I am proud to be supported by the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers, representing educators at all school levels in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Counties.

I strongly believe that California's children must have access to a free, appropriate, high-quality public education from preschool through grade 12 — and I believe in investing in our magnificent university systems in California. Clearly, cutting funds from school budgets, firing teachers and increasing class size is not an intelligent way to close the budget gap faced by California. By spending even less per pupil than we already do we are reducing our children’s opportunities to succeed intellectually and economically. We destroy their hope, their creativity and their enthusiasm for learning. We close the doors to new businesses and entrepreneurship with a weakened and ill-prepared workforce. The cost of such short-sightedness is far too great for our children, our economy and our future. The results are unacceptable.

The Governor’s own Committee on Education Excellence prepared a report which indicated both that the schools’ existing funding must be better used and also that more funding was required in certain areas. We certainly must reform the complex funding formulas which drive the budget allocation process and may very well lead to misdirected spending. But in an environment where additional resources as well as reform are called for, simply cutting the budget and firing teachers is not a solution, and will lead to chaos, diminished expectations and results, and an environment less conducive to the reforms called for by the Governor’s own committee.

I support closing tax loopholes for those that don’t need them to support the hopes and dreams of our children. The yacht tax loophole, loopholes for gas-guzzling vehicles owned by business, tax breaks for racehorses used for breeding, tax breaks for oil companies that extract our oil — all of these have questionable economic merit and do not compare to the value of a state with a top tier educational system. We do not have to increase property taxes to ensure that our schools work.

I have a long history of supporting teachers, parents and students in my district, as both a legislator and activist. There is no one who will work harder to protect your children’s future. I’ve written and passed legislation that made schools safer, helped teachers who use their own money to buy classroom supplies, and received many major honors for public service achievement between 2000 and 2004, including the California Teacher’s Association Outstanding Public Official Award (2001), CA Assn. for the Education of Young Children’s Legislative Award (2004), Principal’s Award Certificate (2003), CA Assoc. for the Education of Young Children (2003), CA Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students, Inc. (2002), CA School Employees Assoc. (2000), Child Development Policy Advisory Committee (2000).

I would be proud to continue to serve the parents, students and schools of Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Counties as your State Senator.

I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. Sadly, one in five Californians live without health insurance and millions more are underinsured -- just one accident, diagnosis or illness away from physical and financial crisis. This is unconscionable in a vibrant and rich country such as ours. All persons should have universal comprehensive health care that provides coverage for all Californians - individuals and families as well as businesses, small and large - and which covers the full range of necessary benefits, including prevention and prescriptions; and establishes quality standards and embraces efficiencies to reduce waste and administrative costs and assure affordability.

As a member of the California Assembly I have fought hard for the better health of my constituents. I’ve written and passed legislation to keep prescription drug prices as low as possible, to ensure that our caregivers are well-trained and to protect the public against serious health hazards in the environment. I’m proud that I played an important role in passing the HMO Patients’ Bill of Rights, and fought for safer nurse-to-patient ratios at hospitals to provide better care.

I will continue to fight for improvement and accessibility of quality, affordable healthcare as your State Senator. My record demonstrates that when there is a problem that affects the health of your community and your family, I will be there, and I will get results.

I have always been a strong defender of the safety of our communities. I understand that a critical component of our quality of life we enjoy that our families and our property are secure, and that we cannot and should not tolerate crime in our neighborhoods and public areas. As a former prosecutor, I worked hard to ensure that our laws were upheld and that those who broke the law were properly and effectively punished. I am the only candidate in this race who has worked on the job side by side with public safety officers to protect the public.

As an Assemblymember I brought this experience to the legislature, writing and passing bills to support crime victims, to protect the victims of stalking during periods the stalker may not be in custody, to increase school safety from domestic violence, to increase school safety from vehicular dangers, to increase penalties for vehicular manslaughter, and to allow for civil remedies for violence against women.

I also believe that we need to invest in smart, effective gang and drug prevention efforts and provide alternatives for our children. I’ve heard many law enforcement leaders agree that a dollar spent on prevention will save you ten down the road.

Because of my proven record, experience and commitment to public safety, I’ve been endorsed by Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, Ventura Police Chief Pat Miller, former Ventura Police Chief Mike Tracey, the Santa Barbara Police Officers Association, the Santa Barbara Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Ventura County Professional Peace Officers Association, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Professional Firefighters and Santa Barbara County Firefighters Local 2046.

I’m proud that my accomplishments have been recognized by so many law enforcement leaders. I am pleased to have been honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 2001 and again in 2002. I’m also proud that I was named Legislator of the Year in 2000 by the Junior League of California based on my record preventing domestic violence and protecting crime victims.

No one will work harder to protect you, your home and your family, period.

Electing Hannah-Beth Jackson to the California Senate will have an immediate and powerful impact on environmental policy in California. She is committed to developing California’s green economy, protecting our air and water, preserving open space and our eco-diversity, and improving public health by working for a cleaner environment. Her record in the Assembly and as an activist on environmental issues is unparalleled.

• Chaired the two committees in the Assembly considered most critical to environmental policy:
  • 1999-2001. The Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
  • 2002-2004. The Committee on Natural Resources
    
    
• Authored over 30 pieces of legislation designed to promote alternative energy sources, protect air and water quality, fight offshore oil drilling, reduce coastal pollution, preserve open space, protect against pesticides and toxics in our daily lives, and protect the Coastal Commission and the California coast against overdevelopment and pollution.
  
  
• Is considered the leading protector of the California coast from the pollution caused by offshore oil drilling.
  
  
• Obtained a commitment in 2002 to fight coastal pollution with a $90,000,000 addition to a statewide water bond which resulted in significantly cleaner water and the acknowledgement by the State of CA of the importance of addressing and remediating this critical problem.
  
  
• Led the fight to preserve substantial portions of open space in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties which have some of the most beautiful and diverse ecosystems in the nation, ranging from the Gaviota Coast and the Elwood Mesa to the Ahmanson Ranch.

Hannah-Beth has received an early endorsement from the League of Conservation Voters for this election, and has received the endorsement of the Sierra Club in every election in which she’s been a candidate.

She’s received numerous awards from environmental organizations, including (among others):

1999 – Environmental Hero Award, California League of Conservation Voters (100% rating on CLCV scorecard)

2001 – Environmental Hero Award, Environmental Defense Center, for both Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties

2001 – Friend of the Coast Award, Wetland Recovery Project

2001 – Healer Award, Heal the Ocean 2002 – Grizzly Award, League of Conservation Voters

2002 – Guardian of the Coast Award, Vote the Coast

2003 – Legislator of the Year, Californians Against Waste

2003 – Wetland Recovery Award, Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project

As your State Senator, I will continue to lead the fight against identity theft — and for protecting your financial privacy rights.

After I was elected to the California State Assembly, representing Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, I wrote the nation’s toughest laws protecting the privacy of consumer financial records because financial institutions were sharing and selling personal information. I’ve also written legislation which cuts down opportunities for identity theft by giving consumers more control over their credit information.

In today’s modern world, every day consumers must make educated choices about products and services, and whether to disclose or protect information that should be kept private. It has become all too easy for huge corporations, especially those that outsource jobs overseas, to allow for deceptive practices, or practices that may compromise our privacy. Regulation and oversight must keep up with the times, and consequences for privacy or consumer violations must be swift and severe enough to make a difference. Information on all publicly available products and services must be complete accurate and available, so that consumers can always make informed choices.

As your Senator, I will work hard with the business community as well as consumers, to find solutions that protect consumers, and do everything in my power to end deceptive practices and protect constituents from rip-offs and compromises of their right to privacy.

Because of my strong commitment to protect consumers, I am proud to have been named by the Consumer Federation of California as one of its “2008 Consumer Champions.”