Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 33; Republican Party

WHAT MATT BELIEVES Matt Kokkonen believes the greatest threat we face today is from heavy-handed government which taxes too much, spends too much, regulates too much, and dictates too much. He believes that any government which is big enough to give us everything we want is big enough to take away everything we have.

STATE SOVEREIGNTY: Matt believes that under America's federal system of government, the states are supreme, not the central government in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, the states are increasingly losing their sovereignty as Washington oversteps its constitutional authority and usurps more and more power. Matt believes in restoring real meaning to the 10th Amendment which reserves all powers not specifically delegated to the central government to the states or to the people.

STATE BUDGET: Matt believes the politicians in Sacramento are spending California into bankruptcy. Between 1990 and 2008, state spending has soared by 181%. Matt believes that by returning to the Gann spendling limit which was in effect throughout the 1980s, we can restore some measure of fiscal discipline to the state. The Gann limit was weakened in 1990, leading to massive new spending. A Reason Foundation study found recently that if the Gann law had not been weakened, California would have a $15 billion surplus today.

TAXES: California's high taxes ( recently increased even more by the disastrous "budget deal" in Sacramento ) are driving businesses and employers out of the state. They are relocating to states like Nevada and Arizona where taxes are much lower. California needs major tax reform that sets as its priority not the financing of an out-of-control government but the financial well-being of our families and the financial success of our businesses.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: As an immigrant himself, Matt Kokkonen honors and values the contributions of immigrants to building American society. However, lawbreaking can never be tolerated. Illegal immigration is a drain on our society and carries an unacceptable cost to taxpayers. He opposes providing benefits + such as free health care and education + to illegal immigrants and believes the federal government--which steadfastly refuses to control our borders--should reimburse California for the cost of these services. Matt believes that if Washington continues to fail in its obligation to stop illegal immigration, we should deploy a California version of the Border Patrol.

EDUCATION: The pitiful state of California's public school system is testimony to the ineptness and incompetence of the state educational bureaucracy as well as the selfishness of the teachers' unions. No amount of additional spending will fix the problems of our schools. Only local control and competition will force the public schools to perform or lose students. Monopolies don't work elsewhere, why should government monopolies work in educating our children?

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS: Matt believes that a chief reason why California teeters on the brink of insolvency is the outrageous demands of the public employee unions which extort lavish contracts from our legislators in exchange for campaign contributions. As our Assembly member, Matt will confront the power of these unions and demand the renegotiation of contracts to bring salaries, benefits, and pensions in line with those offered by the private sector. No more $100,000 pensions for retired government bureaucrats!

AGRICULTURE: Agriculture is California's top industry and the mainstay of our Central Coast economy. Farmers and ranchers need a state government that taxes and regulates them less and provides for the water supplies which are the lifeblood of this economic powerhouse.

GUN RIGHTS: Matt Kokkonen believes the Second Amendment to the Constitution protects the right of law-abiding citizens to keep firearms for their own safety, for sport or hobby, or to defend their liberties against a tyrannical government. He opposes all efforts to restrict those rights through legislation + either at the federal, state, or local level.

HEALTH CARE: Matt Kokkonen believes health care reform is necessary, but opposes government medicine which will ration care and raise costs. He thinks the states are in a unique position to oppose a federal takeover of health care. Matt supports market-oriented reforms which would include making health insurance consumer-owned (rather than employer-provided) , just like house or automobile insurance.

He also believes in tort reform to discourage "defensive medicine" and rolling back regulations at the state level ( such as laws preventing insurance companies from selling policies across state lines ) which restrict the ability of insurance providers to compete for your business. Such restrictions only serve to increase premiums by limiting choice.