Issues in the 53rd Assembly District

Here are the positions of Democrat Debra L. Bowen and Republican W. Brad Parton on selected issues.

The Economy and Jobs

Bowen believes the state needs to be proactive in encouraging business expansion. She favors using a small percentage of public pension funds to provide capital to start new businesses. Bowen supports tax credits to encourage investment in research and development.

Parton, a pension planner, opposes tapping state pension funds as potentially risky. He supports creation of enterprise zones and providing tax incentives. And, he says, the state needs to be friendlier to business.

Welfare Reform

Parton favors Proposition 165, Gov. Pete Wilson’s initiative to reduce welfare benefits. “It’s a step,” he said. “We need to build a wall and stop having people from other states and even other countries coming here to get on our welfare programs. . . . We can’t make our welfare system attractive.”

Bowen, while supporting the principle of welfare reform, opposes the ballot measure, saying it will give the governor too much power to cut state spending. “Why have a Legislature?” she asked. “Why not just elect a dictator?” She favors a transition period to give welfare recipients a chance to look for work before reducing benefits.

Abortion

Bowen favors abortion rights and says the government should have no role in a women’s right to choose an abortion. She opposes parental consent requirements for minors who want an abortion because “no law can mandate a good family situation when it doesn’t exist.”

Parton describes himself as “pro-life.” He personally opposes abortion and supports restrictions on it. He is against government funding of abortions and favors parental consent before a minor can terminate a pregnancy.

School Vouchers

Parton supports the concept of providing a voucher or tax credits so parents can send their children to private rather than public school. But he says he opposes a proposed initiative that would provide a $2,500-voucher, calling it too expensive.

Bowen opposes vouchers, saying the ability of parents to send children to private schools using public funds would damage the public schools at a time when they are not being adequately financed.

Workers’ Compensation Reforms

Both favor reforms in the workers’ compensation system, but differ on the details. Bowen wants to eliminate all stress claims except for public safety officers. Parton wants a tougher threshold for stress claims against employers. Both want strict penalties for fraud and restrictions to prevent doctors from referring patients to laboratories in which they have a financial interest.

Death Penalty

Both support the death penalty.