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Los Angeles, Ventura County, CA June 6, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

Taking a Stand for Public Education and Public Health

By Barry Groveman

Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 41; Democratic Party

This information is provided by the candidate
Taking a Stand for Public Education and Public Health
PUBLIC EDUCATION

As Mayor, I worked with teachers and principals to reduce class sizes in my community, and to achieve creative solutions for improving public education. Among my top priorities in Sacramento will be to ensure that California public schools regain their reputation as the finest public institutions in the nation. As your new Assemblymember, I will:

Increase Funding for School Safety

Our children can't learn unless they feel safe at school. As your new Assemblymember, I'll fight to enhance school safety by expanding drug education, anti-bullying and other child abuse programs, and by cracking down on violence and crime on or near school campuses.

Invest in Vocational Education

Not everyone needs or desires a four-year college degree to succeed in life. That's why I will support additional funding to provide internship and job placement services to provide work experience for high school seniors and community college students who do not plan to get a four-year college degree.

Support Universal Pre-School NOW

I support voluntary preschool education for all four-year olds, and I will support increased funding for teacher training and recruiting, and expansion of existing preschool programs.

Create School Networks to Improve Services for Students

Creating networks of school districts to pool their financial resources to purchase health insurance, electricity, computers, and building equipment at reduced rates, allowing local schools to save money for improvements in classroom instruction.

Provide Free Access for All to Our Community Colleges

Education is the backbone of a competent and capable workforce and Community Colleges offer not only a path to higher education, but to technical and vocational training as well. Free Community College will ensure our state a competitive workforce for a healthy future.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Second-hand smoke is a serious healthcare issue. The California Environmental Protection Agency has classified second-hand smoke as a toxic air contaminent that can lead to respiratory infections, asthma,lung cancer, heart disease and death.

When confronted with these facts, I took action. As Mayor of Calabassas, I stood up to the big tobacco interests and passed the toughest public health and anti-smoking law in the nation. The law has gained worldwide attention and support from nurses, physicians as well as the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society.

But, believe me, the big tobacco companies and their lawyers aren't happy. They, too, are taking a stand and have launched attacks against me in this campaign. Not a single one of my opponents supports this new law. In fact, one of these candidates was actually an attorney who represented one of the largest tobacco companies (Phillip Morris). It's no surprise that candidate is now leading the smear campaign against me. That's okay. I've been standing up to bullies my entire life. As an environmental prosecutor, I put CEO's in jail for polluting our land, air and water. I'll do what it takes to protect the health and safety of our families--even if it might cost me votes.

Sure, smokers have rights. But their rights stop at our lungs, and especially the lungs of our children. Doctors, health professionals and the National Cancer Institute agree: second-hand smoke kills --thousands of people each year.

As your new Assemblymember, I will continue my lifelong fight to protect Californians from dangerous threats to our health, so that our children have an opportunity to lead happy, healthy and productive lives.

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