Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 43

Lately, it seems that many Californians have lost this sense of hope. They do not think there are sufficient opportunities here; they do not find the education system sufficient; they do not feel they are getting sufficient value for their tax dollars; they do not believe social mobility is theirs. And significantly, they believe their government has let them down. They have lost faith in our state.

This situation is very disappointing. When I take stock of California's assets, I see so much. We have a wonderfully diverse state where people come from all over the country and all over the world, bringing different viewpoints and a multitude of ideas. We have the entertainment industry -- Silicon Valley -- year-round sun in many places -- and some of the most fertile farmland in the world.

We have so many assets and so many intelligent, hardworking people. This state should be able to balance its budget and do so on time. This state should be a leader in clean industries. This state should be a place with ample good jobs and boundless opportunity. We can restore the California Dream by managing our assets better, and by bringing common sense and fairness back to state government. Please join me in this endeavor.

Mike's Plan for a Better California Fixing the state budget deficit, improving our economy, and cutting wasteful government spending are my top priorities. I believe we need to demand more leadership from our elected officials, at all levels of government. I am willing to make the tough decisions that are necessary to turn government around and cut wasteful spending. Below are some of my ideas.

Adopt a Commonsense Approach to Balance the Budget The State needs to approach its budget just like millions of Californians approach theirs. Recently, we passed a "Rainy Day" Fund to help us live within our means and put funds aside during the good times. This is a good step, but we have more to do. We need to lessen our dependence on unstable revenue sources which result in huge downswings when the economy is bad.

Implement Innovative Approaches to Education and Job Training With the right approach, we can strengthen our education system, fight crime, and train our youth for the jobs of tomorrow. First, the state must stop borrowing from our education system. Second, we need to make sure that our high schools and community colleges are training centers for the jobs that drive the Southern California economy. Nearly half of violent crimes are committed by young adults without jobs and without hope. Let's incentivize the businesses that employ our youth.

Improve Government Efficiency and Eliminate Waste and Abuse During times like these, it is crucial to elect leaders with the courage to make tough decisions and who will crack down on those who abuse taxpayer funds. Our leaders should assess where we can sensibly scale back spending, and we should appoint a legislative task force with real power to investigate waste and abuse. I will volunteer to head that task force.

Keep Film Production in California California is the birthplace of the Film Industry and the Film Industry employs thousands of Californians and generates millions for our local economy. Recently we successfully passed an expansion of the Film Tax Credit. It was a good first step, but we must continue to take the necessary steps to keep these jobs and revenue in our great state.

Encourage Historic Preservation of Our Neighborhoods If the state can incentivize developers to increase density, the state should also implement laws that mandate, facilitate, and incentivize the historical preservation of our neighborhoods. Our neighborhoods are special. Let's keep them that way by fostering a respect for their unique character. Clean Up Our Great State I believe that fighting pollution and foreign-oil dependency is simply the right thing to do -- for our cities, for our children, and for geopolitical reasons. But in addition, we should also prioritize other environmental issues, such as preserving and creating open space, and fighting graffiti.