Anne Ernst, Patch Staff

Anne Ernst has lived in San Jose since 1999. A Michigan native, she received a degree in journalism from San Jose State University. Her first reporting job was for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, which publishes weekly newspapers such as the Cupertino Courier. She's also been a staff reporter for Bay City News Service, and most recently worked full time as a freelance writer, working for her previous employers plus magazines, and Web sites such as the Belmont Patch and Campbell Patch.

When she's not talking to people about what's going on in the community, Anne plays ice hockey on a co-ed team, loves gardening and crafts, being out in nature, and exploring wineries with her husband.

<b>My Beliefs</b>

At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. 

<b>Politics</b>

I don&#39;t vote party lines, I vote based on issues and what I believe is best for the overall good of our community, region, state and nation. I consider myself progressive, or Progressive. I&#39;ve voted for and with Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Greens.

I believe we should pay our teachers and doctors more than we pay the entertainers of our world, and that includes sports figures. I believe we need to take less from the Earth and do more to preserve our environment for future generations. I believe the greatest civil rights travesty of our time is that someone like me, who just happens to be heterosexual, has more rights across our country than my family and friends who just happen to be gay and lesbian. Marriage licenses are issued by government agencies, not churches, and I think it&#39;s important that we give all married couples the same legal rights. If that means changing the word we use for government issued licenses to &#34;union&#34; so churches can preserve the word &#34;marriage&#34; for man-woman couples, so be it. When I was born some states still outlawed bi-racial marriages. Imagine how ridiculous that would look if it still were the case today.

<b>Religion</b>

I was baptized in a Lutheran church, consider myself spiritual because I know that Man is not all-powerful, but don&#39;t consider myself religious.

<b>Local Hot-Button Issues</b>

Cupertino is well known for its top-rated public schools and wants to keep it that way. Recently, the addition of higher-density housing had some residents worried about overcrowding in the schools. The school districts carefully check the residency status of its students to help maintain student-to-teacher ratios.

There is no downtown in Cupertino, but some would like to see that. A &#34;main street&#34; complex was approved, but the land still sits empty. Vallco Shopping Mall still has a big question mark hanging over it, and locals would like to see it updated, and the city would benefit from more taxes if the mall were more inviting to shoppers.

Tucked out of view of most of the city is Lehigh Hanson Cement Plant, but out of sight isn&#39;t out of mind. It is of great interest to residents. They want to know if the plant is polluting the area and potentially posing health risks.