League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Los Angeles County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues State Senator; District 26

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 Fiscal Choices, Water, Education, Your Priorities Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. How would you prioritize the fiscal choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending? Answer from Sandra Fluke: After several years of recession budgets filled with cuts, we finally have a surplus. We must balance our use of these new revenues to pay down the state's debt while also restoring social services and supports to their pre-recession levels, which were already far too low for critical investments. Expansion should be done with an eye to investments that are most cost-effective in the long run. This means growing the middle class and protecting those in the middle class from slipping backwards. These investments improve the economic status of families that immediately spend in our economy, increasing tax revenues. For example, smart investments include early childhood education and anti-child poverty initiatives like ending the maximum family grant. Children who are spared the worst impacts of poverty and who have the best start to their education do better in life. As a happy coincidence, investing in our children also saves the State money on incarceration, healthcare issues that could have been prevented, and other supports that thriving children and families are less likely to need. We should also invest in growing employment opportunities for the 750,000 out-of-work Californians ages 18-24. Young adulthood is another critical period of development, this time of economic and career development. The millennial generation's current economic challenges were brought about by entering the workforce at the height of the recession. Not only could this "failure to launch" follow this generation for decades as they fail to accumulate wealth and slip below their parents' economic status, but it will have a long-term impact on California's tax base. By contrast, ensuring that they're working good middle class jobs broadens the tax base for California. In addition to the current surplus, we must create new revenues to ensure the kind of investment that California needs. The single most critical action necessary in this effort is reforming Prop 13. Closing the corporate tax loophole on property reassessment and implementing split roll would provide much needed revenues for a whole host of priorities in our state. Returning tax increases to normal legislative and ballot initiative passage rates would allow our state the flexibility we require to meet current and future economic challenges. Progress on this issue is essential to numerous other priorities that require state investment. Answer from Ben Allen: Education, public safety, the economy, transportation, health care, housing, and the environment are all important priorities for California residents. There needs to be a comprehensive budget plan that ensures that all of these priorities are addressed. The Legislature must conduct effective oversight of the government's fiscal choices. Even the best government programs and government investments must be carefully monitored in order to avoid waste and maximize their effectiveness. As a State Senator, I will fight for fiscal responsibility and transparency, so that my constituents will know exactly how their money is spent. When I was first elected as a Board Member to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District in 2008, the Great Recession was creating major budgetary issues for our school district. However, through compromise, cuts, finding new revenues, and careful budgeting, we were able to preserve many critical programs that are crucial to student success. In 2011, I helped negotiate a deal with the City of Santa Monica that put our local schools on sound and stable financial footing. We were able to increase test scores and preserve critical programming in the arts, nursing, P.E., summer school, and libraries while still maintaining one of the strongest bond ratings in California. California needs to start planning ahead financially. By funding our education system and connecting students with their desired careers, we can build a strong backbone for our economy. California can and should have the most educated workforce in the world, and that, in turn, will enable us to be an economic leader. We need to focus our investments on infrastructure, which will provide not only a short-term economic boost but also help preserve long-term economic growth. We also need to find creative ways to increase the availability of capital for small businesses and start-ups, especially for first time entrepreneurs. Finally, I will be a stalwart advocate for the environment. I grew up in Santa Monica, swimming in the Santa Monica Bay and hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains. I will work on legislation designed to combat global climate change and reduce carbon emissions. I will also work to preserve our precious open space for the good of current and future generations. 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? Answer from Ben Allen: We need to start expanding our current water projects, such as storm water recapturing, the use of recycled water, and statewide water metering. At the same time, we also need to increase funding in research to monitor precipitation and water usage and that will allow us to develop new technology that can provide better treatment and management of groundwater. California also needs to have stronger water conservation measures and better education on environmental awareness. The State needs to work closely with local governments to implement these initiatives. There is a lot of work that can go into making water costs more fairly shared around the state. We can also better encourage drip irrigation in the Central Valley, while also reforming antiquated Gold Rush-era water rights to ensure a more equitable distribution of this precious state resource. Our water distribution system needs to be modernized, and I support some form of a water bond that will address this issue at minimum. Answer from Sandra Fluke: One of the most urgent environmental issues for my district and the state is water. SD 26 is a majority coastal district, and includes the Ballona Wetlands, Santa Monica Bay and Hyperion treatment plant. Protecting our water supply is critical and there are many areas for improvement. We must first focus on our local water supply, with strong efforts on recycling, conservation and storm water capture. Prioritizing water recycling efforts at Hyperion, rather than losing 250 million gallons a day of water into the Santa Monica Bay, is incredibly important. Water conservation must also be prioritized. Educating the public on simple ways to conserve, particularly on landscaping, is also critical, especially in my district where housing lots are so large. Finally, losing 50-80% of our storm water when it rains is unacceptable. We must invest in and prioritize storm water capture. 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? Answer from Sandra Fluke: I grew up in a community where education wasn't adequately valued and where higher education opportunities weren't present, so I've seen the consequences of a lack of investment in education. That's why my mother, a public school teacher, helped bring a community college to our community, and made sure I was the first person in my father's family to earn a bachelor's degree. I'm proud to continue her work by advocating for greater investment in public education. That kind of investment is what's needed to improve California students' performance in comparison to other states and our state legislature must ensure that investment is made. We've made good initial steps toward restoring funding to public education, but there's much more to be done to adequately equip our schools to meet the challenges they face. Even before the recession, our per pupil investment was one of the worst in the country. Proposition 98 funding alone is not adequate + we must do more, including renewing Prop 30 funding. The new common core standards and testing will allow California students to compete on an equal playing field with the same tests and curricula as other states, but we must make sure our students are prepared to meet that challenge. One important step is to provide adequate funding for computer access in our schools. This is especially critical when common core testing will be computer-administered. Students must have an opportunity to develop the computer skills necessary to perform well. It is also time to adequately invest in student support services so that all of our students are able to perform at their best. This includes access to psychologists and counselors, healthy and affordable food options, social workers and physical education. Investment in early childhood education is equally critical. Early childhood education ensures that students are adequately prepared to learn when they start school. It's the clear solution to closing the achievement gap for children from lower-income families as well. Answer from Ben Allen: One of the main reasons I am running is to help make investment in public education a top priority. This issue is personal to me. I grew up in a family deeply committed to public education + my dad is a UCLA professor, my mom was a public high school teacher, my brother is now a researcher and instructor at UCLA. I went to public schools and took cross-listed classes through Santa Monica College. Most of my childhood friends went on to college in the community college, CSU, or UC systems. I served on the UC Board of Regents, have taught in our state's community college system, and now teach at UCLA. We ought to make it easier to pass local revenue measures. We can also work with local school districts on developing curriculum standards that will help prepare students for higher education and for jobs requiring a greater level of technological knowledge. The state can also invest in our higher education system, including vocational training programs and apprenticeship programs. Some may see these types of government programs and initiatives as "spending", I see it as a vital investment that we cannot afford not to make. For example, I'd like to see us bring more of our best and brightest into the teaching profession by creating a program to give a free public higher education to all of those students who finish in the top tier of their graduating high school classes in return for a five year commitment to teach in the public school system after college or grad school. I would like to see the Legislature work to reauthorize Prop 30. I'd like to see us learn from the successes of certain charter schools, while ensuring quality and fairness in the system. I think that some modest reforms to the tenure system would be of benefit to both students and teachers. As a two-term Board Member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, I have worked relentlessly to improve the quality of education for our students, and as a result, students from the school district have achieved academic excellence. I look forward to applying my experience at the state level. With the proper investment, California's public education system will be the envy of the globe, and California's students will once again rank the highest in the nation. We ought to lower the threshold for passing local revenue measures. We can also work with local school district on coming up with curriculum standards that will help prepare students for higher education and for jobs requiring a greater level of technological knowledge. The state can also invest in our higher education system including vocational training programs and apprenticeship programs. Some may see these types of government programs and initiatives as "spending", I see it as a vital investment that we cannot afford not to make. For example, I'd like to see us bring more of our best and brightest into the teaching profession by creating a program to give a free public higher education to all of those students who finish in the top tier of their graduating high school classes in return for a five year commitment to teach in the public school system after college or grad school. I would like to see the Legislature work to reauthorize Prop 30. I'd like to see us learn from the successes of certain charter schools, while ensuring quality and fairness in the system. I think that some modest reforms to the tenure system would be of benefit to both students and teachers. As a two-term board member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, I have worked relentlessly to improve the quality of education for our students, and as a result, students from the School District have achieved academic excellence. I look forward to applying my experience at the state level. With the proper investment, California's public education system will be the envy of the globe and California's students will once again rank the highest in the nation. 4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities? Answer from Sandra Fluke: My top three priorities are campaign finance reform, protecting our environment and investment in education: Campaign Finance Reform: Reduce the influence of big money in politics Ensure elected officials are accountable to their constituents, not special interests Make elections more transparent so voters know who is funding campaigns Creating a small-dollar matching program to encourage candidates to seek support from everyday people, giving special interests less of a voice Education: Access to early childhood education for all Affordable higher education and tackling skyrocketing student loan debt Reinvestment in public education at the primary and secondary levels Environment: Solving California's water crisis with a focus on local solutions Implementing a moratorium on fracking Investing in sustainable transportation alternatives Protecting the coast, including preventing over development Answer from Ben Allen: The Legislature should address the issue of high unemployment and high underemployment. Although our unemployment rate has improved somewhat in the recovery from the Great Recession, it remains far too high and addressing it should be one of the top priorities of the California State Legislature. The Legislature should also address the on-going threat of global climate change. These two priorities go hand in hand as the greening of our environment has the potential to create millions of new permanent, good paying, high-quality jobs for Californians. The Legislature should address the issue of high unemployment and high underemployment. Although our unemployment rate has improved somewhat in the recovery from the Great Recession, it remains far too high and addressing it should be one of the top priorities of the California State Legislature. The Legislature should also address the ongoing threat of global climate change. These two priorities go hand in hand as the greening of our environment has the potential to create millions of new permanent, well-paying, high-quality jobs for Californians. My own priorities include: (1) Increasing the affordability of higher education at all levels, (2) Creating jobs with the opportunity for upward mobility, including creating new incentives for good job creation, (3) Securing more funding for Los Angeles Metro Rail funding, (4) re-investing in our state's infrastructure, (5) Increasing funding for our K-12 public schools as an effort to secure a high-quality education for our children, (6) Open space preservation, climate change action and Santa Monica Bay pollution remediation, (7) Helping the state come to terms with its long term budgetary challenges and liabilities, (8) Supporting common-sense reporting and fundraising restrictions to restore greater integrity to the legislative process. 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.