The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on Budget Crisis, Education, Water, Health Insurance

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

Answer from Barbara Nesbet:

It is essential that the State of California pass fiscal and budgetary reforms so that we can create a healthy state economy in which tax dollars are well spent. I will support budget accountability reforms including a 55 % vote requirement for passage of the state budget. A minority of legislators must not be allowed to hold the state budget hostage. Further, we must consider the implementation of a 2-year budget cycle, to promote forward-looking and sound fiscal planning.

In the State Assembly, I will fight to protect essential services. In difficult economic times, I will not support putting additional pressure on Californians by cutting critical services. Instead, we must seek additional sources of revenue. In the state legislature, we can study proposals such as raising the tax rates on the top 1% income bracket, and bringing commercial property assessments in line with home property assessments.

Answer from John H Barton:

We need five key actions: we need to elect people to statewide office who are willing to lead to long term solutions and have a demonstrated track record of having done so; wemust reduce the threshold to pass a budget and tax increases to 55% at the most-I am in favor of the SEIU initiative to do just this; we must review our taxation structure and renocate it or crate a new one so that it reflects the economy that we have; require a "rainy day" fund within the budget for future periods of economic downturn; and most importantly we need statewide priorities that shape the budget in times of wealth and

Answer from John H Barton:

As a two term school trustee of one of the most respected school district int the country and an instructor in the Community College, CSU, UC and private University Systems, I have a unique view on the social, political and human value of a free public education system. Currently that system is broken. Though there are about 1,000 school districts statewide far too much policy is set in Sacramento and much of it is counterproductive. We must move policy setting, implementation and accountability to the local lecel and move away from the state setting the goals, holding the purse strings but delegating the accountability. It makes little policy sense and voids the real value of locally elected representatives.
At the community college level we must stop taxing young citizens by increasing their fees and placing those dollars in the General Fund. Those fees should be reduced or the fee increases should be reduced or the fee increases directed into the system. We must also move to more full-time instructors and better pay and benefits for p

Answer from Barbara Nesbet:

My top priority in the State Assembly will be investing in education. When we make good investments in education, we are investing in our children's futures, and in California's future. Most importantly, we must create healthy and productive educational and social development for our children and young people.

First, we must secure appropriate funding for education in California. Our state ranks 30th in spending levels on schools. We must do better. My spending priorities will include early childhood education, libraries, and after school programs. We must also attract and retain good teachers who will provide a nurturing environment for children.

California's community colleges are essential educational institutions for our state. Community colleges are places where every Californian can seek higher education and improve their job skills. We must adequately fund our community colleges, and we must keep fees low so that all Californians can have access to education.

Answer from Barbara Nesbet:

California must promote water conservation. We must also ensure safe and clean drinking water for all. Finally, we must ensure that new developments have access to adequate water supplies before building starts.

If we employ greater water conservation techniques in agriculture, we can provide more water for urban areas. We can also promote water conservation through education programs

It is essential that we maintain clean water supplies. Two options for ensuring clean water include spot-testing water run-off for toxics, and preventing logging practices that pollute streams with sediment.

Answer from John H Barton:

Water issues will not be addressed with any success until we focus on solutions to our urban sprawl. Currently we are using up good agricultural land for very un-dense housing which is very water intensive. We must move to denser housing in our core areas and create urban service boundaries that limit growth. Only then will we be able to reduce our water usage but also have a more dense water infrastructure which will be cheaper to build and ma

Answer from Barbara Nesbet:

Too often in California, families who lose a job also lose their health insurance. This is unacceptable. Health care is a crucial resource to California's families. When we ensure access to health care, we invest in the lives of California's families and children. We also invest in our future.

In California, health care must be affordable and accessible to all. Being insured should not depend on being employed. In the State Assembly, I will fight to provide access to health care for every Californian. I will also fight to maintain women's access to reproductive services.

Answer from John H Barton:

We must move to universal and portable healthcare. The current model of employer-based healthcare is ourmoded in a society in which people will not only change jobs but careers several times. This can only be achieved through new insurance products and changes in law which protect portability, and ensure privacy, but creat large enough pools to keep premiums affor

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.