STATE SENATE DISTRICT 15

Candidate

State Economy/Budget

Transportation

Education and
Proposition 1A

Healthcare:
Propositions 63 and 72

Government Reform

Stem Cell Research:
Proposition 71

Abel Maldonado

1.Economy

2.Education

3.Healthcare

4.Environment
5.Public Safety

“I'll never forget who put me in office and whose money the government spends—the people.”

“The people chose this direction when they put in a new governor. You have to understand the stability of the workforce—if you stimulate small business, you'll have a better economy. There are things in this plan I don't support—like closing youth authorities. There's going to be some changes as we move forward.

“If there's no budget, I don't take a salary. If we had legislation that said once the budget is late one day, you stop getting paid, I guarantee the people of California would have a budget on time every single year.”

“I support the BART extension, the Coleman overpass and a Proposition 42. Gas taxes should go to roads and transportation. Instead, the governor has done what was done with Proposition 98 and borrowed the money, which is wrong.”

“I'm a big time supporter, but disappointed that we didn't do this four years ago. It will keep local money at the local level. I don't support un-funded mandates. Special education is a mess. I support local control and local discretion for funding. School boards need to make the decisions—not the state of California making one-size-fits-all decisions for the entire state. It does not work. It all comes down to making smart decisions with this economy so that there's more money to fund education.”

Proposition 63: “I don't support this because it's pinpointed on that one percent. The last thing you want is for that one percent to leave the state.”

Proposition 72: “I'm not opposed to providing healthcare, but you cripple small business when you hit them with another mandate, on top of workman's comp. If we mandate this, what's next? They move out of the state. We've got to stay competitive or we're going to lose. I'm not supporting this.”

“We need to stop the bills that allow Sacramento to make the decisions. The party in control of the house joins a piece of good legislation with one they know the governor can't sign—it's called double joined. Nobody wanted to cut teachers, so they added tax loopholes for yacht owners. If you vote to close the $5 million loophole, you cut $200 million in teacher tax credits for schools. It's horrible.

“I support redistricting reform big time, but it's not going to happen. The legislature will never do it.”

“I authored the worker's comp legislation. Is it resolved? No. Have the problems of the past stopped? Yes. We still have a lot to do to fix this bill. If there's no real relief, this governor's going to make some changes. We're also working with the attorney general to see why insurance profits are so high and payouts so low. If there needs to be legislation, I'm on it.”

“I'm all for it. Is it the whole pie that I wanted? No, but I think it's needed to get more research and help.”

Peg Pinard

1. Budget

2. Education

3. Healthcare

4. Economy

5. Environment

“I bring a definite practicality to the office. I mean what I say and I follow through on what I say I'll do.”

“I don't think this budget is going in the right direction. We passed a $15 billion bond debt. There's nothing to show for it. $1.3 billion was robbed from local governments this year, with more to come. This plan doesn't change the issues that got us into trouble in the first place.

“I've always had a balanced budget and on time. It needs to be done, or they shouldn't be rewarded for not being able to get the job done.”

“I've been supportive of mass transit projects in every way, but we need to make the project clear and pass a bond for it—not borrow from gas taxes for our roads.”

“I support Schwarzenegger's plan for a Department of Education. We need to make the system more efficient.

“Local money should stay with local government. This has been a problem in Sacramento for years. The state is not looking at what is happening in the local arenas, rather a Band-Aid approach to put money here, while there's hemorrhaging there. We need to put all of this together and use it a lot more wisely than we've been doing. We need to put all of this together and use it a lot more wisely than we've been doing.”

Proposition 63:” “I'm not against mental health, but it should be funded properly. The relationship between the service and the tax has to be solid. Let's look at tax structure instead.”

Proposition 72: “This is a stop-gap measure until we can get a more full revision of the system. I think it is necessary and will support it. It would give insurance to 1.1 million more Americans.”

“It's unconscionable that the state has balanced its budget on the backs of local governments.

“California wants to see transparency throughout government.

“I'm very supportive of the governor's effort to eliminate waste and duplication.

“We need to take special districting out of the hands of those subjected to protecting their own self interests.”

“Everybody knew we needed reform. But did this result in real savings? The workers, employers, and providers didn't get it. Where did the money go? Corporate interests have gone from making a profit to corporate greed. We have agencies in place to regulate them, but they're not doing their job. It's an industry out of control.”

“I am for stem cell research. But, this one is going to set up it's own institute? There are bio tech firms ready to go and don't feel it needs to go through another layer of bureaucracy—I thought we wanted to simplify.”

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 21

Candidate

State Economy/Budget

Transportation

Government Reform

Steve Poizner

1. Education

2. Economy

3. Political Reform

"Our economy continues to suffer —putting at risk environmental protection, transportation, housing and health care. And our schools, once the hallmark of public education in the nation, continue to fall far behind in national standards. My personal goal is to start a political revolution that will take on the problems in state government— one that changes the focus in Sacramento from partisanship to problem solving."

“I'll go to Sacramento and I won't be beholden to anybody. I can guarantee you that.”

“We're not just bankrupt, but in massive debt. I oppose using any more debt to solve short-term deficit problems. I favor spending caps tied to the health of the economy. I also favor sunset provisions so all programs and policies get reviewed on a regular basis.

“Billions have been stolen out of the Proposition 42 trust fund. That's going to hurt transportation projects around the state. I'm going to pass some new piece of legislation that will prohibit robbing money out of one area to pay for short-term operating losses.”

“When a school has money to replace the lights in their stadium, but none to fix the restrooms, something's wrong. It's a big mistake.

“I support the consolidation of policy-making power when it comes to public schools in Sacramento. I don't support the elimination of the county boards of education. I'm convinced they play an important role. They bring Sacramento a bit closer to the action.

“We need local control. We now have a state education code that's 2,000 pages long and growing with lots of rules and regulations that constrain what they can do locally and these funding streams that come with strings attached.”

“Prop. 1A would prohibit state government from stealing money from cities and counties to pay off its budget deficit. The state shouldn't rob cities and counties' coffers.”

“The intention is good behind Prop. 63, but the last thing we need is another sort of dedicated specific revenue string coming from an initiative that ties the hands of the legislature. I'm concerned about chasing more jobs out of here.

“I'm against Prop. 72. It's a huge mistake to stick it to businesses.”

“Government must be slimmer and smarter. I'll vote only for programs that can be rationalized. For every dollar spent, there has to be not just good cause, but absolute accountability.

“I'll work to curb California's spending appetite, eliminate waste by opening government's books, eliminate redundancy that curtails speed and progress and work for cheaper, more efficient government through privatization.

“People are angry, but it didn't end at the recall. There's an ongoing feeling that something's fundamentally wrong and they want change.”

“Gov. Schwarzenegger's reform plan contains some bold and exciting proposals and some that need more thought and evaluation. There should be a blue-ribbon commission that comes along and says, ‘Let's take a look at what we're doing.' ”

“Workers' compensation rates are still almost twice as expensive as the national average because there's so much ambiguity in the benefits and therefore it leads to a lot of litigation. Most workers' compensation insurance companies went bankrupt and left the state.

“ I support Prop. 71. It was a tough call because it's a $300 billion chunk of debt. I'm in favor of using debt for long-term investments. I'm convinced that stem cell research presents fantastic opportunities to cure some horrible diseases. People from all over the world come to Stanford to get training on stem cell research, mainly from China. We're training these brilliant Chinese scientists who go back to China and get full funding. In 10 years, China will own the whole stem cell industry if we don't step up to the plate.”

Ira Ruskin

1. Education

2. Environment

3. Housing

4. Economy

5. Women's rights

“In the spring, I based my campaign for Assembly on my book, ‘Best Ideas' and won the Democratic nomination.”

“I want to close tax loopholes such as those allowing corporations to headquarter off shore in name only so that they're unrightfully exempt from state corporate taxes. I would also create a luxury tax on yachts.”

“We need to look into how rapid transit is done and make sure we maintain the freeways and roads in good condition. We need to start releasing state transportation money that has been held up over the last several years and we need to improve rapid and mass transit.”

“I don't approve eliminating the county offices of education and the placing of community college administration within an already crowded cabinet. I think the community colleges will suffer. I can't see how that would help because I believe in local control for schools. It would regionalize already large county offices.

“One of the central precepts of my campaign is to increase local control of schools. I believe that administrators, teachers, school board members and parents in the district know more about what the districts need than anyone in Sacramento. There are now more than 100 categoricals, which should be reduced to 10.

“Prop. 1A would replace Proposition 65 to stop the state from continually balancing its books on the back of local cities and other districts. I'm supporting the governor's deal on Prop. 1A.”

“I support Prop. 63. It's an important move in the right direction. We need to finance mental health initiatives.

“I support Prop. 72.”

“One part of Gov. Schwarzenegger's reform plan deals with overall massive reform; the other with small efficiencies that can be easily adopted. In education, there's an efficiency that would ensure that all courses at a community college are tailored to go with courses at the University of California and California State University systems so that we don't have different requirements.”

“Any reform needs to involve insurance rates. Small, medium and large businesses are hurting. They have large rate increases cutting into their profitability. I'll fight to lower the rates, even if it means regulating the rates. It's the only industry that does not have rate regulation.”

“I strongly support Prop. 71. It's a great investment. Right now the biotech industry is where the high-tech industry was in the 80s and 90s. Having them here is a competitive advantage for Californian and for this district. They're going now to be shifting from research to manufacturing. I favor the biotech tax credit to keep the manufacturing jobs here and maintain the competitive edge. Between the two, the biotech firms would be in good shape.”

DISTRICT 10 CITY COUNCIL

Candidate

Top Five PrioritiesPolitical Statement

Economy/Budgetand City Hall

Development

Education

Public Safety

Sports Complex

Lessons learned from Pat Dando

Nancy Pyle

1. Jobs

2. Health

3. Public Safety

4. Education

5. Economy

“Experience, experience, experience. I have a proven track record and I'm very involved in the community.”

“We need to provide a tax incentive for new businesses, create a center of innovation to encourage businesses, increase and publicize incubator and mentoring programs, and encourage small business to use the franchise approach.

“We need to take a new look at the way we do things and streamline the process. I haven't seen enough accountability, transparency, and good business practices. I know when line items are missing, like furniture and technology for City Hall. I plan on taking a look at the entire budget step by step.”

“Planning is critical, as well as public input. There are only 3,400 developable acres left in San Jose. We need to find ways to work with developers to be more caring of the environment.

“I would adhere to the 20/20 General Plan of the city of San Jose which favors high-density housing near public transportation corridors. Much of the remaining developable land in San Jose is in District 10 and needs to be shepherded very carefully with a view toward getting the maximum use of this precious resource. To offset the high cost of land, our city needs to cut the costs for plan approval and permits and to decrease the time it takes to get them.”

“Education is the single most important component of our community, which allows us to build a healthier, safer, brighter future. The problem boils down to dollars. Enrollment is declining and schools are closing. People who moved to Almaden because they liked the schools now find out that their children might not attend their local schools. We need to figure out how to help those who live there send their kids to those schools. Furthering the understanding of the communities/schools would be number one. Increasing parental involvement would also be helpful in increasing educational opportunities for kids. I've seen firsthand what parenting courses can do for families and student success.”

“I love what Police Chief Davis has been doing. He's been putting an enormous effort into community outreach, listening to problems, and trying to increase cultural understanding with the police department and with communities in general. We need to find ways to bring diverse people together in meaningful ways—perhaps featuring different cultures at libraries or community centers.”

“If we don't have county support, we have a huge problem. It's been 12 years, and it hasn't come to fruition. We need to define the problem and get a task force dedicated to getting this off the ground as soon as possible. How much of this could be solved if we were able to work out an agreement with SJUSD that kids could play on the fields over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday if damages were covered and they could make a little money on the deal? It's gone on long enough and I think we need to come up with some solutions. We need to be realistic and start looking at other venues so that these kids can play soccer.”

“I am in favor of 1) incentives for alternative energy, 2) wind power for the grid and 3) “Green” construction. We also need to look at transportation modes that favor a healthier atmosphere.

“Family's health and safety has to come first over wild animals. People also have to take precautions to protect themselves. We need to look at all possible ways to solve this problem. By the same token, I have seen people leave pet food on their front porches, which is irresponsible.”

“One lesson I learned is that she shows up and it really means a lot to District 10 residents. She makes them feel special—and what they're doing is important. I feel exactly the same way. I'd let the residents know that they're important, and that they're being heard. I'd be even more communicative and try to judge situations before they become problems. I'd go to homeowners association meetings, have an open-door policy, and answer calls within 24 hours.”

Rich De La Rosa

1. Jobs

2. Jobs

3. Jobs

4. Traffic

5 Public safety

“I'm not beholden to anybody. I'm very independent. I make big decisions every day and don't have to play politics to make those decisions.”

“We need to bring back jobs. San Jose must streamline processes and establish an attitude of assistance to our customers (job creators). Bringing business and jobs will go a long way toward solving unemployment and tax revenue to the city. There needs to be a voice for business on the council, someone that has signed the front of the check as well as the back of the check.

“One of the problems regarding our budget is the escalating operating costs throughout the city while our projected income is down. Everybody's lost confidence in City Hall. There's the over-budgeting of the new city hall and failure to follow the proper processes. Many of our council members have forgotten that they're public servants.”

Supports the city of San Jose's 2020 Master Plan. “We need to make sure that we maintain a good balance of growth and preservation of open spaces in an intelligent way that is best for our community. Getting additional housing downtown is essential to future growth. Where are we going to put people if corporations come to San Jose and have their headquarters here? It would help the environment and congestion if we can get people jobs near where they live, like downtown.

“ Under the general plan, there are a lot of triggers and safeguards to prevent premature growth. We don't want to develop an area while we still have other projects to finish.”

“The system's broken. Unfortunately, the city is powerless to fix it because that's the state system. It's a matter of over-regulation. We're spending too much time trying to justify tests as opposed to teaching. I'm interested in continuing programs to keep teachers here like the housing program. The other things we need to contribute to are homework centers and after school programs like “The Spot.” We should have several of them throughout the district.”

“The quality of life we have here is because of our public safety. We're the safest big city—and we're working with the smallest police force per capita of any large city in America. We haven't graduated as many officers as we've needed to in the last several years because of budgetary concerns. I think we need to have a larger force to better meet our needs. We couldn't have a better ambassador for the city of San Jose and the police department than Police Chief Davis. You talk about communication and transparency; I think Police Chief Davis is a tremendous example of that.”

“I would do everything I could to push this forward. There is a tremendous need, not just in Almaden, but throughout the city of San Jose for this type of youth sports complex. It bothers me that people don't see the need. The McKean property is eventually going to be urbanized and I don't call putting playing fields on school facilities development. The traffic situation has to be mitigated and the roads will have to be widened. We don't water fields at the expense of drinking water. If we can safely water five acres of it, then fine, we do that.”

“We need to preserve and protect our open spaces and hillsides. It's a resource of beauty and a way of preventing additional traffic congestion and pollution. Protecting the green lines is very important. It's part of the character of our valley.

“We should remove the coyotes from the Villas. Any time wildlife and humans cross to the point where it's a danger to people, especially children, we need to take definitive action. Residents also have to understand where they live. The Villas encroach on the hillside and they have to make sure to remove food sources, protect garbage cans, and protect their pets.”

“Talking with Pat and drawing from her experience is very important to me. If I'm able to win this election, she's going to let me know what projects she would like to see go forward, what has been successful, and what hasn't. The biggest lesson I've learned from Pat is to be straightforward and try not to compromise your values. You have to do whatever you can for your district, while at the same time keeping the big picture in focus.”