Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Republican (current Governor)

EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION: How would you assure that all families have access to high-quality child care and preschool experiences?

Record

• Supported Prop. 82, which would have raised $2.4 billion a year for universal preschool

Goals

• Support universal preschool

Record

• Opposed Prop. 82, which would have raised $2.4 billion a year for universal preschool, because it would have increased taxes [on the highest-income Californians]

• Expanded state preschool: Added $100 million to this year’s budget to expand state preschool for poor families

• Expanded funds for after-school programs: Created and campaigned for Prop. 49, which increased funds for after-school programs, with priority for low-income students

VIOLENCE PREVENTION: What would you do to reduce the number of children who become victims or perpetrators of violence?

Goals

• Increase the number of beat cops: Would put more officers on the street and ensure they have adequate resources

• Improve education: Would invest in all levels of education to expand opportunity, which will reduce crime

• Increase penalties for sex offenders and tracking of former sex offenders

Record

• Opposed amending “three strikes” law: Campaigned successfully against a ballot measure that would have limited the law to violent crimes

• Increased support for crime victims and created a position of crime victim advocate

Goals

• Increase penalties for sex offenders and tracking of former sex offenders

Goals

• Support Prop. 86 (see Election 2006: Ballot Measures: Health), which would increase cigarette taxes to pay for children’s health programs

• Work toward universal health care: Would work toward a health care system that controls costs, improves quality, and provides universal coverage

• Tackle asthma by fighting for tough air-pollution-control measures and increasing asthma research and treatment

Record

• Supported funds for children’s health care: Proposed 06-07 budget included funds for county programs that provide health insurance to all children living in the county. (These funds were eliminated in budget negotiations)

• Expanded funds for outreach and enrollment for existing children’s health insurance programs. Increased both grants to counties and payments to people who help families fill out applications

• Opposes Prop. 86 (see Election 2006: Ballot Measures: Health), which would increase cigarette taxes to pay for children’s health programs, because it would raise taxes

• Hosted a July 2006 summit conference to discuss ways to reduce health care costs and the number of Californians without health insurance

Goals

• Supports expansion of school-based health clinics

Record

• Invested in housing and urban development: As state treasurer, directed state investment funds to affordable housing and economic growth in urban areas, micro-loans and other support for small business, and home loans in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods

• Promoted affordable housing: Wrote legislation to create a housing trust fund and a requirement that communities build affordable housing. Co-chaired the campaign for a 2002 initiative for affordable housing funds

Goals:

• Support a higher minimum wage that would rise with inflation. Points out that the governor twice vetoed minimum-wage-increase legislation

Record

• Opposed all tax increases, because he felt they would hurt the economy

• Promoted California industries (tourism, agriculture) and international trade

• Points out that unemployment decreased during his term of office

Goals

• Create jobs and boost the economy through public works: Proposed a Strategic Growth Plan to rebuild roads, schools, and levees (Props 1A through 1E)

• Support increase in minimum wage

Record

• Supported students at state universities: Fought the governor’s proposals to cut outreach, financial aid, and enrollment and increase tuition at CSU and UC

• Supports the high school exit exam

• Supports Prop. 1D, bonds to increase funds for school buildings (see Election 2006: Ballot Measures: Schools)

Goals

• Increase funds for education: by closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the wealthiest Californians to pay their fair share

• Set priorities for school spending: more instructional time; smaller classes; stronger teachers and principals, especially for low-income schools; doubling the number of public school counselors

• Increase supports for teachers:
  • Restore funding for professional support for teachers
  • Restore and expand financial aid for students who commit to teach in low-performing schools
  • Expand homeownership assistance for teachers who commit to serve in low-performing schools

Record

• Increased school funding: Proposed budgets have called for record amounts of education funding [but clashed with education supporters over funds he withheld from schools to balance state budgets]. This year’s budget has more money for charter schools, physical education, art and music programs, and school counselors

• Targeted funds to low-performing schools

• Increased funding for career/technical education

• Supports high school exit exam

• Supports Prop. 1D, bonds to increase funds for school buildings (see Election 2006: Ballot Measures: Schools)

Goals

• Tax corporations and multimillionaires: Fully fund schools and invest in children by closing tax loopholes and asking multimillionaires and corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.

Record

• Reduced the state budget deficit

Goals

• Increase state revenues by promoting economic growth: hold the line against tax increases, oppose regulations and fees that put a burden on business, and promote California industries and businesses

Unions of teachers and school employees, Association of California School Administrators, California Federation of Labor and many individual unions, California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations, Sierra Club, California National Organization for Women, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)

Kirk M. Clark, California Business Roundtable; Marian Bergeson, former state of California secretary of education; Peter Mehas, Fresno County superintendent of schools, Julie Vandermost, Cali-fornia Women's Leadership Association; Lee Baca, Los Angeles County sheriff, Henry Mendoza, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (organizations listed for identification)

For more information

• Candidates: www.angelides.com, www.joinarnold.com

• Easy Voter Guide: http://www.easyvoter.org/

• League of Women Voters Smart Voter web site, www.smartvoter.org