Juan Arambula

Juan Arambula

Age: 
56
Occupation: 
Assembly Member
Political experience: 
FUSD Board Member and Fresno County Supervisor
Education: 
BA – Harvard University, MA – Stanford, JD – UC Berkeley
Family: 
Wife – Amy, Children – Joaquin, Carmen, Diego, and Miguel, Grandchild - Izel
Web site: 

http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a31/

Endorsements: 
Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, Kerman Mayor Trini Rodriguez, Dinuba Mayor Terry McKittrick, Parlier Mayor Armando Lopez, Fresno Council President Blong Xiong, Central Labor Council, California School Employees Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California
Why are you running?: 

I have proudly represented the 31st Assembly District since 2004 and in that time I have continued to be a strong voice for the district and the Central Valley. As my tenure increases in the Legislature I have been able to bring attention to the many issues facing our area and have brought state leaders to see first hand our areas challenges. I hope to continue to my work in the Legislature for two more years. My immediate work is to help deal with the $14 billion deficit in the state budget and to find a balanced approached to this problem. In the long term I will continue to work on school accountability and education issues as well as job creation and employment opportunities for everyone.

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Arambula on budget gap

question: 
California faces an $8 billion budget shortfall for 2008-09. Democrats are calling for new taxes. Republicans want spending cuts. How would you close the gap?
answer: 

I believe we need a comprehensive and balanced approach in dealing with the state budget. It should be a combination of reductions in expenditures and increase of some revenues. I also believe that everyone from both sides of the aisle must be willing to compromise to get out of this fiscal emergency.

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Arambula on party ties

question: 
The Capitol can be a very polarizing place. Gerrymandered districts make for safe seats, allowing office holders to appeal to the most extreme factions of their party. Most votes are along party lines. Independence is hard to find. Name two very specific issues in which you are willing to go against the conventional wisdom of your party.
answer: 

School Accountability and Water

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Arambula on water crisis

question: 
California faces a water crisis. The Delta is deteriorating. Water supplies are shrinking. But the state is also broke. How would you solve the water crisis without deepening the state's budget hole?
answer: 

We need to have a comprehensive approach to the water issue that includes water conservation, water recharge/reuse, under- and above-ground storage.

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Arambula on securing state resources

question: 
Lacking the political representation of other areas, the central San Joaquin Valley often faces an uphill battle when trying to secure state money for roads and other projects. How would you attack this problem?
answer: 

It is important to work with Legislators from other parts of the state and educate them on our needs, form alliances and ensure that our own valley delegation stays united throughout the funding discussions.

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Arambula on gambling revenue

question: 
Gov. Schwarzenegger has turned to Indian gaming compacts as a way to generate money for the state. He has also suggested that the state try to get more money from its lottery. Do you believe that gambling is an appropriate way to generate revenue for the state? Are you in favor of off-reservation casinos?
answer: 

I do not believe that gambling is an appropriate way to generate revenue to deal with the state budget and I do not support off-reservation casinos.

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Arambula on health care

question: 
Recently Gov. Schwarzenegger and lawmakers tried to decrease the number of uninsured residents in the state. The proposal failed due to lack of compromise. Do you believe the state has a health care problem? If so, how would you fix it?
answer: 

I wholeheartedly believe California is facing a health care crisis and I supported the Assembly version that was a comprehensive fix to help a broken health care system.

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Arambula on ag and air quality

question: 
Given the Valley's well-documented air-quality issues -- and agriculture's importance as a driving force for the economy and employment -- what, if any, measures do you support to minimize the air-pollution effects of farming in general, and dairies in particular?
answer: 

I have carried legislation that deals with assisting farmers to install solar equipment to their pumps in order to help reduce pollution and energy use, a bill to help remove gross polluting vehicles from the road, supported legislation by Senator Florez SB 240 that would give authority to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to levy a fee to all vehicles in the 8 county jurisdiction to help pay for programs to reach attainment, additionally I have fought hard at the California Air Resources Board to push for the valley’s equal share of funding for reducing emissions for good movement.

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