Candidate for
State Senator; District 8

My name is Dennis Zell and I'm proud to be the Republican nominee for the California State Senate in District 8. The district now runs all the way from Pacific Avenue in Western San Francisco down to Portola Valley in the Mid-Peninsula.

I'm running for office because I believe it's time for change! During the past four years the "dot-com" boom brought in record amounts of new taxes and our leaders had the means and opportunity to do whatever they wanted.

They had the means and opportunity to fix our school system, but didn't. They had the means and opportunity to fix our transportation system, but didn't. They had the means and opportunity to fix our energy system, and oh did they fix it! Our elected officials had the opportunity to be statesmen, but they chose to be politicians. Instead of looking to the next generation, they looked to the next election.

During the last four years, our leaders put forth no new ideas. They put forth no new reforms. All they did is pay-back and appease special interest groups by stashing more money back into the same old pockets. Bureaucratic agencies became fatter, government hand-outs became more generous, and government contracts became less competitive.

In education, the state is allocating 28 percent more money to schools than in 1994. I ask you, are schools 28% better than they were in 1994? Are teachers making 28% more money than they were in 1994?

Our state budget next year is almost 100 billion dollars. Just three years ago the budget was 63 billion dollars. That's a 37% increase in three years! I ask you, is California's government 37% better than it was three years ago?

The problem is one of accountability. There is none. Our representatives in the California Legislature write blank checks and stick the taxpayers with the bill. We now have a budget deficit of almost 25 billion dollars and an energy bill of nearly 50 billion dollars.

If you want change, if you want accountability, and if you want your ideals and values represented in Sacramento, then I WANT YOUR VOTE! You have the power to change the status quo, but only if you vote. Don't be left in the dark with the same failed politicians again! If you want to solve our state's problems without raising taxes vote Zell for State Senate!