunctional our county bureaucracy truly is.
Over my life I’ve been involved in promoting the performing arts as the past president of the Vallejo Symphony.
I’ve also provided educational options for minority communities by starting MIT Academy Public Charter School, which has now grown into five charter schools.
While studying for my master of business administration degree in organizational behavior at Brigham Young University, I was fortunate enough to be able to work along with Stephen R. Covey as one of his research assistants on his best-selling book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”
My wife, Mari, and I have lived in Ben Lomond for almost 20 years. Our business, BAM Homes, is located in downtown Boulder Creek.
I’ve been the Sunday school president and a Sunday school teacher at my church in Ben Lomond for many years. Mari and I are the proud and greatly blessed parents of six children and 19 grandchildren.
Should you choose to elect me as your next District 5 supervisor, I pledge to you to continue to work tirelessly to make District 5 a better place for you and your family to live, enjoy and prosper.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Tom Decker’s campaign site is here.