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Director Emeritus, Doug McNea
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Elections
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DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Douglas McNea (1947-2011)
Resident of San José
Mar. 13, 1947 – Mar. 19, 2011
Douglas Adams McNea passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Born and raised in San Diego, Doug developed a love of long-board surfing and attended San Diego State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1968 and advanced from Foreman to Machinist Mate First Class in the Submarine Service. He served aboard the U.S.S. Coral Sea in the Gulf of Tonkin and served from 1971 to the end of his enlistment aboard the nuclear fast-attack submarine the U.S.S. Gurnard. In 1975, Doug joined San José-based NWT Corporation as a nuclear energy industry consultant where he worked on more than 40 power plants in the U.S., Canada, and Sweden.
President of the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association, he was a thoughtful and passionate advocate for taxpayers, promoting private property rights, government accountability, and the importance of education. Doug was serving as president in 2008 when the organization and other plaintiffs achieved a major victory over Santa Clara County’s Open Space Authority in the California Supreme Court. The court’s decision voided an illegal property tax assessment and resulted in a settlement that returned millions of dollars to county taxpayers. He led victorious campaigns against a number of local tax measures, participated on bond oversight committees, and supported the successful efforts of the owner and merchants of the Tropicana shopping center to resist an eminent domain takeover by the City of San José and its Redevelopment Agency. Doug was a board member of the Coalition for Redevelopment Reform and an author and proponent of the “California Eminent Domain Limitation Act.”
Doug’s activism extended to runs for public office, including State Assembly and Congress. He was a frequent delegate to California Republican Party conventions, active in the Santa Clara County Republican Party, the California Republican Assembly, and an enthusiastic participant in non-partisan TEA Party rallies. Doug will be remembered by many for his quiet resolve and his skill at bringing together people of differing views for a common purpose.
Doug is survived by his brother Chris, children Tom, Chad, Eddie, and Lisa, grandchildren Laura, Justin, Shane, Kayla, Jason, Cody, Jacob, and Mariah, and great-grandchildren Tristinn, Justin, Andre, and Aiden. Doug was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Donna Ungren, to whom he was married for 34 years.
A viewing is scheduled for Oak Hill Funeral Home, 300 Curtner Avenue in San José on Monday, March 28th beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of the Oaks.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, you please make a donation by check to the Silicon Valley Taxpayers’ Association, 1659 Branham Lane, Suite F-308, San José, CA 95118.a