Name: Adriana Van Hemert Party: Republican Campaign Web site: www.adriana4assembly.com City of Residence: Santa Monica Age: 59 Marital status: Widowed Number of kids: 0 Profession: Doctor of Psychology involved with children and families/ Businesswoman HAVE YOU EVER HELD PUBLIC OFFICE BEFORE?
No PHILOSOPHY ON LIFE?
The golden rule — treat others as you would like others to treat you. Treat people fairly and honestly; be true to yourself. Don’t throw your life away; you only have one life to live. Don’t let the government take over your life. Take responsibility and be accountable for your actions, have integrity and be honest. 1. CONCERNING THE POLLUTION AND BACTERIA LEVELS IN SANTA MONICA BAY, WHAT PROGRAMS DO YOU BELIEVE HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE AND WHICH HAVE NOT? WHAT CAN BE DONE DIFFERENTLY? HOW, AS AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER, DO YOU PLAN ON SECURING MORE FUNDING FOR CLEAN-UP EFFORTS?
I will support and am in favor of reducing the pollution by all reasonable means. We are all aware of pollution and what it does to our oceans, water supplies and air, and the need to preserve a healthy environment for ourselves, our children and generations to come. 2. CALIFORNIA RANKS AS ONE OF THE WORST STATES IN PER-PUPIL SPENDING. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO INCREASE PER-PUPIL SPENDING? WOULD YOU CUT PROGRAMS FROM THE STATE BUDGET? IF SO, WHICH ONES? OR WOULD YOU INCREASE TAXES? IF SO, WHERE?
I am in favor of a more efficient and better allocation of our present education budget without the burden of new taxes. Students and parents should have choices. We need more charter schools. Charter schools are accountable not only for academic performance, but also for fiscal responsibility. I strongly believe that we need an alternative to high school, such as a trade/vocational school, for those students that simply are not meant to go to high school and/or college. All children are capable of excelling at something when given a chance. Rather than lowering the standards, eliminating exit exams, monies spent on these students’ high school education should be spent teaching these students employable trades. The trade school would offer a basic academic curriculum and would include an apprenticeship, in which local businesses participate. 3. SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THE WESTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES HAS BEEN NEGLECTED IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION. WHAT STRATEGY WOULD YOU USE TO GET MORE FUNDING? WHAT PROJECT WOULD SOLVE THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
On an immediate level, we need to improve public transportation. Expansion of the Rapid Transit Bus System would be relatively inexpensive. Further, this can be accomplished in a minimum amount of time and local businesses would not be negatively impacted. 4. IS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION A PROBLEM? IF SO, WHAT’S THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE AND COMMON SENSE WAY TO SECURE OUR BORDER? DO YOU BELIEVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS HAD AN OVERALL NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE IMPACT ON CALIFORNIA? WHY?
Illegal immigration is a major problem affecting the quality of life of all Californians and all levels of our government. Illegal immigration is a burden on our social system, a major factor in the high cost of health care and medical insurance. It has caused closure of some of our emergency hospitals. It is partially responsible for the high cost of our criminal justice system and one of the reasons for our over-crowded jails and prisons. It results in higher taxes for all Californians. Our open borders need to be secured first and foremost, stemming the tide of illegal immigration before we are able to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants already here. I favor a combination of increased border patrol and fencing, including-state-of-the-art technology to seal the border to detect and apprehend those attempting to cross illegally. I am in favor of controlled legal immigration. America has largely been built on the hard work and industry of its legal immigrants. 5. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING SANTA MONICANS? HOW DO YOU INTEND TO ADDRESS IT?
Traffic and transportation. See my answer in Question #3 6. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES DURING THE FIRST YEAR AS AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER? I would introduce a bill to protect private property rights, which would restrict eminent domain to genuinely legitimate government purposes only. I would introduce tax incentives for small businesses; tort reform; introduce a bill sanctioning lawyers for bringing into court frivolous lawsuits that have no merit. I would improve our educational system; introduce a pilot project in District 41 for a trade/vocational school. 7. IN 100 WORDS OR LESS, WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOTE FOR YOU? I am neither a lawyer, nor a career politician. I am a private citizen who understands your concerns. More than 20 years business experience. Strong business leadership skills. Worked in the trenches for the past 10 years with our elderly, children and families. First-hand knowledge of our failing educational system. Passionate about quality education. Hard worker, fast learner, committed. I will bring to the Legislature honesty, integrity and accountability.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 3, 2006. Read the original PDF.