Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 21

As two term Mayor of Foster City, Deborah has seen first hand that solving the problems in San Mateo and Santa Clara will take a non-partisan approach. Deborah has proven that she can work with both the Democratic and Republican leadership to get things done. Deborah has been called to testify on important matters by both the State Legislature and the United States Congress. She has successfully built political coalitions from both sides of the aisle to address serious issues. Mayor Wilder has also used public/private partnerships to improve education, keep our children safe, and help single mothers obtain the skills they need to secure good paying jobs in the private sector.

Assemblywoman Wilder, just like Mayor Wilder, will concentrate more on getting results than on partisan bickering.

One of Deborah's Main Priorities is Education. Deborah Wilder supports public education and increasing school choice through avenues such as charter schools. Deborah believes that parents, teachers and community leaders know more about what is best for our children then bureaucrats in Sacramento or Washington. Deborah will fight for a reduction in the restrictions placed upon our local schools. Schools must aslo be given more authority on how to allocate their budget.

Transportation is also another key priority. Deborah sees how Gridlock in the Silicon Valley Corridor is rising to a critical level. We must act now before it is too late. We need to add another set of tracks to Caltrain for express runs. We need to build public/private partnerships to increase the number of workplace shuttles in our communities. Additionally, we need to build new housing along transportation centers and corridors.

The increase of population and the limits on new housing in our communities have caused housing costs to soar. Entry level employees, as well as middle management, can no longer afford to live in the communities where they work. School teachers, firefighters, and police officers face the same obstacles. Deborah advocates a sensible approach to this problem.

While there are affordable housing goals that cities must meet, a great deal of "Red-tape" has been thrown in the way of really solving the problem. As your Assemblywomen, Deborah will introduce legislation that will encourage and actually help local cities and communities to meet their housing goals. Deborah will also make sure any new rules have some flexibility so that communities can address this problem.

Deborah Wilder is a moderate Republican who supports the empowerment of people by reducing the bariers to success and by returning control to the local levels. While Deborah is a fiscal conservative, she does realize that the fortunes of life require us all to provide a helping hand to others. While Government may need to play a role in this, Government is not the only answer. As Mayor of Foster City, Deborah developed public/private partnerships which will increase services while not raising taxes. As your Assemblywoman, Deborah will bring these skills to Sacramento.