Public Affairs Special; Election 1988: Candidates for State Senate 31st and 35th Districts

Kaos the EA public affairs specials are made possible by grants from Disneyland Park announcing its new attractions Star Tours now boarding passengers for space flight adventure by Cigna landmark incorporated developer of Southern California real estate and builder of Landmark homes by the Peter and Mary Muth foundation by the Crane Foundation and by supporting viewers of this television series. Welcome to election 88 a series of election programs designed to present the candidates and the issues to voters for the November general election. Your vote does matter and this program aims to help you be better informed in making their voting decision. And today's program will present candidates for the state Senate in the thirty first and thirty fifth state Senate district. There are five elected members of the state Senate representing Orange County. Both the thirty first

and the thirty fifth districts are held by a Republican incumbent. The thirty first States and the states in a district at about one sort of his land area is located in Los Angeles County north of Orange County than Orange County segment borders Riverside and San Bernardino County to the east in L.A. County It includes the cities of West Covina walnut Diamond Bar Roland Heights Hacienda Heights Whittier LA harbor heights and La Mirada in Orange County. It includes Placentia Yorba Linda Parks of Irvine Lake Forest Del Toro Laguna Hills Mission v a hole in the gale and San Juan Capistrano. There are about three hundred seventy eight thousand voters in the thirty first States and the District of these two hundred three thousand fifty five percent are Republican. One hundred thirty seven thousand or thirty five percent are Democrats giving the Republican Party an edge of about 66000 voters. About 48 percent of the voters in the thirty first Senate District live in Los Angeles County and 52 percent live in Orange County. The thirty fifth state senate district occupies the central portions of Orange County are affecting a large curve to 13

cities. These cities include Fountain Valley of Elah park orange Boston most of Anaheim close to Maison Huntington Beach and Irvine. The difficulty includes parts of Garden Grove Midway City Newport Beach Santa Ana and Westminster. There are about three hundred forty thousand registered voters in the 30 50 states in a district of these one hundred ninety thousand or 55 percent Republican and a hundred twelve thousand or thirty three percent of Democrats giving the Republican Party a seventy seven thousand vote margin in this district. And now let's meet our candidate. State Senator William Campbell Republican incumbent in the thirty first it took to serve in the Senate since 1976 prior that he served four terms in the state assembly. He was Senate Minority Leader from 1978 to 1983. He's chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairman of the joint committee of fire police emergency and disaster services. He's a resident of HASI In the Heights. Janice Graham Democrat in the thirty first of figures an educator businesswoman and volunteer. She taught high school in New York for four years she then opened and ran her own bed and breakfast business in North Carolina. She's a past president of the League of Women

Voters. A resident of going to Hill. She is also a mother of five. State Senator John Seymore Republican incumbent in the thirty fifth district has served in the state senate since 1982 in 1988 he was elected mayor of Anaheim serving there until he began his current term in the Senate. He's now chairman of the Senate Select Committee on substance abuse. A resident of Anaheim is also on the joint committee review of the master plan for higher education. Mike Barr mages Democrat in the thirty fifth district is a lawyer who has been in practice at 972. He opened his own law firm in 1970 dealing with business litigation corporate and real estate matters. He's also sat many times as a volunteer judge pro-tem in the Orange County superior court conducting settlement conferences. Maxine Bell quirk is the peace and freedom candidate in the thirty fifth district she is a peace activist who was involved in the anti nuclear movement. She's passed chairperson of the Peace and Freedom Party in both Orange County and all of Southern California. You're also involved in projects in the Women's Health Center in Santa Ana and in feeding the homeless

and elected member of the California Senate and I received forty thousand eight hundred sixteen dollars per year for the four year term of office. Eighty seven dollars per diem for every day that the legislature in this is in session. Each candidate will now make a one minute date about his or her candidacy. After which I will ask questions about the issues. And now let's start with Senator Campbell. Jim thank you very much and I want to express my appreciation to you and to KSC Eve for giving us the opportunity to come before the voters of the district. I might also add I think you left out the city of Braille which is also in the toilet but pray and OK it was brilliant. There are a number of issues in this campaign but I think the key issues boil down to the issue of taxes and how the state of California raises its revenue how we maintain a degree of equilibrium in that tax area. And I think one of the other areas of key importance is the area of education how we finance our schools what kind of funding we provide for them. And I think the overriding issue for those of us in Orange County is the issue of transportation. What are we going to do to

improve the transportation system here in California. Obviously we have a problem we have to look at that and I think as a in fact we're holding a hearing on Tuesday on the particular issue of transportation and to attempt to resolve the transportation problem here in California. All right thank you Graham. Hello I'm Janice Graham. And I have to correct him on one thing in the introduction he stated that I taught for four years I taught for 14 14 that makes a very big difference for any of you out there were teachers. The difference between Form 14. A lot of years in between. When I was first started this race I was asked why I wanted to run for the state Senate and I guess my background pretty much talks about my interest education. Of course we'll be number one. But I was also instrumental in starting a program for abused women and children in North Carolina. So my concerns are with the things that happen to the people. I also volunteer for the soup kitchen in coasta Mesa the homeless is a very serious problem not only in our nation but here locally a county like Orange County and

L.A. County. These are affluent areas to a degree and yet we have a serious problem with our homeless. These are the issues I would like to address. And the reason why I would like to go to Sacramento to represent the people in the thirty first district. Thank you sir. Thank you Jim. My eight years experience in the government as a councilman and mayor of the city of Anaheim now six years and you're already in the state senate I think give help me to become a very effective leader in a strong voice for Orange County. You know in politics it's not so much what we say about ourselves it's what others have to say about you that I think speaks well or not so well. I'm proud to receive the endorsement of school board members of 11 different school districts here in Orange County California Teachers Association legislator of the year by the California school board so she endorsed by mayors and councilman in every city I represent unanimously unanimously by the board. The Orange County Board

of Supervisors law enforcement agencies throughout the state including Orange County sheriffs are supporting me as well. I think it speaks well of my record in education transportation crime and substance abuse. I want to represent you for another four years. I want your vote. Thank you much about mages. Thank you. Hi my name is Mike Bell Maajid. I am a Democrat. I am a liberal and I'm a candidate for the state Senate from the thirty fifth district. I have lived in the district for 30 for the last thirty one years. I grew up in Anaheim where I tended and I'm high school. I went to Cal State Fullerton and I went to law school in Berkeley. I along with my wife Mary and our three children Emily Amanda and Ben now live in the testing area. When I moved to Anaheim in 1957 Orange County in fact all of California was a wonderful place to live. Besides the physical beauty and wonderful climate our freeway system was the marvel of all the world and our schools of them with one of the best. Now our freeway system is a worldwide joke and our schools are among the most crowded in the most poorly funded in order to restore

California to the greatness it once had. We must provide a sound fundamental education to all of our children and we must ensure that all of our citizens have marketable job skills. If elected I will do my utmost to see that sufficient resources are allocated to upgrade our educational facilities and provide the educational climate we need. I've been endorsed by the California Federation of Teachers women for and the Committee on political education of the AFL CIO. Thank you. Thank you Maxine Belcourt. Thank you very much for inviting me. I'd like to take my minute to talk about an issue. Since the election in 1982 of a Republican governor all the gains made by the United Farm Workers have been a race health care workman's comp sanitation facilities water and rest periods. This was accomplished by packing the board of the California Labor relations with non union members. The United Farm Workers would like the use of five pesticides discontinued. They cause birth

defects. DNA changes sterility and death. Grapes. California is the largest fresh fruit crop account for more than one half of all reported acute pesticide related illness. The GA o estimates it will take the EPA until the year 2200 to review these pesticides. The moral to this story don't buy grapes don't buy Republican. All right but let's take the first question. It is one that is incumbent on every candidate and that is to define the top issues. I mean the very top priority from the issues and if you had to prioritize the top but save two or three issues what would they be. Start with Senator Seymour please. Well Jim I think it's pretty clear transportation is number one education is number two and crime is number three. Those are the issues of transportation. Some of our problems can best be resolved by more money into transportation. We have to we have to continue to expand our existing highway

and freeway system but that will be enough in transportation. We need to implement better traffic management programs of band pooling ride pooling offer tax credits to employers who will provide transportation for their employees in the area of education. We've made some significant progress in education since I've been in the Senate in 1983. We now have moved from spending forty nine percent of our annual budget in education to 55 percent of our annual budget you can't do it overnight unless you're prepared to increase taxes and I'm not prepared to do that. The last issue is crime in particular in the area of drug in substance abuse alcohol and drug abuse. I think we need to implement a five year master plan which I authored as a state senator in fact I think it's the finest piece of legislation I've been able to carry a five year master plan that sets goals and in the bottom line educates and gets educates the kids and gets tough on the criminals.

Does it bother you that Mr. Horn to you have said that California is 50th out of 50 states this is in the argument that he had. Issue number one you've got issue. He said California is 50th out of 50 states and class size does that trouble you. Oh it certainly does trouble me and I think we have to work to reduce class sizes but anybody who thinks that you can wave a magic wand and overnight turn things around. I think they're the ones that would be the liberals who would be supporting a huge tax increase to pay for that. And I'm not prepared to do that. All right Mr. Bell making. But the question is if you are your top priority on the issue of temporary already than the issues of education we all seem to agree is the top or one of the top issues. To me the next most important issue is the make up of the legislature itself. There is an L.A. Times editorial dated September 2 1998 called Sacramento litter which I brought with me and I'd likely read very briefly from it says all the assembly members and half the senators now go forth to seek reelection presumably running on the record. Many of them will win re-election by virtue of promising again not to raise taxes and to achieve virtually nothing

else except perhaps special legislation to benefit friends and big campaign contributors. These are some of the office holders who seem content to preside over the decline of California so long as they preserve their own seats and hides. Jim if you look at the election pamphlet which I know you have in front of you and you mention before the show it's one hundred sixty pages long. Our legislature both Republicans and Democrats have virtually abdicated their role and are doing nothing except watch California decline into mediocrity and to me that's the main issue of this campaign. Does it bother you that. The California 50th out of 50 states in class size 1 no question about I think that's abominable it's terrible. Metro senior senator Seymour has said that he doesn't want to raise taxes to do that. Would you vote to raise taxes to do that if you were in a setting in the Senate. You know I would I think it's very unrealistic to believe that we can continue funding the programs that we must fund without increasing our revenues and how else has the government increased revenue but raise taxes and I'd be very careful about that but you're I don't have a problem with that either Campbell. Top issues. If you had to prioritize the top two or three I think John's done a very good job

of it. I have to add I would add one other issue like water. We don't really pay too much attention to water we turn on the faucet it comes out when we're facing a serious crisis here in California. If the drought continues in them another year we've got a major problem the Central Arizona Project is about to go online. Which will reduce the amount of water by about seven hundred thousand acre feet that we get out of the Colorado River. I think that's an issue that particularly for southern California particularly for Orange County. Secondarily in the issue of education there's one issue in education I think that we really have and we really haven't come to grips with we have to and that's the problem of illiteracy not only illiteracy in the United States but particularly illiteracy here in California. And we have not moved effectively in that area and I think that's an area where we need to direct our attention to where 50th out of 50 states in class I think would bother anybody that we're 50th out of out of the out of the state out of the 50 states and I think we have to move in a direction and try and try and reduce the reduce that to class size where the dollars are practiced. That is that no I don't think we have to vote for taxes to do that I think it's

better management of the money that we have out there better utilization of the system and we could reduce that class size we're not as John said we're not going to get the one over you know number one overnight but we can move in that direction. Well I think I have a good teacher. Thank you. And I'd never get to say thank you for allowing me to be here today this is quite a treat. But I have to agree to the main issues with education transportation and I agree with Senator Campbell that water is one of the crisis areas that we're going to be facing in the future. But I'd also add to the health care that millions of Californians are without health care. And along with the health care child care elder care and the homeless. These are issues that we're facing that are absolutely incredible. But one of the questions I'd like to ask because Senator Seymour Senator Campbell has been there for a very long time. You're saying How do I feel about being 50th. That is incredible. Where were they while the state of California declined to 50th. How did we

get to such a terrible situation how do we get to where with the book that you're both sitting with. It gets to be a hundred and how many did you say 100 something pages long. How long. The legislators are supposed to be legislating when they come to an area where they don't have the answers. They throw it back and do nothing. And then the public must take the initiative to do this kind of thing. And if you want to know you are a sitting senator would you vote to spend more money to attack the problem being that you can classify Proposition 98 is going to address that to a great degree. And so if Proposition 98 passes as a bond issue and I'm not so sure I agree with the idea of again allowing our children to pay for the things we did not do that bomb when it goes back. If you look through any one of the bond issues you're paring back almost double on any of the any bond issue. However I think we're in a position where we can't do anything about it. Let me ask the question again if you were a sitting senator would you vote to raise taxes to address this

problem. There was no other way to do it. I think that every dollar we invest in our children we invest in the future and that is a dollar very well spent. Let me ask this question very rapidly and I just ask you to give me a yes or no answer honestly I think people would like to know about because it related to Kate must start with you. There are three issues on this big book deal with education 78 deals with 600 million and higher education bonds 79 deals with a hundred million to 12 bonds and 98 would would mandate would mandate in the Constitution certain level of funding for schools. How are you going to vote on those things the two with the two bonds and the and the yen. Jim before you do that can I interrupt I don't think Maxine had an opportunity when you are that I'm reading this are a magazine yes. Second go ahead. Thank you. And that the two important issues in my mind are the environment and the homeless. And when we start building a mass transit stop poisoning our food with pesticides fungus sides herbicides fume against and organophosphates shut down the

nuclear power plants and stop building nuclear weapons kept the offshore oil wells then the word environmentalists will have some meaning. And regarding the homeless homeless people want a job and decent affordable housing the jobs are not there. The unemployment figures are misleading. The figures lie and liars figure the under employed cloud the picture workers who have given up aren't counted and the military is included. Our budget our state budget. Maxine is forty four billion dollars in it and the people in legislature both parties say that's one of the tightest budgets we've had. Would you cut into that budget and deny other programs in order to take care of the homeless for example. Education or transportation money. What would you what would you cut out in order to give more money to homeless to attack the problem for the homeless. Well if necessary I would raise the taxes would raise the taxes OK.

Let's go back again now to the question and I'll start again with Janice Graham. How are you going to vote on 78. That's the higher education bonds on 79 that's the K to 12 Mons and 98 which is the mandatory funding to certain levels for education are going to vote yes on all three all three. Mr. Bell made to vote yes on all three also. Maxine How would you vote. Peace and Freedom Party definitely believe that Bonds should pay for anything. But I would vote yes on 98. All right I'll start senator saying why are you going to vote. I vote yes on both bond issues Jim but I vote no on 98. And why we've got to play some limit on spending even with the limits that we've had in the six years I've been in the state Senate. The first budget I voted for was 25 billion dollars. It is now forty four billion dollars. It's a matter of allocation and setting priorities not a matter of raising taxes. Senator Campbell I would tell you that a vote on the give me apologetically got a little cold here today. I would vote yes on the two bond issues who are increasing

construction funds for education. I too would vote no on 98 and I and I think the reason is what 98 does is it mandates to the legislature a certain percentage of funds to the to education and I don't think anybody anybody is willing to not argue that education needs additional funds. But all at once you're taking money away from other areas of the budget and maybe one year you need to put more money into it into into the homeless or into child care or into into health care. But you're not going to be able to do it because you've got it set aside is like I really oppose all automatic cost of living allowances what they call it automatic colas. And I oppose it because they you elect representatives to go to Sacramento to make decisions for you. And if you keep mandating a certain portion of the budget and then you you deny them their responsibility of making the decisions and you sent them up there to make. Senator I'm going to ask you about something it's been given much media attention concerns your race. You had a series of women's conferences the

last one we had a bite of the 500 $55000 that the 87 one of which one hundred sixty five thousand dollars went to a company called West Coast seminars in which one hundred sixty five thousand that money went to your wife and to Karen Smith your aide. You've been asked about this many times let's clear the air. What did what do you have to say about that is there any wrongdoing or do you feel any wrongdoing involved. Absolutely Dutchy and I appreciate your asking the question so we can bring it out into the open. The Women's Conference is one of the best things that I do for the constituents in this particular area. When we started out we had no idea it was going to be as large as if we started out the first year. We expected 500 we got thirteen hundred. The second year we had twenty five hundred thirty or fifty five hundred forty or 10000. The fifth year in the year you're talking about now we have 14000 women in attendance at that conference which is the largest conference a women's conference not only in the United States but in the world and I'm very proud of that because what this conference has given is given opportunities to thousands of women who wouldn't have had

those opportunities offered to them or would have had the ability to take advantage of some of these skim of the skills that they have. My wife and Karen Smith are responsible for putting on that conference. Yes they received a fee for that I might add that was a gross figure not the net figure gross billings to the conference and I am very proud of that conference and what it represents to the people of Southern California particularly the women of Southern California. Will you continue with the conference it sure will. In fact yesterday we held our business development conference we had over twelve hundred in attendance so that it's the largest business development conference in the state of California I do the business development conference in the fall in the in the spring I do the Women's Conference and the Women's Conference is an outgrowth of the business development conference. We have a comment of that very quickly haven't we love what I do but I hope I have as much time as the senator. I have several questions on that in terms of his answers for example. He states that this was the best thing he has done well perhaps it is but you

have never really answered the questions that have been involved I want to know why you haven't answered any of the questions from the Dutch are you are specific what the Congressional Record which is part of public record anyone can get it in the congressional record are letters that were sent to Senator Campbell and to Karen Smith asking them to explain how they used to own it for two hundred forty three thousand dollars. Let me have my own money exactly for a conference that both senators wipers and bumpers declared was blatantly political. I do want to respond to that so I'd be delighted to Jim anything that I as a legislator do as a political activity I mean I'm on his program and that's a political activity. Miss Graham was on the program that's also a political activity. We've answered all questions the SBA money was used to send out the mailings. You have to understand the SBA was fully cooperative. They enjoyed being part of the conference because it gave them an opportunity to show their program the thousands of women that they would never have the opportunity to go to I was very very excited about the SBA when they were asked about this particular conference had to admit.

Now this is a state of California SBA regional offices regional offices are political appointees they are not civil servants. When they were asked about the conference they admit it. That this was the only conference where they did not see the papers. They did not see an audit. They did not know how their money was being used and in the congressional record. When Senator Wyden theirs looked at it he said where is SBA and here it's in such small print I can't even see it. And then Senator Bumpers said this looks and he held up the brochure. This looks more like Campbell for king than a conference for women and that's a direct quote from the correctional record. Let's go to Mr. Bell made this I think we've we've given you our time let's go right I know nothing about that. No but I'm not about that issue but hey you're good you're going to ask the people to make a choice of a bell majors for senator instead of John Seymour. What's the reason you're saying that you should be there instead of John Seymour. Well both senators seem more so than a Campbell when speaking about the education issue you use different phrase. We don't have a magic wand you can't wave a magic wand you can't this can't happen

overnight. They have been there more than overnight. They have been there a long time now and we have not improved the education system has gotten worse while they've been in office. And you say the same for transportation. Transportation is definitely gotten worse you know that by driving on the freeways. All right but let's give senators the more chance now. Thank you very much let's go. Go to the bottom line facts on a draft it takes an education an education. We have increased funding since I've been in office six years from forty nine percent of the state budget which is approximately 12 billion dollars for kindergarten through 12th to over 55 percent which is not close to 19 billion dollars. I then added to the cap scores have improved there. They're not where we want to be yet but they have improved we've lengthen the school year. We have reformed in the classroom we are now teaching English in math and science crowd time relative to transportation. We have increased our claimants Orange County is now getting its fair share. I carried legislation to build three new corridors in Orange

County. And so I think we continue to make commitments but we just can't afford to open the till and empty the taxpayers pockets. All right I'm sorry we haven't any more time but this should be an hour of the program. Thank you very much I thank our kind of a for their comments. Please be with us tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. when we present the candidates for the thirty third and the 37 state Senate districts. I'm Jim Cooper. Thanks for being with us. The e public affairs specials are made possible by grants from Disneyland

Park announcing its new attraction Star Tours now boarding passengers for a space flight adventure by Cigna landmark incorporated developer of Southern California real estate and builder of Landmark homes by the Peter and Mary Muth foundation by the crane Foundation and by supporting viewers of this television series.