Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 7; Democratic Party

Michael Wilson on the Issues: As you look for people who can lead our state government I hope you take into consideration the experience and policy positions that each of us brings. I am proud of my record of service in education, business, and local government and I believe these are what make me qualified to serve you in the State Assembly.

One thing that I have learned is the inter-connectedness of all our state policies. Thinking of jobs, transportation, housing and healthcare in four separate silos misses the fact that housing decisions and job placement are directly related to transportation needs that are influencing the health of all California families. So, while there is a need to dissect our policy thinking into categories, we must always look to how these policy positions can help or hurt our other important state goals. In government it is sometimes the unintended consequences that have the greatest impact.

Another key factor in my thinking about policy is the need to get beyond short-term fixes and really focus on the long-term. Because of legislative term limits many of our decisions, either budgetary or policy, are intended to have immediate political gains, even if they cause lengthy policy problems. I have seen this in my own city where for 40 years the Vallejo council has been approving short-term policies without a clear picture of the consequences that would come in 10 or 20 years. Unlike other elected officials that see success in press releases and feel-good legislation, I will measure my success by how well I prepare future generations to live in a safer, more productive and healthier environment.

Economy and Jobs: Communities have been hit hard by recession across California. Businesses are leaving the state and employees are continuing to lose or have their employer provided health insurance benefits reduced. California's unemployment is over 12%, homes that were once selling for $500,000 are selling for half as much, and California has the lowest bond rating in the nation. While there are signs that California's economy is growing in some sectors, healthcare and the "Green Economy," we continue to lose manufacturing jobs in construction and trade.

We need to make California an attractive state for companies to do business. We can do this by investing in our workforce through job training and higher education; doing so will position California's working families and businesses to take advantage of the 21st century economy. Investment in clean technology is showing signs that California will create hundreds of thousands of jobs in clean technology. Once again, the economy is changing to one in which the world is mindful of the decisions that they make and how those decisions dealing with the environment can affect generations to come.

State Budget: For many years California has been a State of Denial. Our budget has shrunk from over $100 billion in 1998-99 to the $89.3 billion dollars projected for 2010-11. It is now common wisdom that the unrealistic spending of the late 90's and early 2000's put us down a path where the state would eventually crash under the weight of its obligations. This day has come and gone. Yet there is little wisdom being used in Sacramento to help solve the crisis - just tricks and gimmicks.

There are no simple plans, no nirvanas, and no holy grails to bring us back. We need to fully leverage four key approaches to fix our budget: reducing ongoing spending, looking to short term revenue increases that don't hurt job creation, making long-term changes on how the state approaches budgeting, and most importantly working to create California's next economic engine.

Education Everyone knows that the K-12 system in California is in shambles. Budget cuts have eroded the funding guarantee under Proposition 98 and without resources we see schools closing and class sizes increasing. Teachers, who are already underpaid and overworked, are finding themselves spending more of their own personal money for supplies in the classroom. Thanks to bond money, facilities and maintenance have kept pace with the state needs, but we are lacking in funding for ongoing needs - and the ones that are ultimately hurt are our students.

The crisis is even greater among African American and Latino low-income communities. These families can expect that less than half of their children will even graduate high school. The impact of this failure on our society is astounding. We are failing as providers of education, and as a society, if whole groups of students are more likely to go to prison than college. Higher Education Every time our state revenues go down, public higher education is the first to get hurt. The colleges that were once the shining example for the nation lose state funding right at a time when student demand is increasing. In fact, it is at these public higher education institutions that we should be rebuilding our workforce and clawing our way out of the current economic crisis.

As your Assemblymember, I want to reinvest in higher education and make our colleges and universities work better.

Environment: California is the 12th largest emitter of carbon in the world despite leading the way on environmental standards. In 2006 the Governor signed AB 32, a landmark environmental bill that will roll back greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades. California can be a leader in the 21st century clean technology economy by addressing climate change, harnessing the power of renewable resources, and using environmental policies to drive innovation and entrepreneurial ingenuity, which will deliver major economic benefits including hundreds of thousands of jobs in construction and manufacturing.

We owe our children and grandchildren a healthy environment, clean drinking water, clean air, and an economy that can be sustained generations to come. The decisions we make today will affect us tomorrow.

Transportation: We have an outdated transportation system in the state of California. We have cities and counties that do not promote smart growth communities. We need to promote mass transit, improve our freeway systems, and encourage cities and counties to promote smart growth. These policies will deliver economic benefits including jobs in manufacturing and construction and will connect local and regional economies and ease congestion. As the population continues to grow and as the economy changes, we must also rethink how we travel and how we plan communities.

Healthcare: According to the latest data, 6.6 million Californians live without health insurance. Healthcare costs have spiraled out of control and premiums are too expensive. Many Californians cannot afford health insurance, cannot afford good insurance, or are denied by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions. Healthcare costs are one of the leading causes of bankruptcy. When families are faced with paying the mortgage, buying food, or purchasing health insurance most choose food and shelter over preventative care.