On Tuesday, Californians will head to the polls to elect a governor. Because the Jewish community is concerned about the prospective governor’s position on such issues as health services and elder care, hate crimes and economic ties to Israel, the Bulletin posed a number of questions to Democratic incumbent Gov. Gray Davis and Republican challenger Bill Simon.
Even though Simon’s responses were in the first person, the answers from both candidates were issued by their campaign staffs. Some of the answers were edited for space considerations.
Q: With an aging population, the Jewish community is vitally interested in state support for the elderly. This includes programs for health services, senior centers and particularly programs to allow seniors to remain in their homes with some public assistance. Are you supportive of these programs?
Simon: California seniors deserve the peace of mind of knowing that they will have safe and secure housing, sufficient nourishment, and access to quality and affordable health care. I am appalled by the recent news that so many nursing homes in California violate basic quality standards laws. We need to encourage flexibility and accountability to meet the needs of nursing-home residents. I will work to ensure that seniors have choices in long-term care, whether it is in-home care so that they can remain in their homes longer or nursing-home care. Under no circumstances can we tolerate abuse or neglect of our seniors in nursing homes, nor can we tolerate nursing home facilities that are in disrepair, unsafe or unsanitary.
I support a single point of entry for seniors who are seeking long-term care services and will work to make this a reality. Despite the rhetoric of the current administration, many senior citizens find the multitude of state agencies with their differing programs and inconsistent standards somewhat confusing.
Davis: The governor has worked to increase funding for nursing homes, alternatives to nursing homes, prescription drug discounts, housing programs and transportation services.
Davis established a landmark prescription drug discount program, making California the first state in the nation to allow Medicare enrollees to simply show their Medicare card and receive the Medi-Cal prescription discount, saving an average of 20 percent. He recently signed legislation making this program permanent.
Two years ago, the governor signed his $500 million Aging with Dignity Initiative into law. This initiative enacted comprehensive reforms of California’s long-term care facilities and expanded independent-living options, strengthened nursing home oversight, raised the wages of home care workers, and created the Senior Housing Information and Support Center to provide information on housing modifications to help seniors stay at home.
This year, the governor signed legislation enacting the California Integrated Elder Care and Involvement Act of 2002, giving seniors and caregivers a single point of contact to access state and local community services and resources.
Many California seniors are Holocaust survivors. The governor also signed legislation in 1999 that provided assistance to Holocaust victims and their survivors in recovering just compensation from Holocaust-era insurance policies. The governor also recently signed legislation to promote awareness of the Holocaust to California students and to help Holocaust survivors and family members reclaim stolen property.
Q: The community has been shocked by the rise in hate crimes against it and other minority communities. What steps do you advocate to reverse this trend?
Simon: With anti-Semitism flaring up across the globe, from Europe to the Middle East to our own backyard, we must aggressively prosecute any crime of this nature committed in California. In particular, the rising incidents of anti-Semitic hate crimes on our college campuses must be stopped with firm action. Our state has comprehensive laws dealing with hate crimes and I will enforce then.
Davis: The governor has worked to crack down on hate crimes and made hate-motivated murder punishable by the maximum penalties available under the law — life imprisonment and the death penalty. He expanded the definition of hate crimes to include national origin and sexual orientation, and signed legislation to create a California Unity Center in Sacramento.
In 1999, Davis created a Blue Ribbon panel to conduct a comprehensive study of current laws to combat hate groups and paramilitary organizations operating in California. Based on the committee’s recommendations, he signed new laws that promote the reporting of hate crimes, help school personnel identify hate groups on campus and help crack down on hate-related vandalism.
Following the events of Sept. 11, Davis announced an initiative by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing to assist victims of alleged hate crimes arising from the attack on America. He also announced a new state program to help victims of hate and bias crimes, making them eligible for up to $70,000 for reimbursement of medical and other expenses.
Q: Both U.C. and California State University campuses have been subject to anti-Semitic incidents, harassment of Jewish students, as well as attempts to force divestment of stocks in companies doing business with Israel. What steps do you advocate to counter such acts?
Simon: Anti-Semitic incidents on campuses, as with such incidents around our state, must be investigated and the perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I oppose the divestiture of stocks of companies doing business in Israel and recognize Israel as a strong ally of the U.S. As governor I would speak out against anti-Semitism and take all actions allowable and appropriate for the governor’s office.
Davis: The governor is deeply concerned about any incidents of anti-Semitism. He issued a statement following the reported incidents on college campuses that denounced the acts of violence and urged students and the larger community to stand together against those who use hatred and prejudice to divide us.
Davis also sent a letter to Richard Atkinson, president of the University of California, and Charles Reed, chancellor of CSU, asking them to take specific actions, including reviewing campus policies that govern demonstrations to ensure that free speech is exercised without escalating into violence and taking steps to promote tolerance.
Regarding divestment, Davis stated that as long as he is governor, the state of California would not divest and would continue to stand side by side with our friends in Israel, both in business and in friendship.
Q: What steps do you advocate to strengthen economic ties with Israel? What other actions would you propose to support America’s only democratic ally in the Middle East?
Simon: I will encourage California’s congressional delegation to support President Bush’s trade policies with Israel. I will also invite the Israeli Prime Minister and other appropriate Israeli state officials to California to tour our state and discuss the mutual economic advantages of increased trade.
With the Israeli economy growing to over $110 billion, California businesses and industries have great opportunities to increase its trade with Israel by exporting goods, from high-tech to agriculture.
As governor I will strongly support California’s Israel Trade Office, located in Jerusalem. I will continue to maintain California’s Israeli trade office under the auspices of the International Trade and Investment Division of the California Technology, Trade & Commerce Agency.
Davis: The relationship between the United States and Israel is one of the most important strategic and cultural relationships that we have with any country. Throughout Davis’ career in public service, he has been a strong supporter of California’s Jewish community.
Israel is California’s 22nd-largest trading partner and the state has a trade office located in Jerusalem to administer our burgeoning trade relationship. Davis has visited the state of Israel four times over the years, including his most recent trip as governor in 1999, meeting with former Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak and in the United States with President Moshe Katsav. Davis is proud to be the first sitting governor from California to visit Israel.
In addition to our economic ties, California has strong cultural ties with Israel, due in part to the large population of Jewish Californians and recent immigrants from Israel. In April 2002, the governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding creating a Cultural Cooperation Commission between California and Israel, the first such agreement between the state and any foreign country. Davis will continue to work hard to expand ties with Israel.
Q: With the looming threat of terrorist acts on American soil, what steps do you advocate to counter the danger?
Simon: My administration will work closely with federal law enforcement agencies to share information in an effort to thwart any potential terrorist threat facing the people of California and the United States. I have detailed a comprehensive California Homeland Defense Plan, which will prepare our state for preventing a terrorist attack, or if one occurs, making sure we respond with the best trained and equipped first responders.
I applaud President Bush’s call for a new Palestinian leadership that rejects terrorism, a move we all know is required for a real permanent peace in and around Israel. I am a strong supporter of the state of Israel and stand with President Bush in defense of the Israeli people against the threat of hostile nations.
Davis: In the war against terrorism, all levels of government must cooperate to keep citizens safe.
In 1999, Davis established the State Committee on Terrorism and the State Threat Assessment Committee to study terrorism. After Sept. 11, he appointed George Vinson, one of the nation’s most experienced anti- terrorism experts, as his top security adviser.
Working with the attorney general’s office, the governor established the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center to ensure that state and local law enforcement officials are sharing intelligence information among themselves and with federal officials to detect, prevent and respond to possible acts of terrorism. In addition, the governor enhanced the public health readiness system, increased security at our vital assets, and won FAA approval for the first-of-its-kind Safe Skies program, allowing California Highway Patrol officers to carry a firearm and provide extra protection when flying on in-state flight in the normal course of their duties. No state in America has done more to protect its citizens and vital assets from terrorist threats.