League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo Counties, CA November 2, 2004 Election
	Michael J. Machado Answers Questions Candidate for State Senator; District 5

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What does California need to do to address the current budget crisis?

I worked with Governor Schwarzenegger to pass the Balanced Budget Act and pass a budget that didn't raise taxes. I know our work is not done. We must look at structural reforms - the way in which the state generates and spends its revenues and fairness in the tax code. The budget should reflect values and priorities of our society. How important is: health care? education? support to seniors? public infrastructure? public safety? and the environment? These values and priorities need to be identified and then the budget constructed to achieve them.

2. What should the state's priorities be for K-12 education? For the Community College System?

The budget we passed this year actually gave more money to our public schools. My first priority regarding public education is to maintain Proposition 98 funding. Even though there is a state budget deficit, we should not cut education funds. I also want to ensure that higher education fees, especially community college fees, remain affordable and that higher education is accessible to all students. I fought the Governor this year when he wanted to cut funding for university outreach programs and tried to limit access to our colleges and universities. The quality of education the state offers will directly translate to California's future economic growth.

3. What measures would you support to address California's water needs?

It is important that we invest in water infrastructure projects such as groundwater banking, recycled water, desalination, and off stream storage to help maximize our availability of water. We must move forward on CalFed and work for balance between agricultural, environmental, urban, and industry needs. I will continue to fight efforts of private companies who want to sell our water to Southern California or out of state.

4. What should the Legislature be doing to address the needs of Californians without health insurance?

We should continue to ensure that accessible and affordable health care is available for the working poor, disabled, and elderly population. Cutting programs like Healthy Families that helps children get health coverage is not the answer. We must work to ensure reforms and innovations in health care that expands coverage for the working uninsured and provides health care to all of California's children. That's why I worked with doctors and nurses to pass the Health Insurance Act of 2003 - which will help provide health care for over 1 million Californians. It is time to do something about the health care crisis we face in this state.