League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	State of California (Placer, El Dorado, Shasta, Sacramento, Nevada, Siskiyou, Lassen, Plumas, Modoc, Sierra, Alpine Counties) June 5, 2012 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues State Senator; District 1

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 Les Baugh: Police and Fire get first priority - followed closely by education. We also need to invest in crumbling infrastructure in order to have any hope of increasing revenues. Answer from Julie Griffith-Flatter: I support a balanced approach of increases in revenue and cuts in spending. Both areas need adjustments. 2. What types of changes or reforms, if any, do you think are important to make our state government function more effectively? Answer from Julie Griffith-Flatter: The election of people who are willing to work together to find mutually agreeable solutions that best address everyone's needs without inflicting devastating blows on anybody. Answer from Les Baugh: We need a real top-down audit whose results are enforceable with a true spending cap. 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 Julie Griffith-Flatter: Education is the best investment we can make for the future. I will examine all of the alternatives for improving education at all levels. Answer from Les Baugh: An enforceable top-down audit would uncover waste in Government and more importantly, cause changes in the way money is spent allowing budgets for many vital services to be restored. 4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities? Answer from Les Baugh: We need to repeal unnecessary and redundant laws. This coupled with the Top-Down state audit would repair a lot of the self-inflicted wounds in California. Answer from Julie Griffith-Flatter: The state's investment in the resources within District 1. District 1 provides water and other resources that are invaluable to the state and its residents. 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.