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Sacramento Bee Columnist Daniel Weintraub

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September 17, 2003

Debate questions released

The California Broadcasters Association, sponsors of the Sept. 24 debate, have released 12 questions submitted by the public which might be asked during the debate. The questions will serve as openers for each segment of the debate, followed by a moderated exchange among the candidates, who will be free to ask follow-up questions or give rebuttal.

Followers of this blog know that this radical idea was mine. The risk is that the candidates, knowing the questions, will memorize answers to make themselves look good. But anyone who has ever watched a political debate knows that this happens anyway, as the candidates' staffs can usually predict with 99 percent accuracy what is coming. Now the public will be in on the secret as well, and the hope is that this will generate broad discussion of the issues in advance and raise the viewers' expectations for the answers.

I think 12 questions are too many. Such a high number makes it less likely that the press and public will chew them over during the next seven days. I would have used half that many. But that wasn't my call. It was probably done to deflect criticism that releasing the questions will allow the candidates to prepare. My understanding is that all 12 won't necessarily be used. It will depend on the flow of the debate.

Here are the questions:

How would you propose enhancing revenue and/or what specific cuts would you propose to achieve a balanced budget?

Leaders in the business community are convinced that this state is losing jobs and unable to attract new businesses. If you agree, what are two things you would change to make this a more business-friendly state? If you disagree, what are the misconceptions you would like to correct?

How are you going to insure that all Californians have adequate healthcare?

Everybody talks about wanting a colorblind society but what does that actually mean to you? In other words, how do we know when we have succeeded?

What should be the top priority for California right now?

If elected Governor, will you support the expansion of charter schools in California?

What do you expect to accomplish in the time remaining on Gray Davis’ term that he could not?

What is the single most important piece of legislation either signed or vetoed during this past legislative session?

Do you support reducing the Vehicle License Fee (car tax), and if so, where would you find the revenue to replace the loss to the budget?

What services will your Administration expect local governments to provide and what stable source of revenue will you give them to do it?

Under Governors Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan, California spent up to 20% of its General Fund on Infrastructure - such as roads, bridges, colleges,
hospitals and water systems. Now we spend closer to 1%. Proposition 53 on
the ballot raises that figure to 3%. What are your positions on Prop. 53 and what will you do to invest more in California's aging infrastructure?

As our population continues to age, the demand for government services to seniors will increase dramatically during the next decade. What do you intend to do to proactively manage this demand?

Here is the CBA press release in PDF file explaining the debate format.