League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa Counties, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Charles Rouse Answers Questions Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 3

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How will you prioritize the budget choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?

California is probably coming out of the recession, which should help. What we see is damage from that recession and structural problems which remain in the operation of the California legislature. The "super majority" requirement for the budget has been removed while the super majority requirement for passing taxes remains. Working with the damage from the recession is like disaster relief and restructuring the operation of the legislature remains a necessity.

2. What types of changes or reforms, if any, do you think are important to make our state government function more effectively?

First we have to decide what State government should do. Do we want a public school system? Do we want a state university system and the University of California system? These aren't free and they must be paid for. Likewise public safety and water supply and job creation. If the people of California want these programs and institutions, we have to find a way to pay for them. Education in particular needs a stable source of funding.

3. Fees for public higher education have gone up dramatically and funding has been cut. Is this a priority concern, and if so, what measures would you propose to address it?

Again, the people have to decide whether they want state funded colleges and universities. If we do, and I strongly believe we do, then we need stable sources of funding. I would strongly oppose anything that hints of privatizing state colleges and universities. And tuition creep is heading in that direction, making students and parents pay for public colleges and universities. Every tuition hike makes someone drop out of college. This is tragic.

4. There is increasing demand on California water, particularly in central and southern California. How do you propose to meet this demand without permanently depleting northern California water sources and further damaging the Delta? How can the less-populated water sources north of the Delta have sufficient say in water policy?

Like many in the North State, I believe that the first step is to decide that no new commitments be made to export North State water. Meeting contractual obligations on the books and protecting the ecosystem in the Delta is the problem and the problem will have to be met by reference to water law and practical evaluations of what's possible in the Delta. If there is any form of water transport around the Delta, to meet current contracts only, if will have to be well engineered.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 19, 2012 08:57
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