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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Fiscal Choices,
Water,
Education,
Your Priorities
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. How would you prioritize the fiscal choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?
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Answer from Khatchik H "Katcho" Achadjian:
State revenue sources are highly volatile, and in order to avoid drastic cuts in the future, it is important that all of the funding choices we make are carefully considered and allocated to areas where it will make a clear difference. While California is in a better financial situation this year than last, we still face many unfunded liabilities.
Answer from Heidi Harmon:
The first priority should be to establish a "rainy day fund" similar to Governor Brown's proposal. The way the state tax structure currently exists creates great volatility in revenues and causes real damage from boom and bust spending. The timing is right for this because if the current surplus. The next is a tie between infrastructure and climate change adaptation. The state faces many increased climate related threats to our local communities; increased and long term drought, frequent and larger wildfires, and many public health ramifications must be prioritized as these issues are a threat to our state budget.
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2. Given our current drought condition, concern for water rights and usage is an important issue. What solutions would you support to address our water problems?
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Answer from Heidi Harmon:
When we have limited common resources we will always face challenges to finding equitable ways to share them. Due to the many divergent stakeholders, water rights and usage needs to be managed as effectively and inclusively as possible. California needs to create appropriate policy while balancing the need for timely resolution with the potentially damaging long-term consequences. The Central Coast needs to strike a balance between our fiscal health and our resource health. It's important to keep in mind that this crisis was predicted and thus potentially avoidable decades ago. California faces many similar challenges to sharing our common resources now. How we come to a solution on the dwindling water supply will be an good indicator on how we handle related resource challenges in the future. This is a great challenge and thus is a great opportunity to show leadership on these important resource issues.
Answer from Khatchik H "Katcho" Achadjian:
As a former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor, I came to Sacramento to empower local governments to make the best decisions for their residents. I support keeping water decisions at the local level.
If the locals do not create a solution for water management, the Governor has proposed that the State Water Board will come in to manage any groundwater basin where the locals have not taken action to govern their water.
This is precisely why I am carrying AB 2453, to address the critical situation facing the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin. This bill was brought to me by the San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors and city of Paso Robles which both voted to support this legislation. They have made their preference clear, and have decided on what they believe is best for the County.
My legislation will only affect the governance of the proposed new water district + not the actual creation of the district. The actual creation of a new district must still go through the established LAFCO process.
I remain committed to working with local elected officials, business owners, and residents to find a long lasting solution to this very important issue.
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3. California high school students rank lower than many states in student performance. What do you see as the ongoing role of the Legislature in addressing this problem?
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Answer from Khatchik H "Katcho" Achadjian:
I believe the Legislature's role in education should primarily focus on ensuring education funding is a priority and empowering locals to make decisions that are best for their community. The Local Control Funding Formula, as I saw it, was a way to empower local school districts, school boards, and teachers and give them the freedom to make the decisions necessary to provide children with a quality education. Each school district is unique, so a one-size-fits-all approach would not be very successful.
Answer from Heidi Harmon:
After having spoken with several people involved in education and observed children from the Central Coast demonstrate aspects of the Common Core, I have never been more excited about public education. The teachers and children are engaged and excited about this approach to learning. What this program lacks is the adequate funding to fully support it. Proposition 30 ultimately did not provide the funding that the teachers and children need and deserve. There is no reason, as one of the biggest economies in the world, the California Legislature should not be providing top-notch education for our children and compensation for their teachers. We need to continue to support English learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged students from preschool to higher education. The move towards privatization shifts the goal of education from the benefit of the students to the profits of the privately held companies. Adequate funding of our schools would avoid this undesirable outcome.
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4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities?
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Answer from Heidi Harmon:
The primary goal of the California State Legislature needs to be a comprehensive climate and energy policy. California has always been a leader in innovation and technology and our policy should focus on supporting the innovative pathways to move us to the renewable energies we need. We are the only oil producing state in the nation that does not have an oil extraction tax. This means that California is giving a two billion dollar tax break that the state could use to create the green energy and infrastructure jobs we need.
In addition the State Legislature should have the courage to stop putting the short term economic gains of the few over the long term viability of the many. One of the important ways we can achieve this goal would be to enact comprehensive campaign finance reform. Turning over the Citizen's United decision is essential if we are to continue to be a democracy.
Answer from Khatchik H "Katcho" Achadjian:
I would like to see legislation pass that would cut down the burdensome regulations that are driving small businesses out of the State. Small businesses are the backbone of California's economy. California is the 8th largest economy in the world, but we must realize that being one of the most unfriendly places for business has an impact across the board.
I have seen firsthand the troubling effects some of the laws passed in Sacramento have on small businesses in our community. I will continue to fight for these businesses, which will create more jobs in return. As an owner of a small business for over 35 years, I realize that every law that comes out of Sacramento has the potential to cause dire consequences for small businesses.
I would also like to see legislation pass that would address the long term water needs of our State. The need to have a safe and reliable drinking water supply is essential to the entire State. We must find the balance for agricultural and residential water needs.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
