Decision ’92 : VOTING IN THE VALLEY / AN ELECTION GUIDE : STATE SENATE / 17th DISTRICT : Q and A

Questions were sent to candidates in September. Answers have been edited to fit the space.

State Spending

Q. What do you believe is the single most wasteful program in state government?

Heiser: Welfare. Every penny spent on welfare is a waste that perpetuates the problem. Welfare should be eliminated and replaced with workfare.

Olenick: Welfare. Loopholes in the system allow for fraud and abuse.

Rogers: Welfare. California has 12% of the U.S. population, but is carrying 26% of the U.S. welfare cost.

Indispensable Program

Q. Are there any state programs you believe should never be cut? If so, what?

Heiser: Every state program must share some of the burden. Where the state cuts, we should allow the private sector to take up the slack.

Olenick: Education because children are our future and the best investment we can make.

Rogers: I don’t think any state program should be exempt from cost savings. However, crime and fire protection should be the last to be reduced.

Rebuilding L.A.

Q. What specific steps should be taken to rebuild riot-scarred parts of Los Angeles?

Heiser: Depressed areas should be declared federal, state and local enterprise zones. The strongest possible tax incentives should be used to encourage small businesses to create jobs there. No finance, as such, would be necessary.

Olenick: All rebuilding efforts should come from the private sector without using taxpayers’ money.

Rogers: Let private funding sources make the decision and provide the money.

Taxes on Wealthy

Q. Do you support a November ballot initiative that would raise taxes on wealthy individuals, corporations and banks while repealing 1991 sales tax hikes?

Heiser: No. The business climate in this state is dismal enough. I do like, and support, the repeal of the sales tax increase.

Olenick: No. I am opposed to new taxes, but I do support repealing 1991 sales tax hikes.

Rogers: No. I like the part about repealing the sales-tax hike, but do not support new taxes on individuals, corporations and banks, which would accelerate the flight of jobs from California.

Gay Rights

Q. Do you support legislation to ban job discrimination against homosexuals in California?

Heiser: No.

Olenick: No.

Rogers: No.

Business Exodus

Q. Do you believe businesses are leaving California due to a hostile business environment? If yes, how would you make California more attractive to business?

Heiser: Yes. Lower taxes, retain only essential regulations, one-stop permit system. I support the conclusions of the Ueberroth Commission on California Competitiveness.

Olenick: Yes. Reform workers’ compensation. Promote a reasonable approach to environmental restrictions on business. I will carry legislation to require an economic impact report be completed in every case where an environmental impact report is required by law. Tax credit for businesses that locate in California.

Rogers: Yes. Reform workers’ compensation. Reduce over-regulation of businesses. Reduce the tax burden on businesses and individuals.

Health Insurance

Q. Do you support requiring California businesses to provide health insurance to employees or contribute to a fund to provide health care for the uninsured?

Heiser: No. Individuals who don’t get insurance through employers, and can’t afford it, should get a voucher (the amount of which would depend on their needs) to take to the private HMO of their choice.

Olenick: No. It would drive businesses out of California.

Rogers: No. Most businesses, if they can afford it, already provide health insurance for their workers. We should not mandate this for businesses.

School Vouchers

Q. Do you support giving state money to parents to allow them to enroll their children in schools of their choice, public or private?

Heiser: Yes.

Olenick: No.

Rogers: Yes with some limitations.

College Tuition

Q. Should tuition at state universities and colleges be increased to help offset state budget deficits?

Heiser: These institutions of higher learning should be privatized, thereby, taking college out of the tax structure entirely. Loans, scholarship and employer financing of education should be how higher education is financed.

Olenick: No. They were increased by 40% already this year. State government needs to balance their budget by putting people back to work and downsizing government.

Rogers: No. I think the state should live within its present income sources.

School Bonds

Q. Do you support reducing the votes needed to pass a school construction bond issue from two-thirds to a simple majority?

Heiser: No.

Olenick: Yes.

Rogers: No.

Death Penalty

Q. Do you support capital punishment for any crimes? If so, which ones?

Heiser: Yes. Any person convicted of a crime punishable by life in prison should be given the option of voluntarily electing the death penalty instead.

Olenick: Yes. A life for a life.

Rogers: Yes. First-degree murder.

Affirmative Action

Q. In general, do you think affirmative action in employment of women and members of minority groups has not gone far enough, or has gone too far, or is about right?

Heiser: Government-mandated affirmative action for the private sector is an evil that will backfire on the very people it was meant to help.

Olenick: In some areas it has gone too far and now is the time to eliminate quotas and start hiring and promoting people based on their abilities.

Rogers: About right.

Abortion Rights

Q. Do you support a woman’s unrestricted right to an abortion within the first three months of pregnancy?

Heiser: Yes.

Olenick: Yes.

Rogers: No.

Right-To-Die

Q. Do you support a November ballot initiative that would make it legal for doctors to “assist” terminally ill patients in dying, such as by giving them lethal injection?

Heiser: Yes. The state does not own us. Our lives must be our own, to live or not to live, as we see fit.

Olenick: Yes. Terminally ill people have a right to end pain and suffering with the assistance of their physician.

Rogers: No.

Welfare Benefits

Q. Do you support Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposal to reduce welfare benefits for a family of three by 10% immediately, to $597 a month, and by another 15% for families with able-bodied adults who were not working?

Heiser: No. The plan will not solve the problem. Welfare must be eliminated entirely and replaced with workfare.

Olenick: I support the welfare reforms portion of Proposition 165. I am opposed to the remainder of that proposition.

Rogers: Yes. Vote yes on Proposition 165.

California Life

Q. What single change would most improve life in Southern California?

Heiser: Reduction of taxes to a manageable level.

Olenick: We have to turn around our economy and create jobs for the unemployed.

Rogers: A strong economy with jobs available for all who want to work.

B-2 Bomber

Q. President Bush has urged that production of the B-2 bomber, which is assembled at a Palmdale plant, be cut from 75 to 25. Do you support this reduction?

Heiser: Yes. The B-2 never made sense during the Cold War and makes even less sense now. We’d be better off with many small aircraft at a fraction of the cost.

Olenick: No. We need to keep American strong and ensure our defensive capabilities. Full production of the B-2 bomber would do that.

Rogers: No. I have a very high regard for the B-2 bomber and think the number should be increased, not reduced.

Campaign Financing

Q. Should political campaigns be taxpayer-funded to reduce the importance of special-interest money?

Heiser: No.

Olenick: No.

Rogers: No.