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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Smart Voter
Alameda, Contra Costa County, CA March 2, 2004 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
State Senator; District 9; Republican Party


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.


1. What does California need to do to address the current budget crisis?

Answer from Patricia Deutsche:

We need to make some serious cuts. Our problem is not that we tax too little, it's that we spend too much. Let's figure out where the money is going and whether those programs are effective. We need to get back to basics -- government helping protect our safety (fire, police, etc), support our education system, and guard our borders. For those things we can't fund , we should turn to private sector and religious & charitable organizations.


2. What should the state's priorities be for K-12 education? For the Community College System?

Answer from Patricia Deutsche:

For K-12: safe schools (both adequate buildings and free from violence), competent teachers, and giving schools more flexibility with their funding.


3. What measures would you support to address California's water needs?

Answer from Patricia Deutsche:

I'll have to look into this more.


4. What should the Legislature be doing to address the needs of Californians without health insurance?

Answer from Patricia Deutsche:

There is a plan in place in Wisconsin that works VERY well. It enables retired phyisicans to provide free health care to those without insurance and the state covers the physicians' malpractice insurance. This would make high quality health care available to thousands of Californians immediately while we continue to work on insurance reforms, making health insurance more affordable.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.


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Created: May 4, 2004 14:48 PDT
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