League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Diego, Riverside County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Member of the State Assembly; District 71

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. 1. How will you prioritize the budget choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending? Answer from Patrick J. Hurley: Job growth through tax credits and other incentives like a state sponsored PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program. Establish a severance tax on oil, like Texas and Alaska, and a state bank. Reform our justice and prison systems. Answer from John McLaughlin: In any budget process, it is imperative to understand the total revenue first. The Legislature should use the most conservative number provided by the Legislative Analyst Office. A more accurate estimate will reduce revisions later and budget shortfalls from false expectation of revenues. First, we should fund public safety, and then reduce the remaining services to balance the budget. During years of surplus, the budget growth should be capped to increase no more than the increase in population plus inflation. Any excess should be used to pay down California's debt and then saved for future expenditure. During years of deficit, the budget should be cut to match the decrease in revenues. Every American household must make these choices, why not the Legislature? 2. What types of changes or reforms, if any, do you think are important to make our state government function more effectively? Answer from John McLaughlin: Eliminate Answer from Patrick J. Hurley: We need to increase revenue through economic growth, and we need to make it easier to pass a budget that helps the State of California. 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? Answer from Patrick J. Hurley: Again, the solution is creating jobs, creating funding for higher education will come from economic growth. 4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities? Answer from Patrick J. Hurley: Again, the solution is creating jobs; creating funding for higher education will come from economic growth. Job growth through tax credits and other incentives like a state sponsored PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program and higher solar quotas and feed-in tariffs from utilities. With these and other incentives, we will create a job boom in weatherization and alternative energy without raising taxes. Establish a severance tax on oil, like every other state, and establish a state bank. Reform our justice and prison systems. 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.