On May 20, the Ledger Dispatch e-mailed each candidate for Amador County supervisor a list of six questions. They were asked to choose five. Here are their answers:

Name: Louis Boitano

Age: 55

City: Sutter Creek

Profession: Incumbent District 4 supervisor

Running for: District 4 supervisor

Q: According to school district records, the county sent 53 percent of its students to public California universities or community colleges in 2006-07. What other educational options need to be pursued and will the county ever have a community college?

A: Amador County is currently in the process of pursuing a community college. In 2004, our board oversaw the county's partnership with Cosumnes River College in order to establish a community college presence in Amador County, and we are now aligned with the Los Rios Community College District. In 2004-05, at our board's request, Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi) and Senator Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks) carried a bill to the state Legislature and successfully secured the seed money to establish the Amador Learning Center. ALC currently provides higher education courses and programs that were not previously available in Amador County.

In partnership with the Amador Community College Foundation, the board of supervisors aggressively continues to pursue funding and support for a local community college.

Q: According to 2005 statistics from the California Employment Development Department, 75 percent of the county's job opportunities paid below the self-sufficiency wage for a single parent with two children, while 41 percent paid below that level for adults in a two-parent household. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 9.2 percent of the county's population was living in poverty in 2003. Is Amador doing enough on the economic development front? If so, cite examples. If not, what would you do to bring in better-paying jobs?

A: Amador County has always had a natural resource-based economy. Historically, local jobs have been in timber, ranching, mining and agriculture. Tourism is a clean industry that offers us the opportunity to showcase our Gold Rush heritage while maintaining our economic base.

I am proud that my family has been instrumental in developing the world famous tour at Sutter Gold Mine, which attracts 50,000 visitors a year to Amador County, and provides local jobs for people of all ages. The mine tour is an important part of the local economy.

Also, our board provides funding to the Amador Council on Tourism, which has done an outstanding job promoting Amador County's excellent restaurants, inns, wineries, historical attractions and events.

Q: According to U.S. Census data, Amador County ranked 18th in population growth among California counties between 2000 and 2003, with most of that growth in the unincorporated upcountry area. What should be done to make sure infrastructure (schools, roads, public protection, wastewater capacity) keeps up? What part, if any, should regional planning or revenue sharing play?

A: The new general plan will be a roadmap for future development. Good land use planning dictates that new development be close to infrastructure. Regional planning is a tool that may be helpful in identifying growth trends and facilitating communication between the cities and the county. I am the chairman of the Amador County Transportation Commission. ACTC aids both the cities and the county in the identification of infrastructure needs. My staff and I use state of the art programs to identify problems and create solutions for transportation projects.

Q: A Capital Region Healthy Futures Project study projects that the 55 and older group will make up 40 percent of the county's population in 2020, up from more than one-third in 2005. Is Amador becoming a bedroom community for retirees and can it survive as one?

A: Amador County already is a bedroom community for retirees. The senior service industry is an important part of Amador's economy. Our challenge is to continue to meet the needs of our substantial senior population. I sit on the Amador County In-Home Support Services Board, the local employer of licensed in-home healthcare providers. The state is threatening to cut funding for in-home healthcare. As a board member of the California State Association of Counties and the Regional Council of Rural Counties, I will continue to champion the cause of senior services. We are going to have to fight for every nickel at the state level!

Q: According to a Capital Region Healthy Futures Project survey of seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders, the county far outpaces the state when it comes to students experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Do you think these numbers are accurate? If so, what should be done about this?

A: I believe that education and enforcement are critical to combating local drug and alcohol abuse. The board of supervisors recently funded the reinstatement of a local drug task force comprised of all local law enforcement agencies. I am committed to using all of the resources at my disposal to combat the epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse in our county.

Check back tomorrow for a Q&A with District 4 candidate David Pincus.