Each of the currently announced four Republican candidates for AD 77 was invited to submit a guest column to SD Rostra. This is the fourth submission. Click here for all the 77th AD candidate statements and posts on the race.
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by Brian Jones
My name is Brian W. Jones and I am running for the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 77th District to fight for real change in Sacramento.
As a member of the State Assembly, my priorities will be to encourage job creation, cut spending, and reduce employee costs.
Jobs- I am the only candidate, who as an elected official, has actually contributed to creating jobs in the district. I have worked with developers to plan and build new home communities that have created jobs for hundreds of construction workers and craftsmen. I have initiated public/private partnerships to bring new amenities that benefit our citizens and have employed and will continue to employ hundreds of people. I have encouraged commercial development that has brought new business and employers to town. I have required that our City contract out as many of our services as possible to private companies to increase efficiency and private sector job creation. I know how to create jobs—get government out of the way of the people who are willing to take a risk and create an enterprise that can succeed.
Spending- Spending in Sacramento is not just out of control, it’s not even understood. Every California family has to live within its means…IT HAS TO. Our leaders in Sacramento do not know how to control spending nor do they even have the desire to try. In July during the middle of the worst budget imbalance in the history of the State, the legislature passed dozens of new bills that either increased spending in current programs or created new programs all together. That’s like you or I going out to buy a new car when we can’t afford the 17 we already have. I am the only candidate who has gone through the process of cutting spending. My colleagues and I on the Santee City Council went through our budget literally line by line over the course of several public hearings to cut every dollar from an already lean budget. Through that process we were able to cut over 6% of our spending permanently. Santee is the only East County City not to raise sales tax ever. We cut spending and balanced our budget. It can be done!
Employee costs- There is a lot of talk right now about the cost of employees to the state. The first solution is to reduce the number of employees. The State is way over burdened with regulatory agencies, commissions, policy groups, etc. In addition, we have far too many environmental agencies that do nothing other than impede progress and drive up the cost of construction. We need to reduce this burden on the California economy. Retirement benefits to State employees far exceed anything offered in the public sector and must be reduced. In Santee, we have required that every employee pay a portion of their retirement costs, including the Mayor and Councilmembers.
The most important thing for the next session of the legislature and the next governor to focus on is getting California out of this recession. It is the number one responsibility of state government to create an economic climate that allows us as individual citizens to enjoy our freedoms without the burden of over taxation and over regulation.
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Visit Brian Jones on the web at http://www.electbrianjones.com/