League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles, Orange County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
	Irella Perez Answers Questions Candidate for State Senator; District 32

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 would you prioritize the fiscal choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?

Governor Brown says California faces a "wall of debt". This week the Legislative Analyst issued a report that shows clearly that most of that debt is the money the Legislature has taken from public schools. It's time to start paying that debt - the Legislature took it from our children. Our schools have been badly damaged. I see that damage every day in my school. It's a disgrace.

2. Given our current drought condition, concern for water rights and usage is an important issue. What solutions would you support to address our water problems?

First, we all have to accept responsibility for our own use of water. All of us have to conserve it. Second, we really have to stop fighting over water storage. We can do so much more to store water at a reasonable cost by replenishing our ground water supplies. Mother Nature has blessed us with massive underground aquifers. We have to technology to replenish those aquifers In wet years.

3. California high school students rank lower than many states in student performance. What do you see as the ongoing role of the Legislature in addressing this problem?

When I see our state leaders bragging about how high school graduation rates are now at 80% I want to remind them that this means they are bragging about 20% of our kids not graduating. Can you image them bragging about 20% unemployment. It's an unacceptably high number...not something to brag about. I decided to run against this failed status quo.

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

ObamaCare excludes undocumented Californians. No access to health insurance. Punishing millions of Californians for not having legal status by condemning them to illness is barbaric. The California Endowment has a plan. Senator Ricardo Lara is trying to implement that plan. I will help them get this done.

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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 11, 2014 09:20
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