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 Khanh D. Tran:

Expansion is needed to help California financially recover. Creating new jobs will provide new income tax revenues for our state. It will potentially increase consumer consumption, which will have a positive effect on our state sales tax revenues. Companies are moving jobs out-of-state and offshore. We need to stop exporting California jobs and start exporting our technology, services, and goods! Everyday Californians are leaving our state and taking talents with them. Californians are leaving, because they cannot find jobs and the high cost to live in California is making it impossible to maintain stability. When I am in Sacramento, I will work to rebuild the California economy and revive her as a business-friendly "High-Tech Capitol of the World" state. I want to keep the needed talents, businesses and jobs here in California while I work to lower the cost of housing.

As assemblyman, I will work to pass legislation to protect jobs and unionize the high-tech industry, subsidize businesses to increase hiring and training new workers. I will expand affordable housing with a rent-to-own option restoring hope and the American dream for every family. I will work on building desalination plants and pipelines powered by nuclear energy to address water and energy shortage. I will work to mass produce and service inexpensive fuel-efficient electric-powered vehicles, which will lower fuel consumption and fuel cost.

Regarding the unregulated Internet cyberspace, this is an untap source of tax revenues for our state. Regulating this cyberspace will also provide additional homeland security for our state against unwanted attacks against our cyber infrastructure. As a high-tech security expert by trade, I know how the Internet works and how our state can tax sales on the Internet for needed revenues. Also, we can designate all private extranet connections use by private companies for Voice-Over-IP and begin taxing offshore service import into California. I will work to make California the first state to successfully regulate the Internet cyberspace for the purpose of taxation. This will require local businesses and abroad conducting electronic commerce over the California Internet cyberspace be licensed by the State of California. New Internet communication standard for online transactions and payments will be developed, regulated, and audited by the state.

Answer from Patricia Martinez-Roach:

Fiscal management and a strong accountability of all services and expenditures.

Answer from Joe Coto:

Lawmakers need to take a stand for what is important. As your Assemblyman I plege not to vote for any state budget that includes deep cuts to education, healthcare or public safety. Seniors and school children should not be asked to bear the burden of the boom and bust cycles of the state budget.

In addition, lawmakers must be willing to take the bold steps required to end the boom and bust cycle of the state budget. Potential solutions include multi-year budgets to minimize radical fluctuations from year to year, building budget reserves to provide for tough times, streamlining State spending, balanced budget requirements, exploring creative State/ private partnerships and looking at ways to reform the tax system to stabilize state revenue.

Answer from Khanh D. Tran:

We need more teachers teaching in our schools. We have to find ways to recruit more qualified K-12 teachers. I would explore granting emergency credential to potential teachers holding Masters degree and above to teach in our K-12 schools. Education should be the number one priority. These kids and their education make the future of California. We are already losing hundreds and thousands of jobs to offshore. We need our schools to turn out more engineers, doctors, teachers, and professionals. We cannot do this if we continue to cut funding for education. I see education is an investment not only for our students, but for the State of California as well. These kids and young adults are lifelong learners and the future workforce and taxpayers of this great state. We do not lose when investing in our future.

Answer from Joe Coto:

Improving our schools must be the State's top priority. It is my top priority. Students should be inspired and chellenged to meet the highest standards, be well prepared for Califonria's highly skilled work force, be good citizens and parents, be informed caretakers of our environment, value and promote the diversity of our society and to be the life-long learners that the 21st century demands.

How do we accomplish these lofty goals? By attracting and retaining the best teachers to work in our schools. By keeping class sizes small so children get the individualized attention they need. By funding proven and innovative programs that enhance student achievement.

After 30 years as a teacher and Superintendent of Schools, I want to take my experience to Sacramento to make smart policy and budget decisions that improve our neighborhood schools and community colleges.

Answer from Patricia Martinez-Roach:

Equitable funding. The educatioal formulas need to be the same for all students.

Answer from Khanh D. Tran:

I will work on building water desalination plants and pipelines powered by nuclear energy to convert sea water into drinking water. These investments will create more jobs for Californians, unlimited water and energy resources, and provide opportunities for companies to sell their services and technologies to our State.

Answer from Patricia Martinez-Roach:

Conservation and Education.

Answer from Joe Coto:

Water is one of the most contentious and divisive issues in California. On one hand our state must protect our natural resources and environmental treasures. On the other hand a stable and adequate water supply is required for our economy to thrive and for many California communities to flourish.

Anyone who claims easy answers to this issue is not being honest. Only with thorough review and experienced mediation of interests will good water policy be made.

Answer from Khanh D. Tran:

I believe we should impose an Internet sales tax and/or offshore serice imports, to provide universal healthcare for all uninsured children and senior citizens. We should also make it mandatory for employers to share the cost of insurance and provide healthcare to their part-time and full-time employees.

Answer from Patricia Martinez-Roach:

Very little. I believe that universal health insurance should be evaluated.

Answer from Joe Coto:

It is dispicable that any California child or family should have to go without healthcare. we cannot wait for the Federal Government to solve thehealthcare epidemic in our country. California must agressively pursue policies that expand access to healthcare for ALL Californians.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.