What's the last book you read? ``Life of Pi'' by Yann Martel.

How big is the Duluth school district's 2003-04 budget? $121 million.

Where did you go to high school? Mankato High School.

What single issue would be the most difficult for you to compromise on? Elementary versus high school -- I would find it very difficult to adopt a compromise plan that cut additional elementary schools to maintain additional high schools.

What is more important to you -- maintaining high schools, middle schools or elementary schools? Elementary schools.

What's the biggest issue no one is talking about? We're talking about it, but not nearly enough: The devastation of the school district if the voters decide to teach the School Board a lesson. It's the children that will pay a terrible price.

Would you vote to cutback extra- and co-curricular activities to save money? It wouldn't be a top priority, but co-curriculars are a lower priority than the fundamental education. So if I had no other alternative, I would be willing to make those cuts.

What is the favorite car you've ever owned? I like my current Bonneville. Most of the dents are my son's.

What is the last school you visited? Lester Park, School Board candidate forum.

What is the No Child Left Behind law? Another wonderful federal imposition on local school districts.

How many high schools do you support -- one, two or three? Two.

Do you think the teacher tenure system should be maintained, reformed or eliminated? Reformed.

What was your favorite subject in high school? History.

Do you believe enrollment will be declining, stabilizing or increasing in five years? Declining.

Do you feel class sizes need to be reduced? If yes, how would you pay for it? Yes, I think they should be reduced, but there are a lot of ``buts.'' We haven't got what's necessary to allow us to do it. To pay for it, I would grow money trees. I'd invest in money tree research.

What grade configuration do you support? K-6, 7-9, 10-12. I will live with a compromise if it means we can pass an excess levy.

Would you vote to sell the Central Administration Building? Yes.

Would you be willing not to bus all students who live within two miles of school? Only with great reluctance. Only if the voters are too cheap to properly support the schools.

What kind of relationship should the School Board have with the City Council? A wary relationship. We should hold hands and sing ``Kumbayah'' annually.

What's the last book you read? I'm in the process of reading right now Tom Clancy's ``Red Rabbit.''

How big is the Duluth school district's 2003-04 budget? $121 million.

Where did you go to high school? Duluth East High School.

What single education issue would be the most difficult for you to compromise on? Everybody says issues that impact the classroom, because that's what people want to hear, but I think ... increasing class sizes beyond where they are.

What is more important to you -- maintaining high schools, middle schools or elementary schools? Elementary schools.

What's the biggest education issue no one is talking about? I've heard a lot about over-capacity, and I've heard different numbers. We have 11,000 students. I've never heard it well identified. Where does that overcapacity exist? I know that this board has adopted guidelines for optimal size for optimal learning, and they don't really talk about it. If they have guidelines, the decisions they make should be predicated on those guidelines.

Would you vote to cut extra- and co-curricular activities to save money? No.

What is the favorite car you've ever owned? It was a 1982 Toyota Supra. It had a twin cam overhead V6. I was 38 or 39. I only drove it in the summertime. I kept it for 12 years and then I sold it to my sister for almost nothing.

What is the last school you visited? Lincoln Park School, to visit with principal Ed Marsman and for orientation in the Men as Peacekeepers mentorship program.

What is the No Child Left Behind law? I think the goal is to not forget about any kid, regardless of their background. I think it's a big, broad, fluffy idea, but it's to remember every child and that every child needs individual attention.

How many high schools do you support -- one, two or three? I would love to keep them all, but I see two as being the most optimum thing. Geographically, the way we are, they would have to be East and Denfeld.

Do you think the teacher tenure system should be maintained, reformed or eliminated? I don't want to comment on it.

What was your favorite subject in high school? I had a lot of favorite subjects. I liked government, English. I liked chemistry. I liked physics and German.

Do you believe enrollment will be declining, stabilizing or increasing in five years? I certainly hope it's going to be stabilizing. I don't know if you noticed, but there are about 70 more kids in kindergarten this year.

Do you feel class sizes need to be reduced? If yes, how would you pay for it? Yes, ideally, but can we do it, given all the restraints? I think it's unlikely ... The only way it's really going to happen is legislative action, I think.

What grade configuration do you support? I know the administration is really stuck on the current grade configuration, but in a perfect world, I would like to see K-6, 7-9, 10-12.

Would you vote to sell the Central Administration Building? If we could get a good market value for it, and we had a plan for where we're going to put central administration and had a plan and cost for relocating it.

Would you be willing to cut busing for all students who live within two miles of school? I would certainly be willing to address the transportation issues so that they are consistent with state guidelines.

What kind of relationship should the School Board have with the City Council? I think they ought to have more than lip service. If I were on the School Board, I would definitely want to work with one or more City Council people to develop some sort of an effective working relationship.