GOVERNOR: THE ISSUES

HEALTH CARE

Gray Davis

* HMOs: Favors outside review of contested HMO cases by independent physicians within 30 days. Would allow patients to sue HMOs and HMO decision-makers for malpractice.

* HIV: Supports additional funding for HIV/AIDS research and extending Medi-Cal eligibility to low-income, asymptomatic people with HIV infection.

* Abortion: Favors abortion rights; opposes requiring parental consent for minors.

* Insurance: Supports expanding Healthy Families Program for uninsured children of working poor.

Dan Lungren

* HMOs: Favors timely external review of most medical procedures when denial by an HMO is contested. Supports a patient’s right to sue HMOs for malpractice.

* HIV: Supports prevention pro grams and public-private partnerships over publicly funded programs for HIV/AIDS patients.

* Abortion: Opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. Believes minors should obtain parental consent for abortions.

* Insurance: Wants to keep current parameters of Healthy Families Program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gray Davis

* Death penalty: Supports the death penalty.

* Guns Would ban Saturday night specials and assault weapons and require child safety locks on all guns.

* Three strikes: Supports current three-strikes law; originally supported a three-strikes measure favored by the California District Attorneys Assn. that would have required the third strike be a violent felony.

* Sentences: Favors longer prison terms for selling drugs to juveniles. Supports early intervention for juvenile drug abusers.

* Judges: Vows to appoint judges who ‘will be tough-minded; but fair.”

Dan Lundgren

Dan Lundgren

* Death penalty: Supports the death penalty.

* Guns: Supports waiting periods and background checks for gun buyers.

* Three strikes: Was one of original supporters of current three-strikes law.

* Sentences: Supports tougher sentences and more prison construction. Supports ‘10-20-life’ law that adds time to sentences for those convicted of using a firearm in the commission of certain felonies.

* Judges: Believes ‘government’s first duty is public safety.” Vows to appoint judges ‘who recognize the rights of crime victims.”

EDUCATION

Gray Davis

* Standards: Says his top priority is to “dramatically improve our public schools.” Vows to raise standards and require annual school evaluations.

* Teachers: Supports financial incentives to retain experienced teachers.

* Vouchers: Opposes school vouchers but would reconsider if other policies fail after four years.

* Propositions: Supports Proposition 1A, the statewide school bond measure. Opposes Proposition 8, a proposal to reshape oversight of schools. Would lower threshold of local school bond passage from two thirds of electorate to simple majority.

Dan Lundgren

* Standards: Supports local control and accountability of schools through parent councils.

* Teachers: Advocates merit pay and competency tests for teachers and differential pay for math and science teachers.

* Vouchers: Supports school vouchers, has stated he would press for voucher legislation or a voucher initiative, if elected.

* Propositions: Supports Propositions 1A and 8. Would lower threshold of local school bond passage from two-thirds of electorate to 60%.

ENVIRONMENT

Gray Davis

* Preservation: Supports permanent ban on logging of old-growth forests. Believes urban sprawl must be stopped and land preserved for agricultural use. Co-authored state Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act after the Exxon Valdez disaster.

* Offshore drilling: Supports permanent ban on offshore oil drilling.

* Clean air: Favors the development of affordable alternative technologies to promote clean air and protect state’s economic viability. Supports state mandate that 10% of cars sold by major auto makers by 2003 be zero-emission cars.

* Radioactive waste: Opposes construction of radioactive waste dump in Ward Valley in Mojave Desert.

Dan Lundgren

* Preservation: Believes California Environmental Quality Act consistently has been misused; supports reform. Calls for flexible” regulatory system that balances protecting the environment and helping the economy grow. Favors economic incentives for business to meet environmental standards instead of government regulation.

* Offshore drilling: Supports existing federal ban on offshore oil drilling but voted in Congress to oppose a permanent moratorium.

* Clean air: Would make zero-emission car mandate voluntary.

* Radioactive waste: Supports construction of radioactive waste dump in Ward Valley.

WATER POLICY

Gray Davis

* Supply: Believes a peripheral canal around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is unlikely because it would lack voter support. As an alternative, supports tax credits for farmers to invest in water conservation technologies, such as drip irrigation.

* Technology: Supports investing in new technologies to achieve most efficient use of water resources.

* Recycling: Favors efforts to recapture agricultural runoff.

Dan Lundgren

* Supply: Would support a solution for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that guarantees additional water storage and some type of improved system for conveying water to Southern California.

* Technology: Favors development of reservoirs that are not bulk on rivers, also known as off-stream facilities, to provide additional sup plies and flood protection.

* Recycling: Supports water conservation, water banking and district-to-district transfers while protecting historic water rights.

* Authority: Believes water policy should be guided by state government with less federal involvement.

THE ECONOMY

Gray Davis

* Taxes: Opposes increases in personal income or sales taxes. Favors eliminating capital gains tax for investments longer than five years. Supports expansion of tax credit for research and develop meet, particularly for those industries working with state universities. Would provide 6% investment credit for businesses that move headquarters to California or expand headquarters here.

* NAFTA: Neutral on 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement ! with Mexico and Canada.

Dan Lundgren

* Taxes: Proposes a cut in state in capital gains tax, and its eventual l elimination. Supports expansion 0 research and development tax credit. Favors extending the ban on taxation of electronic commerce. Committed to eliminating the vehicle registration tax and reducing taxes overall.

* NAFTA: Supported NAFTA and would push for similar agreements with South America and Asia.

* Lawsuits: Supports restricting damage awards in lawsuits brought against employers over terminations, capping punitive damage awards and product liability reform.

Sources: Dan Lungren for Governor campaign: Gray Davis for Governor campaign; Times files

Researched by NONA YATES / Los Angeles Times