One last go-around at four more years
Ryan Carter
Marie Candice was walking by a central plaza on the campus of
Glendale Community College and said she heard an older man talking,
with several other older people standing behind him, so she decided
to see what was going on.
It turned out it was state Sen. Jack Scott (D-Burbank), 70,
officially announcing his candidacy during a news conference for what
would be his last four-year term as state senator, and possibly his
last foray into politics, at least at the state level.
With several officials from Burbank and Glendale standing behind
him, Scott briefly outlined his reasons for running for another term
and goals for working with the new Schwarzenegger administration.
“We’ve just gone through a political earthquake,” he said,
referring to the recall of Gov. Gray Davis. “I believe now is the
time for people to join hands and solve the problems of California.”
The biggest of those challenges is the state’s budget, which
though hashed out in the last legislative session, could be a thorn
again beginning in January, when the new governor introduces his
budget plan for the 2004-05 fiscal year.
Scott, a former educator, administrator and president of Pasadena
City College and Cypress College, said public education was a top
priority. As chairman of the Senate budget committee on education,
Scott said education funding could have been hit harder, but much was
spared.
“Jack has been good for education, which is good for cities,”
Burbank Councilwoman Marsha Ramos said. “He has been responsive to
city’s needs. He has experience for the challenges his district
faces. We’re going to need that.”
Candice, a student who wants to transfer to UCLA, said the state
raising community college fees from $11 to $18 a unit is hurting
students.
“They always make promises during campaigns, and then poof, the
promises disappear,” she said of politicians.
Libertarian Bob New, Independent Christy Cassel and Republican
Richard Joseph St. Andrew III are challenging Scott.