Assembly: 34th District : Questionnaires were distributed to candidates this month. Answers have been edited to fit the available space.

Family Sick Leave

Q. Gov. Deukmejian recently vetoed legislation that would have granted workers as much as four months of unpaid leave every two years to care for sick children, spouses and other family members without fear of losing their jobs. Do you favor this type of legislation?

Wyman: No. We should encourage employers with tax credits.

Tisbert: No. I support voluntary agreement between employer and employee.

Teacher Salaries

Q. The Legislature approved a 4.7% cost-of-living raise for school employees, and Gov. Deukmejian reduced it to 3%, placing the difference in an account for special education programs. Should this money be used for salaries?

Wyman: It should be distributed to districts on an average daily attendance basis with local districts having the decision on use, salaries or otherwise.

Tisbert: No answer.

Big Green

Q. Proposition 128, the so-called “Big Green” initiative on the November ballot, seeks to eliminate ozone-depleting chemicals by the year 2000, phase out pesticides known to cause cancer and require that trees be planted in all new developments. Do you support this initiative? Wyman: No. It devastates the economy and is an unconstitutional violation of separation of powers in that it would give excessive power to an environmental czar.

Tisbert: No. While I support protecting the environment, I do not believe we should create a $340-million bureaucracy.

Tree-Cutting

Q. Proposition 130 on the November ballot would restrict clear-cutting of forests, allow the sale of $710 million in bonds to preserve ancient redwood forests and provide $32 million to retrain unemployed loggers. Do you support this initiative? Wyman: No.

Tisbert: No. This would give government control of more land.

Limited Terms

Q. Proposition 131 on the November ballot, authored by Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp and Common Cause, would limit most statewide elected officials to eight consecutive years in office, and senators and Assembly members to 12 years. Proposition 140, sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Pete Schabarum, is more stringent, limiting lifetime service to eight years in the Senate and six in the Assembly. Do you support limiting the number of terms state legislators can serve? If yes, how long should the limits be? Wyman: I could support a term-limit proposal if it were tied to other key legislative reforms including competitive reapportionment rules and a return to a part-time Legislature.

Tisbert: I support Proposition 140.

Sales Tax

Q. Proposition 133 on the November ballot would raise state sales and use taxes by 0.5% for four years to raise $7.5 billion for drug enforcement and treatment, anti-drug education, and prison and jail construction and operation. Do you support this initiative?

Wyman: No. We can do the same by reordering existing spending.

Tisbert: No.

Liquor Tax

Q. Proposition 134 on the November ballot would substantially raise taxes on beer, wine and liquor and dedicate the revenue from the tax hike to programs for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. Do you support this initiative? Wyman: No. It interferes with the setting of legislative priorities.

Tisbert: No.

Inmate Laborers

Q. Proposition 139 on the November ballot would allow private companies to hire state prison and county jail inmates as laborers. Do you support this initiative? Wyman: Yes. Let them pay for some of their keep.

Tisbert: No.

Death Penalty

Q. Do you support capital punishment? If so, do you think it should be imposed on those convicted of importing or selling drugs? Wyman: Yes. Yes, for drug lords.

Tisbert: No.

Handgun Controls

Q. Do you support additional limits on handgun purchase or possession in California? Wyman: No.

Tisbert: No.

Abortion Rights

Q. Do you support a woman’s right to unrestricted abortions within the first three months of pregnancy? Wyman: No. I also support parental consent and oppose sex-selection abortions.

Tisbert: Yes.

Abortion Funding

Q. Do you support government funding of abortions for women who cannot afford them? Wyman: No.

Tisbert: No. I am willing to work with groups to help raise funds for this purpose.

Day-Care Services

Q. Do you believe the state should require private employers to subsidize day-care services for employees who request them? Wyman. No. We need to positively address child-care needs by giving tax credits to employers and potential custodial parents (father or mother) to help solve the need.

Tisbert: No. I feel a voluntary agreement can be worked out between employee and employer.

War on Drugs

Q. Do you believe our present strategy of criminal prosecution, interdiction of supplies and imprisonment of users and dealers will ever significantly reduce the level of drug use in the United States? If no, what should be done? Wyman: Yes. We just need to keep pushing even harder and go after users as well as suppliers.

Tisbert: No. I believe that education and tolerance are part of the solution to this problem.

Drug Decriminalization

Q. Would you consider supporting the decriminalization of drug use? Wyman: No. Not under any circumstances.

Tisbert: Yes.

Oil Exploration

Q. Do you think the present Mideast crisis justifies opening up additional parts of the California coastline to oil exploration? Wyman: Yes. We need responsible offshore oil development done in an environmentally sound manner.

Tisbert: No. Alternative energy such as biomass and other non-polluting sources. The Middle East is a scam.

Parkland Exchange

Q. Should the National Park Service exchange 50 acres in Cheeseboro Canyon in southeastern Ventura County for about 1,100 acres of the neighboring Jordan Ranch owned by entertainer Bob Hope, permitting park agencies to buy another 4,600 acres of Hope’s land in the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains for $10 million? Wyman: I have not reviewed this issue.

Tisbert: No opinion.

Mandatory Ride-Sharing

Q. Do you favor mandatory ride-sharing in an effort to meet government air pollution standards? Wyman: No. Why not use a carrot instead of a stick.

Tisbert: No. No. I do not believe government should force people to ride-share. Alternative fuels are the solution.

Political Funding

Q. Do you support full or partial public funding of political campaigns? Wyman: No. I supported the reforms of Proposition 73 as superior public policy.

Tisbert: No. I do not support public funding of political campaigns.

Income Disclosure

Q. Are you willing to publicly release your income tax returns and those of your spouse prior to the November election? Wyman: I have always been willing to release a synopsis of my return and have done so in the past.

Tisbert: No.

Congressional District 34 The heavily Republican district includes the Antelope Valley and stretches north into Kern County to cover part of Bakersfield.

CONTENDERS Phillip D. Wyman, 45, a Republican from Tehachapi, was elected to the Assembly in 1978. A rancher and attorney, he is the Assembly minority whip and serves on several key committees, including education and labor and employment.

Ronald Tisbert, 43, the Libertarian candidate, is the owner of a window-tinting business. A Palmdale resident, he is Wyman’s sole opponent and is making his first try at public office.