What is the most pressing issue in...

What is the most pressing issue in the state? In Newport-Mesa?

The most pressing issue in the state is illegal immigration. It

costs the state $17 billion per year -- the size of our deficit --

and impacts every thing in the state including education, jobs, the

economy, welfare, transportation, housing and medical care. In

Newport-Mesa, illegal immigration adversely affects medical care by

overcrowding emergency rooms and forcing hospitals out of business

because they are mandated to provide services whether they are

reimbursed or not. Six out of seven babies born in our area are

illegal and without insurance. Illegal immigration threatens our

safety. In the first year after 9/11, the Saudi Minister of Defense

admitted that at least 80,000 Al Qaeda members came into the U.S.

illegally through our porous borders.

What is the best solution to the state’s budget crisis?

If we stopped illegal immigration, the budget problems would be

cured. But since that will take some time, we first need to cut

spending by switching to a formula that is tied to the sum of

population plus inflation. Among other solutions, we need to fund

departments based on performance, not how much money they spent last

year. We need to reorganize governmental departments to cut

duplication of services. We need to sunset all regulations so they

can be reviewed periodically for effectiveness. We need to perform

some services through competitive bidding in the private sector.

Assuming the Legislature stays in Democratic hands, how will you

work with the majority party?

My first responsibility as a legislator is to the people who

elected me and who expect me to follow through on my campaign issues,

which include illegal immigration reform, parental choice in

education and deregulation of business along with workers comp

reform. These aren’t issues important to just the people of the 70th

District. They’re important to citizens throughout the state.

What makes you the best person for the job?

Legislators are elected to represent the people, not the special

interests who fund their campaigns. I am a grass-roots candidate who

is not funded by special interests and thus I can truly represent the

people. I don’t just talk about issues. I take action. I was an

elected delegate to President Reagan’s White House Conference on

Small Business because there were serious business problems and I

felt I could contribute to their solutions. I got together with my

neighbors and stopped a supplemental property tax that Newport Beach

wanted to impose on property owners. I was the first in this campaign

over a year ago to call for illegal immigration reform and I have

worked to make it happen. I was the co-chair of Save Our License, the

referendum to stop illegal aliens from getting drivers’ licenses. We

have schools that are under-performing and I have championed

vouchers, tax credits and charter schools. We have the most unhealthy

business climate in the country and my education and business

experience of over 25 years will make a difference there as well.

What one thing would you hope to accomplish while in office?

I would like to see a constitutional amendment to stop illegal

aliens from accessing public benefits. We had this in Prop. 187,

which 62% of the public supported in 1994. One judge stopped it from

being implemented. Now the coauthor of that initiative, Ron Prince,

has authored a successor to Prop 187, the Save Our State initiative,

which he is preparing for the November ballot. I support this

initiative and will work to implement it while in office.