Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 78

• John McCann - Making California Energy Independent It's time we end our addiction to foreign oil. Those of us who drive cars or use other energy in our homes or businesses send billions of dollars overseas, often to hostile dictators, instead of keeping those dollars right here in California, where they belong. These funds should be used be put to work bolstering our economy, fixing our schools, our roads, and our ailing health care system.

We need to invest in solar alternatives for production of our electricity. I believe in alternative power and have proven that by purchasing a photovoltaic system for my own home, consisting of 40 solar panels and two inverters. We produce enough electricity to power our home all year. As a result we have saved thousands of pounds of greenhouse gases over the last several years. We must encourage Californians to look to solar alternatives by creating personal and business tax advantages and the ability to sell over production back to our electric companies so it is an economically feasible investment.

• John McCann + Restoring Economic Growth and Jobs To the average working and middle-class family, the hard times aren't just on the news every night... they are in the rising bills for our gas and day to day groceries, and in the decrease in value of our homes. The economic troubles are here, and the government in Sacramento is only throwing fuel on the fire.

Freeing small businesses from red tape is only part of the answer during an economic downturn. It's also imperative that in hard times we make sure that our working families and seniors have access to the healthcare, housing, education and employment support and security they need in order to stay afloat and maintain independence.

• John McCann + Demanding Excellence In Our Schools

I think you'd agree that what's been allowed to happen in schools all over California is a tragedy. Our children deserve better. I am unwilling to pass another generation of children through our public education system without giving them the education they deserve.

First, the most important tool we can give our students to help them succeed is the ability to read, write, and speak English before they graduate. If a student graduates knowing English his job and education prospects expand dramatically.

Second, I believe its time to start holding everyone accountable for actual classroom performance. That means administrators, teachers, and parents. And that means real testing at every level so parents and the community as a whole can see what is working and what is failing.

Third, we must ensure that every student and every teacher is safe on school grounds. It is government's responsibility to make sure there is no violence or drugs in our schools. That means giving teachers and administrators the ability to instill discipline, and placing more public safety officers in our schools.

I'm not just pulling my opinions on education reform out of the air. I have real world experience in the classroom. I've been a teacher right here at our local community college.

• John McCann + Bringing Back Open, Honest Government

Part of the solution to this crisis is to make sure citizens have the tools they need to participate in our Democracy. Nothing keeps a politician more honest than knowing citizens are looking over their shoulder. That means making sure the process is open and transparent, televised and with documents available on the internet.

Bringing back open government also means removing the politics and partisanship from the budget process. That means holding EVERYONE accountable: Republicans, Democrats, and Bureaucrats. EVERYONE. I support an annual outside, nonpartisan audit of every dollar spent in every department. And I support making the results public.

It's also time to end the rule of Special Interests in Sacramento. You see, Special Interests think they own the legislature... and maybe they do. I think its time we reminded them that our State Capitol is the People's House.

As a Chula Vista City Councilman, I have been faced with more than one situation where politicians or Special Interests were abusing the system. And when I realized what was going on I stood up and demanded reform.