Voters in the Los Rios Community College District have an experienced board that provides the region a superb gateway to career and education opportunities.
Four strong incumbents are running: Terry Cochran, Pamela Haynes, Kay Albiani and Ruth Scribner. All are committed, active members and deserve to stay on the board.
Scribner, a 12-year incumbent in Area 4 (Laguna, Valley Hi, Pocket, Clarksburg, West Sacramento and Davis), is running unopposed.
Area 3: Terry Cochran (Folsom and most of El Dorado County)
Cochran, serving his 12th year, is the clear choice. A retired Aerojet executive who is active with the American River College and Folsom Lake College foundations, he has been at the heart of Los Rios' success in the last decade and has been a strong financial steward. Challenger Todd Jacob Braun, a carpenter who is active at the small Ark Builders private school, says he would like to address what he calls "liberal bias in the classroom."
Area 5: Pamela Haynes (Land Park, Curtis Park, Meadowview, Greenhaven and the Pocket)
Haynes, in her ninth year, also is a clear choice. She has worked at the statewide level on workforce training; as program director for Sacramento START, an after-school literacy program; and as a legislative director for the California Assembly. She comes to the board as a community college graduate, the first in her family to attend college. She has been a key supporter of improving basic skills.
She has drawn a field of four challengers. Tom Kraus, a former nursing home administrator, likes the direction of the current board. Peter Finn, a network administrator, wants to see closer ties with businesses seeking employees. Sharon Owens Thomas, a middle school teacher, wants to see smaller classes. While all three are thoughtful, they do not match Haynes in knowledge or experience. Chris Tedesco, a video production manager, did not interview for this endorsement.
Area 7: Kay Albiani (southwestern Sacramento County, including Florin, Elk Grove and Jackson Road)
Albiani, in her 12th year on the Los Rios board after serving 18 years on the Elk Grove Unified school board, was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Governing Board of the California Community College system in 2004 and was elected president in 2006 during a critical period of reform. She has been key in building community support for modernizing campuses and creating a system of minicampuses.
Albiani has drawn three challengers. Bruce Nelson attended Sacramento City College, went on to get a law degree, is a licensed contractor and serves on the Sacramento County Civil Service Commission. He is interested in reducing costs. John Taylor, an adult education instructor in the Folsom Unified school district and an adjunct instructor at Cosumnes River College, ran against Albiani in 2000. He supports the regional centers plan but did not support the 2002 bond measure. Steve Ed Miller seems mostly intent on promoting his free book on math education. Albiani, an exemplary board member, is the clear choice.
Los Rios has a strong board. Voters should keep it intact.
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