League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
	Sandra Fluke Answers Questions Candidate for 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.
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?

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.

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?

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?

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.

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

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

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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: September 27, 2014 17:22
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