District 25 — California State Assembly

This is a complex problem with no one solution. However, I will introduce several ways to improve the situation.

1. I will ask that 2 cents of our current sales tax dollars go to the zip code that the buyer lives. This will help in several ways. Where you live costs the city money. yet you spend much of your money outside where you live. This will help reward citiies that have housing instead of just rewarding cities that are causing much of the problem such as Palo Alto or Sunnyvale

2. Often related to affordable housing are schools. Many citizens have told me of the great distance they drive to work. They live in one city, yet they work in another city. These parents often want their children close to their work for reasons of safety and communication. I will require that parents are given a choice to have their children go to school where they live or work and if the school district where they work cannot or will not accomodate them then a portion of the state and local school funding would be available to be used in a nearby school public or private.

We do have a major civiiity problen and the root of the problem is that it appears that all issues have become too political. My promise to you is that my focus is on Solutions  - No EXCUSES.  My promise is to be an ELECTED PUBLIC SERVANT - I have the best combination of private sector  and public secttor experience of any of the candidates. To fix California will require the four C's - Communication, Creativity, Courage and Character. - I will seek your input and listen, And then Act. I have a track record of working hard, thinking independtly and coming up with solutions and then having the courage to do what I say I will do and take responsibility for my actions.

Civility starts with me and you will be treated with respect.

I took my children to the Space Shuttle Exhibit in Houston and during the tour the guide pointed out that there was no water shortage on the Space Shuttle that you could take showers and grow plants. How was that possible - They recycled water - Our water problems are fixable - the main problem is that water policy has become too political. 

Our state has way way too many water and sewage districts and way way too little coordination between them. It is time to greatly reduce the politics of water and instead now focus on new water policies that refllect our current population, and water needs.  The first question I would ask is What Changes are we unwilling to make to improve our water needs for our state?

I will add another related issue to this -  It is good that California sets high standards for protecting the environment . Just as my father said during my first camping experience - Leave the site the same or better than you found it. We need now add protection of our fiscal condition. Our country and state has so much debt and the cost of it prevents the good use of our tax dollars.

CLeaning up our financial mess is the most importatnt matter facing our state for we have enough money to improve our state if we can instead use it to improve tommorrow instead of wasting it on yesterday,s indulgence. 

Greatly improving our Educaional Systems is my highest goal. Our state allocates 54% of its budget on education yet too many are left behind and there is too wide a gap of edcuational opportunity for many of our students. Many of our students take too long to graduate, and many of them do not have the skills they need. In addtion Education today is Lifelong - As new skills are needed to stay productive during your life.

I served 12 years as a member of the Board of Trustees for Ohlone Ciommunity College and my children attended local public schools. 

There are many ways to improve education in California. The question asked above addresses just one area. For this group I have several proposals. 

1. Quality Education for our citizen students should be available regardless of the amount of money their parents make. I would greatly improve the Students and Parents Bill of Educatinal RIghts. This becomes the new basis that if a local school district cannoit provide a quality education to all then all contracts need to be redone to meet this very basic right.

2. I would re think what a local school means. Many parents have told me about the great distance that they drive between work and home. For reasons of safety and communication they would like to have their child go to school near their work. I would require that the school district that the parent works must consider enrolling therir student. If the local school district cannot or will not enroll that student then the state and local school funding would be split in three. With one third to the district in which the student lives, one third to the schoo district in which the parent works and one third to the parent to be used either in another school public or private.   

3. At the college level  I would make two changes. One require Common Course Numbering - for graduating credit classes. Example - Math 101 would have the same consideratrion regardless where earned ( provided of a standard of quality were met)  Meaning public or private schools and regardless of earned at Community Coillege, CSU, UC. This would allow students to finish their degrees faster and with lower cost. The second change I would advocate for is more money to vocational education as we need to educate many more toda's job skills.