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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Butte County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Water,
Education,
Charter Schools,
Infrastructure
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. There is increasing demand for north state groundwater. What do you think we should do to protect the quantity and quality of water we need in our region?
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Answer from Robin Huffman:
I am a local water advocate who has participated in the public process. As Supervisor I will continue to be a strong advocate, insisting on local management of water resources, and using all the tools to protect water. Beyond participating in the process making sure good science is informing the process, tools may include legal actions. Water is critical to our economy, jobs, food supply, and surroundings - and transporting more water out of the North Valley and pumping water out of the ground faster than it can replenish hurts everyone and everything here. Protecting our water resources is top priority.
Answer from Joe DiDuca:
I serve on the Butte Co. Water Advisory Committee, so I'm directly involved with these issue. The Integrated Regional Water Mgt. Plan (IRWMP)is a united front of six North State Counties that was formed as a coalition to have a strong voice in securing our water origin rights.This gives our water rights a very strong legal and financial voice to fight with. The Bay-Delta Stewardship Council wants to have a majority of our water flushed down the rivers to help (supposedly) habitat in the Delta. This would put an unbearable strain on the Tuscan Aquifer and most likely put farmers out of production and millions of dollars in County revenue would be lost. For quality groundwater, the monitoring going on now needs to continue so recommendations can be made when the aquifer drops in those areas. Development needs to stay away from re-charge areas.
Answer from Michael f. Greer:
The county needs to address a couple of issues with the the surface and ground water usage. You can't have surface users sale their water rights and expect to use the ground water that affects everyone within a given area and rely on wells for thier water supply. Cumalitive water studies need to be done in order to understand how the water supply will be depleted, in wet and dry years, with developements and split of land parcels. This will always be an issue but long range plans are needed to circumvent Federal, State and other areas from taking our water to benefit others who do not want additional storage capacitiy built.
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2. What would you propose to address the decline in funding for public education at the state level?
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Answer from Michael f. Greer:
1. Concentrate on the waste in administration at the higher levels of education programs on the state level that includes credentialing and testing boards.
2. Education needs guaranteed funding by the legislature that are not subject to to the whims of politicians.
3. Let local school boards have discreation over the funds they recieve and give mandated programs that are not funded completely.
4. Eliminate most of the testing and mandatory text book purchases that have be done every year.
5. Local parcel taxes voted on by the community.
Answer from Joe DiDuca:
The same as funding issues with the County. Those high salaries need to be addressed. The Board of Regents is slapping taxpayers in the face giving those salaries to college President's, especially when fees are going up! Then look at the other departments and trim that fat off too. Government should be prioritizing Public safety, Roads, job creation, and education. Raises cannot be given when funding is dropping, period! Get rid of those appointed committee's that pay six figures to retired politician's.
Answer from Robin Huffman:
The State is deep in debt and yet continues its unsustainable incarceration system. I will work with State legislators to undo unnecessary expenditures in the system, decriminalize minor marijuana offenses, revise the three strikes law, and change the dynamics of expenses and priorities to favor education. Prisons are a lose-lose expense whereas public education is a win-win investment. There are many other public systems that could be cut, and expenses in education can be further cut by cutting questionable administrative programs that take time and money away from teachers teaching in classrooms.
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3. Despite evidence of varying academic success, charter schools are popular and increasing in numbers. What is your position on charter schools and how do you think we can assure balanced funding between charters and regular schools?
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Answer from Michael f. Greer:
1. Charters have shown public education ways to improve the public educational process.
2. Have charters abide by the same rules and regulations as public schools or give public schools the same non-regulation as charters.
3. The majority of Charter Schools in the county are selective in their students and can expel students students for little reason. Some charters are still telling parents that they have to put in volunteer hours in order for to students to attend, which is against the law.
Until the regulations and requiremnts are the same there will not be level playing field.
Answer from Joe DiDuca:
Most charter schools put out a great product as is evidenced by the scholastic achievements of the students. The additional parent involvement helps keep the whole family invested in the process too. I believe the best should be rewarded. If Charter schools are doing a better job, they should be getting rewarded. Public schools need to look at why the Charter's are doing well and emulate their process. I think this mandatory testing is not a good barometer of every child, and only the best teachers need to be kept, not the oldest.
Answer from Robin Huffman:
I have had a good experience with a charter school. It was very efficient, provided a good education, was well managed, and involved parents from diverse socio-economic levels in very effective ways. There are distinct advantages to allowing the relative administrative freedom and flexibility in communities that charter schools have. Mainstream public schools should take lessons from successful charter schools. Decentralization and re-localization of public eduation can be cost effective and much better for education and most everyone involved. Forces that insist on further centralization may not be working in the best interest of the public and our resources.
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4. What would you do in this tight budget period to maintain or improve county infrastructure, such as airports, public transportation, and roads.
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Answer from Michael f. Greer:
The money exsists but because of waste and regulations of non-elected governmental administrators self-interest agendas and power it is used unwisely. On the state level I would immediately seek a 15% of funding to eliminate waste. On the county level, as a supervisor, I would work to ensure that we live within our actual budget and not projected revenues.
Answer from Joe DiDuca:
Budget prioritizing and department auditing has to be mandatory. With a budget of over $400 million I know we can give the taxpayers something back for their money. We need look at every department and ask what the personnel has done, what they're doing, and what are they going to do to that benefits the people of this County. We need to justify the high paying management jobs and see if we can get by with less six figure jog descriptions. Tax money should be spent for boots on the street with the minimal amount of bureaucracy to achieve that. The 14% ( I believe it's higher)unemployment needs to be addressed. When people work, money goes into the coffers to pay for public safety, roads, schools, and vital services. We need to look at all fees and regulations to see if they prohibit job creation. Let's give tax and fee relief incentives to those who wish to create jobs. It's common sense economics. We can't strangle the free market system and expect to have services.
Answer from Robin Huffman:
I will relocalize our economy so that there is more money for our local government to maintain roads and key public infrastructure. I will work with the State and Federal government and local governments to be sure that we get the grants that are available. We need to plan for infrastructure projects and do the studies necessary to apply for those grants using funds already available. The Butte County Association of Governments specializes in this area, particular roadways and public transportation, and I will be a very active member of the BCAG Board of Directors. Improving fire safety routes will remain a top priority.
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
