League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Orange County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Sharon Quirk-Silva Answers Questions Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 65

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How will you prioritize the budget choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?

We must reduce partisan bickering and take the following steps. We must encourage private-sector job creation and reduce unemployment, bringing in extra revenues. We must look at the state budget and eliminate waste and duplication of services. We must treat everyone fairly and ensure that the super rich and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes and that we close loopholes and take away incentives that allow corporations to ship jobs and revenues overseas to avoid state taxes.

2. What types of changes or reforms, if any, do you think are important to make our state government function more effectively?

People who are elected to state office need to do more to recognize that we are all in this together and that while we may belong to a particular political party we are also Californians first. Therefore, we must work together to stop the partisan bickering and political games and strive to address our state's problems. Problems like high unemployment, educational reform and adequate funding, a broken transportation system, and a budget that is seriously out of balance. I don't care who gets the credit or the blame i am interested in solving the problem.

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?

As a public school teacher, I believe we need to do more in California to better prepare our children to compete in a global marketplace. We need to assist teachers with additional training and making class sizes smaller with increased emphasis on math and sciences. We need to make sure that children who have the ability and desire to go on to higher education will have the financial ability to do so. We need to increase our commitment to four-year degree programs and community colleges.

4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities?

My priorities are very straightforward. We need to create jobs and reduce unemployment, build a first-class public school system, and listen to my constituents and end the partisan bickering and gridlock that has dominated Sacramento in recent years.

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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.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 8, 2012 15:12
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