Turning Our Foothills Blue

By Marc Boyd

This report is about my positive and focused campaign for State Assembly.

The issues that I've been talking about on the campaign trail are economic development, education, public safety, and environmental protection. To reboot our foothill district's economy, I'm calling for a district-wide economic summit. The new redistricted Foothill Assembly District is now primarily a rural area that extends across nine counties but it has many common economic interests. High unemployment, deep budget cuts, and record foreclosures have sent our district's economy into crisis. We cannot afford to lose one more business. We need to focus on the millions of tourists who visit here annually and also on attracting new businesses to the foothills.

On education, I am calling for a special session of the California State Legislature to address unprecedented budget cuts. College tuition rose 21% in 2011. For the first time, qualified high school graduates are being turned away from colleges and universities. Unbelievably, community colleges are rationing courses. Our K-12 classrooms are overcrowded and underfinanced. We are failing to provide our schools with the resources they need to be successful.

I am also concerned that people are feeling less safe in their homes. We need to restore staffing levels at all emergency services. Sheriff's deputies are reporting that they don't have adequate backup. At the same time, prison expenses are skyrocketing. We need to develop effective rehabilitation programs that significantly lower the number of repeat offenders. 70% of released inmates in California end up back in prison within three years. That is the highest in the nation. We are spending more on prisons in California than we are on higher education.

Finally, we must address the impacts that climate change is having on our natural environment. If you know someone who doesn't believe climate change is real, suggest that they talk to insurance companies who paid out a record $40 billion dollars on extreme weather events in 2011. We must lower our greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Wildfire season is starting earlier, lasting longer, and large fires are becoming more catastrophic and harder to contain. The Fresno-Madera area is one of the most air-polluted metropolitan regions in the nation. We are still clear-cutting in California forests.

Throughout my campaign, I will work tirelessly to show my dedication, my work ethic, and my commitment to the people of this district. I am running for State Assembly because I want to be a strong voice in our district's future. I'm a California native and I'm deeply concerned about California's recent decline. I'm also very disappointed with our district's current representatives in Sacramento. I want to reboot our economy, rebuild our school system, and keep our neighborhoods safe. My Assembly campaign will be a positive one focused on solutions to these issues. I hope to earn your support. I also hope to see you on the campaign trail.