Warren Furutani FOR ASSEMBLY 2010

EDUCATION

California now ranks near
the bottom of per-pupil
spending in the nation and
this has to change. I am a
proud graduate of California's public school
system, as are my two sons. I want to make
sure that our education system regains its
reputation for excellence. To do that, we
cannot continue to cut education spending.
We must fully fund Proposition 98 to ensure
that our schools receive the money
necessary to provide a quality education
for every Californian.

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

As the Chair of the Select Committee on Career Technical Training and Workforce Development, I am focusing on developing a statewide coordinated and well-funded program that provides the technical education and training necessary to provide Californians with good paying jobs.

Not everyone is destined to get a college degree although every Californian must be afforded that opportunity. For those who don't go to college, we must provide technical education and training to prepare them for good careers in our communities. That's why I introduced legislation AB 35 (Furutani), which is a master plan for career technical education and workforce development.

The education challenge of our time is to prepare highly skilled workers for careers ranging from nursing to a wide array of technical jobs. With California's current unemployment rate, we must do everything we can to not only create new jobs, but to provide the necessary training for our workforce to prepare them for new careers.

AIR QUALITY

Although neither the Los Angeles nor Long Beach Ports are in the 55th Assembly District, everything that goes in or out of both ports goes through the District - the I-110, I-710, I-405, Terminal Island Freeway and the Alameda Corridor. It's no surprise then that the 55th Assembly District suffers from some of the highest cancer and respiratory disease rates in California. And many of the K-12 schools in the district are near the port or along the I-710 Freeway. It is imperative that we address this ongoing problem. That's why I am partnering with Senator Alan Lowenthal to introduce legislation that will fight to reduce toxic air pollution from the port. I have also convened a Long Beach Caucus, which involves leaders from across the area to address air quality and port issues, as well as other issues affecting Long Beach.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Our communities continue to suffer from gang violence and this has to stop. Clearly we have too few police officers on the streets to keep our neighborhoods safe. I will fight to make sure that our local police and deputy sheriffs have the resources they need to combat violent crime. As a counselor at one of the toughest continuation high schools for dropouts in the state, I worked to keep at-risk kids out of gangs and in school. I also pushed to expand early intervention programs like the Gang Alternatives Program (GAP) in local schools. We must invest in these programs as well.

CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES

I started fighting for civil rights as an activist in the 1960s and I continue to work hard to ensure that all people living in the Golden State have equal opportunities, especially as it relates to education. These opportunities include working for a quality K-12 education system, affordable and accessible college and university education, and career and technical education programs for all students.

I am also an advocate for environmental issues, including equal access to clean air, and maintaining an adequate "safety net" of health and social services for those who need them.

As Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus, I am also focusing on advancing issues in the API population of California.

Last year, I was successful in passing legislation AB 37 (Furutani) signed by the Governor, which grants honorary degrees to Japanese Americans whose education was disrupted due to their incarceration during World War II. This law demonstrates our state's commitment to addressing the "unfinished business" for these former students, and since the signing of the bill, hundreds of Japanese Americans have received their degrees from colleges and universities throughout California.