Questionnaires were distributed to candidates this month. Answers have been edited to fit the available space.
Family Sick Leave
Q. Gov. Deukmejian recently vetoed legislation that would have granted workers as much as four months of unpaid leave every two years to care for sick children, spouses and other family members without fear of losing their jobs. Do you favor this type of legislation?
Margolin: Yes.
Michael: Yes.
Staley: Yes.
Teacher Salaries
Q. The Legislature approved a 4.7% cost-of-living raise for school employees, and Gov. Deukmejian reduced it to 3%, placing the difference in an account for special education programs. Should this money be used for salaries?
Margolin: Yes. Recruiting talented and dedicated teachers is critical to improving educational performance.
Michael: Yes, but only for teachers’ salaries. I do not consider an increase of 4.7% to be extravagant and do not believe the governor should have cut corners on teachers.
Staley: Yes. It should be used for cost-of-living raises.
Big Green
Q. Proposition 128, the so-called “Big Green” initiative on the November ballot, seeks to eliminate ozone-depleting chemicals by the year 2000, phase out pesticides known to cause cancer and require that trees be planted in all new developments. Do you support this initiative? Margolin: Yes. These significant reforms of our environmental protection laws represent a major breakthrough in the effort to halt the alarming deterioration of our environment.
Michael: Yes. We must eliminate toxic pesticides from our food, land and livestock and must cease endangering our farm workers and their families. This is the best aspect of Big Green.
Staley: Yes. Preservation of the environment is of the utmost importance.
Tree-Cutting
Q. Proposition 130 on the November ballot would restrict clear-cutting of forests, allow the sale of $710 million in bonds to preserve ancient redwood forests and provide $32 million to retrain unemployed loggers. Do you support this initiative? Margolin: Yes.
Michael: Yes.
Staley: Yes, but not as an alternative to 128.
Limited Terms
Q. Proposition 131 on the November ballot, authored by Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp and Common Cause, would limit most statewide elected officials to eight consecutive years in office, and senators and Assembly members to 12 years. Proposition 140, sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Pete Schabarum, is more stringent, limiting lifetime service to eight years in the Senate and six in the Assembly. Do you support limiting the number of terms state legislators can serve? If yes, how long should the limits be? Margolin: No. Term limits deprive the voters of the right to select their representatives. They also would expand the influence of the special interests who would clearly benefit from the turmoil artificial term limits would create.
Michael: Yes. I support Proposition 140. We must rid ourselves of the corrupt Legislature we have, and this will do that.
Staley: Yes. I favor shorter limits. Legislators will be less at the mercy of campaign contributors. They would give more citizens access to government and would help free legislators from constant campaign worries.
Sales Tax
Q. Proposition 133 on the November ballot would raise state sales and use taxes by 0.5% for four years to raise $7.5 billion for drug enforcement and treatment, anti-drug education , and prison and jail construction and operation. Do you support this initiative?
Margolin: Yes.
Michael: Yes.
Staley: No.
Liquor Tax
Q. Proposition 134 on the November ballot would substantially raise taxes on beer, wine and liquor, and dedicate the revenue from the tax hike to programs for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. Do you support this initiative? Margolin: Yes.
Michael: No.
Staley: No.
Inmate Laborers
Q. Proposition 139 on the November ballot would allow private companies to hire state prison and county jail inmates as laborers. Do you support this initiative? Margolin: No.
Michael: Yes.
Staley: No.
Death Penalty
Q. Do you support capital punishment? If so, do you think it should be imposed on those convicted of importing or selling drugs? Margolin: No.
Michael: Yes, I support capital punishment. No, I am not inclined to use it for simple drug-dealing, but would make it an option if a specific death can be clearly tied to a certain dealer’s drugs.
Staley: No to both.
Handgun Controls
Q. Do you support additional limits on handgun purchase or possession in California? Margolin: Yes. Senseless violence is made easy because of the virtually unrestricted access to handguns. I support waiting periods for their purchase and mandatory training programs. I also support increased penalties for illegal possession.
Michael: No. Gun laws do not work, as the cities of New York and Washington, D.C., readily prove. In addition, they are of questionable constitutionality.
Staley: Yes. A more thorough background check, a waiting period and proof of training should be rigid. Ultimately, handguns should be made illegal, but it is a decision voters must make.
Abortion Rights
Q. Do you support a woman’s right to unrestricted abortions within the first three months of pregnancy? Margolin: Yes.
Michael: No.
Staley: Yes.
Abortion Funding
Q. Do you support government funding of abortions for women who cannot afford them? Margolin: Yes.
Michael: No, except in cases of reported rape and incest, and where the life and/or health of the mother is in jeopardy.
Staley: Yes.
Day-Care Services
Q. Do you believe the state should require private employers to subsidize day-care services for employees who request them? Margolin: Yes. Better day care would allow working parents to improve their job performance. It serves the interests of both the employee and the employer.
Michael: No. The state should provide tax incentives for companies to provide day care. Mandatory requirements would promote discrimination against women in hiring.
Staley: Yes, as well as paid maternity leave.
War on Drugs
Q. Do you believe our present strategy of criminal prosecution, interdiction of supplies and imprisonment of users and dealers will ever significantly reduce the level of drug use in the United States? If no, what should be done? Margolin: No. While they are necessary steps, by themselves they are unlikely to succeed. Equal effort has to be applied to drug education and drug treatment if any long-term progress is to be made.
Michael: No. You must decrease the demand side through education. If the demand is still there, the law will not stop it alone.
Staley: No. The problem is not the users and dealers.
Drug Decriminalization
Q. Would you consider supporting the decriminalization of drug use? Margolin: No.
Michael: No, except for marijuana.
Staley: Yes.
Oil Exploration
Q. Do you think the present Mideast crisis justifies opening up additional parts of the California coastline to oil exploration? Margolin: No. New energy sources can be developed without desecrating our priceless coastline.
Michael: No. The economic crisis isn’t that bad, and we need to be less dependent on petroleum.
Staley: No. The United States has other reserves.
Parkland Exchange
Q. Should the National Park Service exchange 50 acres in Cheeseboro Canyon in southeastern Ventura County for about 1,100 acres of the neighboring Jordan Ranch owned by entertainer Bob Hope, permitting park agencies to buy another 4,600 acres of Hope’s land in the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains for $10 million? Margolin: Yes.
Michael: Yes.
Staley: No, Mr. Hope should donate the land voluntarily.
Mandatory Ride-Sharing
Q. Do you favor mandatory ride-sharing in an effort to meet government air pollution standards? Margolin: Yes. Ride-sharing has proven to be an effective tool in reducing traffic congestion. Any mandatory program needs to be flexibly structured to meet the needs of Southern California commuters.
Michael: No. It’s unenforceable.
Staley: No. That would be a violation of civil liberties. Public transit should be improved and should be free.
Political Funding
Q. Do you support full or partial public funding of political campaigns? Margolin: Yes, if it applies to general elections and the level of funding is adequate for the candidates to effectively communicate their views to the electorate.
Michael: No. Taxpayer money should not go to campaign consultants and television stations.
Staley: Yes. Full funding for candidates who want it would make this process fairer and would help reduce the influence of campaign contributors. There should be spending limits, also.
Income Disclosure
Q. Are you willing to publicly release your income tax returns and those of your spouse prior to the November election? Margolin: No.
Michael: No.
Haley: Yes.
Porter Ranch
Q. Do you support development of the massive Porter Ranch project in the hills north of Chatsworth as presently configured? Margolin: No. Projects of this immense scale will add to the congestion that is already choking our streets and eroding the quality of life in Los Angeles.
Michael: No. The neighborhood doesn’t want it, and it’s simply a developer, money-making scheme which benefits no one else.
Haley: No. I do not support unlimited growth and I believe voters in the area should make the decision, not politicians.
CONTENDERS Burt Margolin, 39, a Democrat, has represented the 45th District in the state Senate since 1982. Previously, he worked for Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) and Rep. Howard. L. Berman (D-Panorama City).
Elizabeth Michael, 34, of Hollywood, is a businesswoman who has long been active in Republican party politics. She made an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate two years ago.
Owen Staley of Hollywood is the Peace and Freedom party candidate. He is a college instructor.
