Das,

Thanks for coming on my blog to be interviewed. I appreciate candidates that take questions in public.

I am not asking many of the questions important to the future of our state because I know you will be asked them over and over.

But I do want to ask you questions about reforming the budget process. Do you favor removing the 2/3rds requirement in the budgetary process?

What would you tell people that are concerned that the 2/3rds requirement is among the only safeguards to stop tax increases?

I do support removing the 2/3rds requirement, but it is going to take an incredible amount of public outreach to let people know why it is important. Sacramento is broken and this is one of the largest reasons why.

Many people are under the impression that the 2/3rds requirement makes Republicans and Democrats have to work together, but you and I both have seen that what it really does is allow a small amount of legislators, of either party, to hold the whole process hostage.

Do we really want a system in which a couple very stubborn Assemblymembers or Senators can prevent a budget from being passed?
Because of how strong the partisan caucus system is, combined with the 2/3rds, allows a few to prevent action and to prevent a more rational fiscal system from being planned.

Many people want to keep the 2/3rds requirement to prevent higher taxes. Do you think they could be convinced to agree to remove the requirement?

Yes. People are more worried about the fact that these last two budgets that were passed in Sacramento are destroying public education and health coverage for kids in poverty than they are about higher tobacco taxes.

The main two revenue increases that we Democrats want to pass are a higher tobacco tax and an oil severance tax (which the very anti-tax states of Alaska and Texas both have, but we do not). When people see that they could avoid how hurtful of cuts are happening in local schools and universities with these two taxes, they will want to know why the State has not pursued that option.

Do you see term limits as a major contributing factor to the problems in Sacramento?

Yes, because it makes everyone distracted by looking for their next job, as well as creates other problems. However, I don't live under the illusion that the voters are going to change term limits while I serve the people of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. People are so tired of the status quo up in Sacramento that they want real change, and that is going to take either getting rid of the 2/3rds requirement to allow California to be governed, or its going to take a group of Democrats fighting as hard and willing to dig in their heels as much as the Republicans do on issues of their base values, like protecting public education and the future of our kids and health care funding for people who are hurting out there.

Das,

Do you support calling a constitutional convention to address issues like the budgetary process, term limits, and the initiative process?

Das,

If you had to choose between having more Democrats or more bipartisanship in the legislature which would you prefer?

We need a reform process, but I think any reform effort should concentrate on finances and getting rid of the 2/3rds. If term limits is included the voters will reject the package that comes out of the discussion.

So a reform effort needs to be focused. Its hard enough to get anything done there right now, so lets not try to open up everything at once.

What Republican elected officials in California do you most respect and why? Who was the last Republican that you voted for?

Gee, I guess you want us Dems to admit our darkest secrets. I've only voted for two: Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown (there were no Dems in the race, but he was the rebel reformer in the race against a sitting Sheriff) and Schoolboardmember Ed Heron, whose views on education don't seem very Republican to me.

But my favorite Reep is my opa (grandfather). He was a minister at a church on the Avenue in Ventura and still lives his values everyday. He was a POW in WWII and suffered for years but has no bitterness in his heart. He believes in a divine call for a just society and will take in anyone off the street that needs his help. He is a great role-model to me.

Do you support marriage equality? Do you remember when you came to support your position?

What are some of your favorite political blogs to read?

I do support equal marriage. I believe that wherever there is any theological uncertainty, the example of Jesus and the great prophets of the world's great faiths provide is one of erring on the side of inclusion. I think that sanctifying monogomy and love sounds like a better alternative than to discriminate and alienate our neighbors and kin.

Das,

Many people are frustrated in the inability of public schools to fire ineffective teachers.

Recently, The Los Angeles Times ran a series on LAUSD and the legal battles they have been waging to fire some teachers that at best our ineffective and at worst are criminals.

Do you support reforms to make it easier to remove teachers that cannot or will not perform from our schools?

I am not asking to eliminate due process rights or to end tenure, but would you be supportive of legislation to make it easier to remove poor performers?

Here is the article for future reference:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teachers3-2009may03,0,679507.story

www.calitics.com, Santa Barbara's blog, yours, and whatever my dad posts on www.legendarysurfers.com/das/blog

It was many years since I concluded my theological and philosophical internal debate on marriage. We all struggle to love and give and be better husbands or wives. Why forbid anyone an aspect of that journey?

Das,

Thanks again for responding to my questions. Here is my last question:

Recently US Education Secretary Arne Duncan argued that California could be ineligible for funding for the "Race to the top" program included in the stimulus package.

Here is an article detailing the dispute over what California law allows:

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/112981

Here is a quote from that article:

"The draft guidelines make a state ineligible to apply for a grant if it has any legal barrier to using student achievement data for evaluating teachers and principals. Duncan has repeatedly criticized California's Education Code Section 10601.5 as such a barrier, or "firewall," that impedes teacher effectiveness. State education officials argue that nothing in state law prohibits a school district from using student test scores for teacher evaluation or compensation."

IF California law would in fact prohibit us from participating in this reform program would you support revisions to allow the state to better evaluate teacher effectiveness?

I'll have to check out the article, but I have some experience on this matter.

As a teacher, I have been frustrated when I find someone who is not giving their students their all, but that is very rare in my experience. More often I find teachers that are not given the tools they need to foster critical thinking, teamwork, and good citizenship.

We have an education system that is so messed up and underfunded, I'm not even sure you can assess what is an underperforming teacher. I've seen great teachers get lower test scores in a tough South-Central Los Angeles school than an ok one in a suburban school. So should we punish her and reward the less effective one? That's what assessment though test scores would make us do.

I support "hazard pay" for teachers that volunteer for tough assignments in schools where you need to deal with a myriad of problems but I am against "merit pay" or any reward system that ignores the hundreds of factors in a good education beyond test scores.

Das,

Sorry, but I need to follow up:

Where do you or have you been a teacher at?

You don't think in addition to those reforms you suggested that we should make it easier to remove ineffective teachers from the classroom? I can tell you from experience that many administrators give up on reprimanding or firing ineffective teachers because of the legal obstacles that make it near impossible to fire a teacher.

Thanks again for your time. I owe you for keeping you longer than we discussed. I will keep this entry at the top of the page for awhile to show my thanks.

I think I already started to answer this. We do have ways to get rid of bad teachers and we should, but we have to have ways of assessing teachers on more than VERY FLAWED standardized testing.

I mentioned the three things I think are most important to teach in order for someone to get a job and not end up on the wrong path: critical thinking, teamwork though group projects, and citizenship/volunteerism. None of these things can be adequately assessed with standardized testing.

The only way to properly assess teachers is with peer review. I am an early and enthusiastic Obamamaniac, but it would be a mistake of the Administration to force California to use over-simplified testing as a means to incorrectly assess.

Everyone wants this to be simple. Its not, lets get over it and get into the complexity of improving our public education system with real reforms that help teachers as much or more than they increase accountability.

Thanks for having me Brian. Gotta go, Jen wants me to do the dishes.

Das,

Thanks for your time and thanks for responding to my questions.

Good job everybody that was very informative.