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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Budget,
Government reform,
Higher education,
Major issues
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. How will you prioritize the budget choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?
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Answer from Julio Perez:
We are not going to balance the state budget tomorrow - it is going to take hard work. There are steps we can take to bridge the gap between what we're spending and what we're taking in. We can broaden our tax base to protect it from our boom and bust economy, close loopholes to force corporations to pay their fair share. What I won't do is punish working families for the state's budget shortfalls.
Answer from Michele Martinez:
I support performance-based budgeting that will provide clear goals and performance measures for state programs. I also support steps to aggressively grow our economy and create new jobs, which will be a source for new and stable revenues that can be invested in keeping our schools and neighborhoods safe.
California's budget must be reformed. We need to start with accountability and revenue standards that will identify what is working and eliminate wasteful government spending.
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2. What types of changes or reforms, if any, do you think are important to make our state government function more effectively?
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Answer from Michele Martinez:
We need to reform our budgeting process to eliminate wasteful government spending and bring increased accountability to state programs. Our schools can't afford another round of funding cuts and we need to work to make sure more money is directly invested in our classrooms.
Answer from Julio Perez:
It's time to reform the state initiative process, which too often is hijacked by deep pockets with myopic interests.
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3. Fees for public higher education have gone up dramatically and funding has been cut. Is this a priority concern, and if so, what measures would you propose to address it?
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Answer from Julio Perez:
Student fee increases are a huge concern of mine. We are in danger of placing higher education out of reach for a growing number of Californians. I want to fully fund our state's colleges and universities, and freeze or even roll back the fee increases of recent years.
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4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities?
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Answer from Michele Martinez:
We need to keep our kids safe and make sure they have a good start in life. I am running for Assembly to stop cuts to education funding, reduce the size of school bureaucracy so more money goes directly into the classroom, expand access to anti-gang programs in local schools and increase prison terms for sex offenders.
Answer from Julio Perez:
Apart from the budget crisis, the biggest challenge facing California is the state's high unemployment rate. As the economy recovers, we need to be ready. If elected, my top priority will be to create and protect good-paying jobs today, while preparing our children to compete for the jobs of tomorrow. I have fought my entire career for working families, and on behalf of the people of this district, I will continue that fight in Sacramento.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
