League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Contra Costa, Alameda County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Member of the State Assembly; District 15

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Fiscal Choices, Water, Education, Your Priorities Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. How would you prioritize the fiscal choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending? Answer from Pamela Y Price: The release of the Governor's 2014 budget happily restored money in many areas, but did so with restraint and prudence. I think this is a wise approach so that we can save for future downturns and really look at how to structure a sustainable economy and budget without debt. There are still months of budget negotiations to come that will give an opportunity to ensure the most pressing needs and priorities are addressed with new revenues. Certainly services that are for the most vulnerable populations must be restored first. Answer from Tony Thurmond: I know that when we get it right for our kids, families and seniors, we'll get it right for California. And we can only get it right if we have adequate funding to improve our schools, make our streets and neighborhoods safe, create sustainable jobs that preserve our environment and invest in job training opportunities to build a 21st-century workforce. California needs to lead the way - I fully support increasing education funding statewide by closing Prop 13 loopholes to tax corporations, taxing the wealthiest 1% of Californians and Big Oil with an oil extraction fee. Such fees will generate the necessary funding we need to give our kids, families and seniors a California as good as our promise. Answer from Clarence Hunt: First, I would author legislation to assure that we have a balanced budget to include all future spending obligations that are not accounted for in the current method of fiscal reporting to the public. The State of California has over $180 billion in obligations that are not accounted for in the most recent budget prepared by the State. My fiscal priorities include increasing social services to seniors, the disabled, mentally ill, increased funding for vocational training in community colleges, and increased funding for first responders to protect against wildfires and other disasters. Answer from Sam Kang: Even with our budget surplus, more Californians are in poverty than ever before, and it's harder than ever for the middle class to succeed. Even after we passed Prop 30, California is 35th in the nation in per pupil funding for public schools, while the cost of attending our public colleges and universities goes higher and higher. This must change. We must make California #1 in per pupil spending and make the cost of attending our public colleges and universities sustainable. Our future depends on it. That's why I fully support closing Prop 13 loopholes so that large, multinational corporations and the wealthiest 1% pay their fair share. We're also the only major-oil producing state in the nation that does not impose an extraction tax on oil companies. Doing so would produce billions of dollars a year for our public schools and universities. Answer from Elizabeth Echols: The cornerstone of our democracy and the foundation for creating economic opportunity is a quality public education system. Thanks to the passage of Proposition 30 and an improving economy, schools are going to see an over $800 million increase in spending in 2014-15. Since the Proposition 30 revenues are not permanent, we must find ways to improve the long-term outlook for education funding, and I would support raising revenues to do so. In addition, our state's social safety net has been cut to shreds during the state's budget crisis and must be restored. We should restore services to promote economic recovery in our communities. Answer from Bernt Rainer Wahl: Increase economic growth to increase income. 2. Given our current drought condition, concern for water rights and usage is an important issue. What solutions would you support to address our water problems? Answer from Pamela Y Price: Clearly, conservation is part of the solution. Individuals, residents need to be a part of the solution, educated on how to conserve and ways to help reduce water use. Additionally, we need to use the innovative spirit of California to think of new ways to use and process the water that is available, including recycling, storage and transfer. Answer from Elizabeth Echols: We need to look at more environmentally sensitive approaches to our state's water challenges, including improved water efficiency, better use of recycled water and storm water capture, and enhanced groundwater management. We also should provide state funding to help local water agencies conduct outreach to engage more people in successful water conservation projects, upgrade current water systems and invest in new technologies to more efficiently use current water supplies. Answer from Clarence Hunt: First, I support banning fracking which using 6-8 million gallons of water to extract oil and gas while polluting the environment. Second, I support working closely with local water districts to formulate regional water conservation plans. Answer from Sam Kang: First of all, a huge threat to our groundwater supply is the unabated continuation of fracking in California. With water supply being such an imminent threat, fracking will exacerbate this scarcity to catastrophic levels should our drought-ridden winters continue. We must end fracking now. Second, we must fully employ innovative water storage and re-use strategies that are currently being used all over the Bay Area. We are not fully deploying ideas and methods that are being used by ordinary citizens for rainwater capture and gray water recycling. The ideas are there. We just need the leadership to make it happen. Third, the sustained drought is only further evidence of our need to fight climate change. It's time we do more to fight climate change by accelerating the use of renewable energy sources. Decreasing our reliance on dirty energy will create cleaner and healthier communities, and help stem climate change in the long run. Answer from Tony Thurmond: California's current drought condition is cause for alarm - our population is increasing around the state and that means demands for water are increasing. We must develop new ways of addressing water usage and management in order to meet our water demands. We should engage in responsible water management efforts such as developing innovative irrigation efforts, recycling gray water systems and storm water, creating effective mechanisms that minimize water wastage and generally promoting smart water usage techniques in order to diversify the life and use of our water. Answer from Bernt Rainer Wahl: Sensors to monitor water usage and see where water is wasted is just a start. 3. California high school students rank lower than many states in student performance. What do you see as the ongoing role of the Legislature in addressing this problem? Answer from Sam Kang: We must prioritize public school funding so that we aim to be #1 in per-pupil spending instead of 35th in the nation. Students need comprehensive support, including after-school programs, viable arts & music programs, access to healthy nutrition options, nursing care, and library services. Many of these services were cut during the Great Recession and have not been fully restored. We must restore, rebuild and rejuvenate these comprehensive services so that we provide students the environment to excel. Also, it is not enough to tread water by just preventing schools from closing. We must strive for excellence through innovative solutions so that our kids can compete in a global economy. As a community advocate, I helped pass legislation that will reduce truancy, give students a better environment to learn, and provide more resources to schools. I did this by realizing that California's public school students often swelter on hot days and shiver on cold days. This is because so many of our school's classrooms are dilapidated and energy inefficient. When students are uncomfortable, they don't learn well. When they're too hot or too cold, they might even skip class. That's why I helped pass legislation that invested in public school energy efficiency. That way, students can be comfortable when they learn. Having more comfortable classrooms will encourage them to come to class instead of skipping school. Schools will also save on energy costs, which frees up more money for teachers, librarians, and after-school programs. This is the kind of innovative thinking we need from the Legislature. Answer from Elizabeth Echols: We need to invest in our public schools if we are to have any hope of giving all children an equal chance to succeed. We know from research that the achievement gap begins before children even start kindergarten so we need to start earlier + with our youngest learners. We should start by creating universal transitional kindergarten, guaranteeing a quality educational experience that prepares 4 year olds to start kindergarten ready to learn. That's the first battle, but with the possibility of 12 years in the Legislature, I'll work towards access to universal early childhood education that begins even earlier. Answer from Bernt Rainer Wahl: Provide learning environments where students get excited about learning. I have over 2,000 university students. Many of my students have started companies or had significant impacts in their field. Answer from Clarence Hunt: The ongoing role of the Legislature is to assure that school facilities are renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and curriculums are based upon STEM and Vocational Training. Teachers should be evaluated annually based upon performance to assure that students receive the best education. Finally, public safety is critical to assure a safe educational environment. The Legislature should partner with local school districts to devise strategies to keep students safe. Answer from Pamela Y Price: Education has to be our top priority. The Legislature has a responsibility to support local school boards, increase funding for education and provide leadership and support to improve performance. I think secondarily issues related to economic justice, environmental concerns, public safety, health care and implementing restorative justice alternatives to discipline remain essential to the realization of our youth's potential and promise. I think the solutions come from outreach and education. I would like to communicate with the community more regularly, not just surrounding an event or something we need them to participate in. Engaging with people to understand what THEY need is the best way to get communities involved. Answer from Tony Thurmond: It is the Legislature's responsibility to ensure that our schools are fully funded so that our children have the best education, best teachers and better opportunities - because the future of our state is rooted in the success of our children. We need to provide our kids with greater access to engaging afterschool programs, extracurricular activities and mentors - it is the Legislature's duty to fight for legislation that supports these initiatives. A former School Board Member, I've worked closely with teachers, parents and students. I also led efforts that reduced school suspensions by 27%, reduced dropout rates and truancy, and kept four local public schools from closing. 4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities? Answer from Sam Kang: There is no magic bullet to fix all of California's problems. The place to start is not with any one program, but with an approach. The Assemblymember of this district must have the courage to stand up to powerful interests and know how to get things done. All of my top priorities need a leader who is willing to stand up to powerful interests: Bringing down the cost of health care, especially for seniors and underserved communities. This will require someone who can challenge health insurance companies from raising premiums at will. I've sponsored legislation for this in the past, and will continue this fight once elected. Increasing K-12 funding and bringing down the cost of higher education. Multi-national corporations, oil companies, and the wealthiest 1% do not pay their fair share. So the rest of us have been shouldering more and more responsibility. It's time to change that, and I can lead that fight. That's why I've been endorsed by the Small Business Association and the Executive Chairman of the Courage Campaign. Greater environmental protections, including banning fracking. I fought and defeated the attempts of Texas oil companies to roll back our environmental protections. I will continue this fight until we put an end to fracking in California. As a civil rights organizer, community advocate and consumer protection attorney, I've written and passed state legislation on a variety of issues, including more education funding, environmental protections, greater access to health care, and consumer protections. Out of all the candidates in this race, I am the only one with the actual experience of writing and passing legislation to fight for our communities. While we have many problems to solve, my top priority is to approach every issue with courage. Standing up to the powerful interests and getting things done is what I do best. I have the actual experience to know how to take on powerful interests and I know how to win. I would be honored to have your vote. Answer from Pamela Y Price: Small businesses and economic opportunity are the keys to our local economic growth and improving the outlook for the state. I know how hard it has become to pay people and make a profit. Unfortunately, local governments' economic development programs have been dealt a double blow with the elimination of Redevelopment and Enterprise Zone programs. We must find new ways to support local businesses so that they can continue to employ local workers, provide health care benefits, pay a living wage, and make a difference in our neighborhoods. I will work in the legislature to find solutions to support and help small and community-based businesses thrive in California. I have been working all my life to fight for justice for everyday people. For the past 22 years I have worked as a civil rights attorney successfully arguing against racial harassment in the United States Supreme Court, fighting for ground-breaking changes within the California Department of Corrections to stop sexual harassment of female officers, and handling dozens of other important cases, big and small, to advance and protect civil rights. My lifelong passion for civil rights is never far from my mind. I will continue this fight in the Assembly with legislation to address sexual trafficking and all forms of violence against women and children. We need to increase funding for programs for the youth aging out of foster care and other vulnerable populations. We need to continue California's leadership role in providing access to health care and acknowledge the need to improve patient safety & the education of our youth. I strongly support the Blueprint for Reinvesting in our Justice System. We must restore funding to the courts to ensure justice and civil rights for everyone. Our state and residents suffer without a fully functional justice system, I want to work in the legislature to make sure we improve and increase access to justice. Answer from Clarence Hunt: My priorities are job creation, banning fracking, and reopening mental health hospitals. California is viewed as the worst state in America to do business. Companies are leaving California whenever a better offer is made to relocate. Example, California recently lost over 20,000 jobs resulting from Toyota moving it's corporate operations from Torrance, California to Texas. My goal, and the Legislature, must address solutions that stop business exodus from California. Another top priority of the Legislature must be to protect small businesses against excessive taxation that force many small businesses into bankruptcy. The Legislature must expand Enterprise Zone Tax Credits to increase small business hiring. The Legislature must also assure that large banks start lending to individuals and small businesses. I propose that large banks set-aside a percentage of their equity for home mortgages to first time home buyers at low interest rates. Answer from Bernt Rainer Wahl: 1. Jobs - grow the economy with a strong work force in the East Bay 2. Education at all levels 3. Long reaching sustainable energy production. 4. Efficient modes of production and distribution. Example: have the ports of Oakland and Richmond be distribution hubs for transporting goods by rail. Have effective high speed rail transit from Sacramento to San Jose. 5. Answer from Elizabeth Echols: I believe strongly that we must prioritize making our state's higher education more accessible and affordable. We must reduce college fees and provide much needed revenues to our higher education system. We also should build California's leadership in environmental protection and expand our green economy. In the Assembly, I will work to combat climate change, place a moratorium on fracking in California, and protect the San Francisco Bay and the tidal marsh habitat. Answer from Tony Thurmond: The fact is that all of our challenges are interrelated. As a state legislator I will focus on education, sustainable jobs, mental health, crime and public safety. Due to my career in public service, I have deep experience creating proven, interconnected solutions - and making children and families the priority in California. From helping foster kids stay in stable homes to keeping once-troubled youth in school to getting East Bay residents and all Californians back to work, I understand that we need to get at the root of our district's most pressing challenges, especially when it comes to protecting our youth and keeping our communities safe. As a member of the Assembly, I plan to focus on: 1) Creating family-sustaining jobs and job training programs--to provide living wages for our working families, strengthen our middle class and to end the joblessness and hopelessness that result in violence in our communities; 2) Ensuring that every Californian has access to affordable health care, mental health programs and resources, and that our seniors have access to affordable medication and in-home care if needed; 3) Ensuring our children have access to the best education, affordable college and higher education and professional training so that they acquire the hard skills it takes to be successful adults 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. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.