Campaign ‘94: Issues and Answers

Two candidates in the Nov. 8 election are running for the 71st Assembly District. They are Democrat Jeanne Costales of Lake Forest and Republican Mickey Conroy, the incumbent, of Orange. Here’s how they stand on four issues.

‘Three Strikes’ Crime Law

Costales: “I strongly support the need to remove repeat, violent offenders from society at large. I support a “three-strikes” anti-crime law for repeat violent offenders. I also support improved programs for drug rehabilitation and prevention, violence prevention curriculum for adolescents and community-based policing.”

Conroy: “I support and voted for California’s ‘three-strikes you’re out’ law. This law is necessary because we have weak laws, and because our justice system fails to enforce the penalties currently on the books. There is no alternative until we pass laws that provide swift punishment of first-time offenders. California’s crime rate has soared over the last 20 years because government has attempted to remedy crime through a myriad of social programs rather than deterrence through punishment. I have constantly introduced legislation that strengthens our laws and increases the punishment of criminals.”

Measure to Curtail Benefits to Illegal Immigrants

Costales: “Proposition 187, by denying children’s immunization and TB screening, will cause a public health crisis like California has never known. It violates federal protection rights of privacy to students and patients and could cost California $15 billion in federal monies. It also challenges federal law requiring compulsory education for all youngsters and uses youngsters to ascertain citizenship status of parents and guardians. Those here illegally would be turned over to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, presumably for deportation. The status of American-born children of undocumented parents is unclear should parents be deported. I think the whole initiative, should it become law, will be declared unconstitutional.”

Conroy: “I am proud to be one of the original supporters of the “Save Our State” initiative, helping to qualify it for the November ballot. We simply must turn off the taxpayer benefits that draw aliens into our state. As an assemblyman, I have introduced several bills to prohibit welfare for illegal aliens. I also introduced legislation to forbid illegals from attending California colleges and universities. Because most immigration reform bills are killed by the Democrat majority in Sacramento, the ‘SOS’ initiative may be our only chance to achieve reform in California and save our state.”

Single-Payer Health Initiative

Costales: “Changes must surely be made in health care. The public already supports the working poor and the uninsured. As more and more employers use a part-time work force with no benefits, health care reform becomes imperative. California already spends $4 billion for health care for the uninsured. These folks use emergency rooms for routine health needs, the most expensive form of health care delivery. In Orange County, only 33% of all 2-year-old children are immunized, we have a TB epidemic and the highest breast cancer rate in the United States. This, under the current system. We can do better. I support the single-payer health plan on the November ballot in California.”

Conroy: “I am strongly opposed to Proposition 186. If passed, the Health Security Act would create a new government health czar dubbed the ‘Health Commissioner’ who would be in charge of a vast new state bureaucracy. Once fully implemented in 1998, Prop. 186 (would) cost the state approximately $140 billion annually, almost tripling the state’s current $58 billion budget. A sizable portion of this budget, $54 billion, must come from new taxes. Rather than turning over our health care to the state, we should move toward fostering competition in the health care industry and limiting lawsuits that drive up insurance and medical costs.”

Future Uses For El Toro Marine Corps Air Station

Costales: “When El Toro Marine Corps Air Station was developed, the Saddleback Valley was farms and orange trees. That is not the case today. Civilian impaction was a primary reason for the closure of El Toro as a military airport. The same civilian impaction exists whether the land is in military or commercial use. Taxpayers for Responsible Planning estimate it will cost $7.5 billion to develop this property as a commercial airport. Why would we spend this for an airport just five miles from John Wayne, whose construction costs we are still paying for? A commercial airport is a legitimate quality of life issue for Saddleback Valley residents. I am opposed to a commercial airport.”

Conroy: “I am opposed to the development of commercial airport should El Toro be closed. If the Clinton Administration succeeds in its political decision to close this vital and strategic military base, we should work to ensure that the base housing is retained for the military personnel. We should also work for a repeal of the (legislation) that would give ‘homeless’ agencies priority for the housing structures. Orange County does not need to create a squatter’s town at El Toro that will bring in vagrants and hobos.”