League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Marin, Sonoma County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
	Gregory J Allen Answers Questions Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 10

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How would you prioritize the fiscal choices the Legislature must make to align the state’s income and spending?

First to defend Proposition 13 to ensure the 2/3 majority requirement in order to increase taxes remains and keep the corporations under the Proposition 13 umbrella. Second to stop the high speed rail system with a projected price tag of $64 billion dollars, it's too expensive and will never make a profit, nor will it connect the major cities. Third would be to stop the 45 mile long water tunnels in lieu of increasing water capacity of existing reservoirs.

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?

Improve/Increase existing water storage so that more fresh water can be saved during normal rainfall years, allowing for an additional percent to be available during drought years. STOP high density housing projects like "wincup" and Larkspur Landing proposed projects.

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?

We need to direct funding to the schools. Since teachers are the most important factor for academic achievement, they along with the schools principals need to have greater decision making authority of their finances while allowing for parents to be consulted so that more than 60% of education dollars makes its way into the individual classroom. Schools should have the flexibility to determine how students are educated. The charter schools seem to be delivering better tests scores in math and science to those teachers should be allowed to teach without being forced to join California Teachers Unions (CTA). Being a technical recruiter, I see firsthand the results of poor testing of math and science, so we are forced to hire engineers from other nations. Introducing software programming into student curriculum in K-12 with an emphasis on coding skills will lead California students into high paying, much sought after careers.

4. What other major issues do you think the Legislature must address? What are your own priorities?

Helping our Veterans transition back to the civilian world should be job 1 for our Legislature. There are more than 50 bills that have been written on behalf of Veterans that are sitting in Sacramento. I am dedicated on writing legislation that our Veterans need and will push hard to get implementation. With 80 confirmed homeless Vets living in Marin County alone, we must do much more to help these brave men & women to transition back into society. I'm concerned that Proposition 41 will create new departments with additional levels of overpaid bureaucrats tasked with implementing the law. It might make more sense to increase the budgets and flexibility of the county Veterans Service Representatives in aiding the Vets on an individual basis versus using a blanket budget.

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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.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 11, 2014 22:17
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