Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 70

Politics is the art of the possible. How many times have we heard that, and still we have extremists driving our political process. What Californians needs are pragmatists to solve our problems. While Governor Scharzenegger has attempted to resolve our budget crisis, it still is a problem and it will not be solved this year. Most likely it will be papered over, leaving the process to be repeated next year. The long-term budget problem cannot be readily solved as it is largely due to partisan extremism peppered with incivility between the extremes in the two parties. Instead of constructive discussion, communications swiftly degenerate into invective which makes any reasonable discussions very difficult.

We are fortunate that our governor does not seem to suffer from this affectation and what comes across are his words, "I need your help" and "Together we can . . ." With his new budget proposals providing the settings for further discussion and debate we can hopefully adopt a budget based on compromises that provides the best solutions for all Californians. Hopefully the Governor and the Legislature will reach agreement and the Governor will not go the initiative and referendum route which is not the way to create a budget.