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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Budget Crisis,
Education,
Water,
Health Insurance
Click on a name for other candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What does California need to do to address the current budget crisis?
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Answer from Laurel A Nicholson:
We need to cut spending and pass the $15 billion bond. At the same time, however, we must be careful not to cut education or other programs so deeply that will hurt our future and our children's future. We also need to increase revenues but without a general tax increase. My solution is to reassess corporate property when it changes hands and real estate purchases by limited patnerships. This is simply a fairness issue. Everytime we buy a new home, taxes are reassessed on our property. Businesses should not be exempt.
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2. What should the state's priorities be for K-12 education? For the Community College System?
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Answer from Laurel A Nicholson:
For K-12, we need to eliminate excessive testing. (There is no need to test every grade every year.) In addition, we need to provide more financial control to the local schools and have greater teacher and parent input into how that money should be spent. Depending on the school and the student needs, money can be used for more English or math classes, or it can be used to reinstate art and Band programs that were discontinued because of lack of funds.
In addition, we need to put a higher importance on gathering and maintaining student data so we will be able to measure the progress of policy decisions, textbooks, and teaching programs in our schools. Also, standards need to be better aligned with grade testing.
For Community Colleges, we need to keep costs low so that anyone who wants a college education can afford to get one. In addition, we need adequate funding for teacher training programs. And again, we should allow more flexbility at the local level so that the schools can adapt their curriculum to the needs of the students.
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3. What measures would you support to address California's water needs?
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Answer from Laurel A Nicholson:
We need to have the Municipal Water boards work together to reinstate California's fair share of the Colorado River supply. In addition we need to look at constructing desalination plants to convert saline water into fresh water. This is not only a long-term necessity, it is also an excellent source of job growth.
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4. What should the Legislature be doing to address the needs of Californians without health insurance?
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Answer from Laurel A Nicholson:
We need to strive for universal health care; although I believe this needs to be federally mandated. At the same time, we need to support non-profit community and public facilities which offer health care to the uninsured. In addition, we need to keep our trauma centers open to any emergency, including those uninsured.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
