League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz Counties, CA March 2, 2004 Election
	Ted Lempert Answers Questions Candidate for State Senator; District 11; Democratic Party

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What does California need to do to address the current budget crisis?

California needs a balanced approach of sensible budget reductions combined with sensible tax and fee increases such as reinstating the top income tax brackets and closing corporate tax loopholes. I oppose a constitutional spending cap and any cuts to education. I will work with party leaders on both sides of the aisle to end the partisan posturing and solve the state's fiscal crisis immediately.

2. What should the state's priorities be for K-12 education? For the Community College System?

When I entered kindergarten in 1966, California ranked 4th in the country in per capita student funding. When my second daughter entered kindergarten last September, California ranked 33rd (46th when factoring cost of living). My goal is to bring California back to the top. I am passionate about funding for education, which is why as a legislator I never have and never will vote to cut education funding.

Last year's budget "compromise" was devastating to local school districts. I served in the California State Assembly for 8 years, and I voted against cuts to K-12 education funding 100% of the time + even in the tight budget years of the late early 1990s. I was named "Legislator of the Year" by national and state education groups. After leaving the State Assembly I founded a non-profit education reform organization and will continue to fight for improvements in the public education system as a State Senator.

As State Senator, I will stand up for community college funding. Community colleges are especially important during tough times when many residents of all ages need to upgrade their job skills. It is not appropriate to dump our state budget problems on the backs of community college students + many of whom are working their way through school + by increasing their tuition fees. As Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee from 1997-2000, I was a consistent and strong supporter of funding for higher education. I sponsored hearings around the state to highlight the importance of community colleges in training our workforce.

Learn more about my record on education at http://www.tedlempert.com/education.html

3. What measures would you support to address California's water needs?

I have been a statewide leader in the effort to reduce water pollution.

During my first four years as an Assemblyman (1989-92), I authored the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act that became a model for the country in preventing and responding to oil spills along the coast. I also authored the California Coastal Sanctuary Act that banned new offshore oil and gas drilling and established a permanent ban on all new offshore oil and gas leases in state waters between San Simeon and the Farallons.

During my second four years in the State Assembly (1996-2000), I authored the Ballast Water Management Program, the first of its kind in the country, to control the invasion of nonnative species along the coast. (This legislation was recently re-authorized.) I served as Chairman of the Select Committee on Coastal Protection, holding nine hearings in two years on a variety of important coastal issues, including preventing oil spills in inland waters, toxics in the bay, coastal erosion, the creation of a sustainable fisheries management program, improving the State's marine reserves programs and improving the state's oil spill drill programs.

Learn more about my record on the environment at http://www.tedlempert.com/environment.html

4. What should the Legislature be doing to address the needs of Californians without health insurance?

I am committed to achieving universal health care. I voted for SB 480 (Solis, 1999), which mandated a report to the Legislature about options for achieving universal health coverage. My goal is to get all Californians insured as quickly as possible. I am open to all solutions.

I have a long history of supporting increased public health care, including voting to renovate our County Hospital rather than privatize, opening new public health clinics, expanding Medi-Cal coverage and increasing reimbursement rates, supporting the Healthy Families Program and fighting for long term care coverage.