Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 24

Statement of Personal Philosophy

This assembly district has had the good fortune to be represented by a long succession of independent thinkers and bi-partisan coalition builders. I want to continue that tradition of concern and support for our schools, of strong support for business, of litigation reform, and of moderation on personal and social issues.

I want to see California return to its former reputation as having the best education in the country, not a broken-down system that ranks near the bottom of the national scale. I want our kids to feel safe and comfortable in our schools and have the reading, writing and math skills they need to compete and thrive in a free enterprise system. The recent education bills passed by the legislature and signed by the governor will address reading instruction, high school graduation testing, school accountability, teacher training and evaluation. They are just the start in the process of making California schools the best that they can be. We also need to address the school infrastructure - safe and sound buildings that meet the needs of the larger number of classrooms, adequate and up-to-date textbooks, and class materials that are conducive to learning. If our kids feel safe in school and are assured by our participation in the modernization and building of adequate schools and classrooms, they will excel .

I am a Registered Nurse. As a health professional, as a past President and current Board Member of the California Medical Association Alliance, I have worked to make affordable healthcare available to all of California's citizens and to preserve the strong doctor-patient relationships that have always characterized health care in this country. I want to champion patient protection, high-quality health care, and litigation reform.

I am also acutely aware of the tremendous success of job creation and our high tech industry. Along with this success has been the critical need for affordable housing and the alarming volume of traffic that is now adversely impacting the quality of life affecting all of us not only in Silicon Valley, but in the surrounding communities. We must encourage continued growth in this industry without government over regulation, while taking an active part in the discussion to find workable solutions to these consequences of our success. Joint Venture Silicon Valley focus groups and the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group have been actively participating in dialogue and proposing workable community solutions that address land use and housing issues. I am encouraged by these ideas and workable solutions, and the new approach to higher density housing options that have been discussed.

I represent my city as an alternate to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Policy Advisory Committee. I believe that the approach that will improve transportation conditions in the county, such as the "Valley Transportation Plan 2020 (VTA 2020)" along with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) "Regional Transportation Plan" should be adopted and implemented. I also understand the necessity and the urgency of this timetable and I will strive to be diligent that these projects (when adopted) remain on task and on time.