Claudia Peschiutta
GLENDALE -- In the race for the 43rd Assembly District, the most
powerful opponent for either of the candidates is anonymity.
Democrat Dario Frommer is an attorney who has connections in
Sacramento from years spent working with the likes of Gov. Gray Davis and
former state Sen. Art Torres back when Torres was an Assemblyman, but is
relatively unknown in the district, where he grew up.
Republican Craig Missakian may be remembered by a few locals from his
failed 1996 run in the 43rd District but the former prosecutor probably
faces as tough a fight for name recognition in Glendale, as does Frommer.
The one who captures the most votes on Election Day will fill the seat
held by Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Glendale), who plans to run for Los
Angeles City Council.
The following is a look at the candidates' thoughts on improving
public safety, returning tax revenue dollars to municipalities and
keeping film production in the state.
SEEKING SAFER STREETS
Both candidates advocate taking a proactive approach to keeping
communities safe.
"We have done a lot to increase penalties," Frommer said. "The focus
now is how can we be smarter about preventing crime."
He called for increased state funding for intervention programs for
at-risk young people and after-school activities.
Missakian, who spent a year working as a prosecutor in South Central
Los Angeles, said he wants to see mandatory literacy programs for young
people placed on probation for nonviolent offenses, in order to keep them
from committing more serious crimes.
"In my experience, the vast majority of kids who walk into juvenile
court cannot read or write," he said.
Other preventive measures suggested by Missakian seek to keep guns out
of the hands of felons.
He said the state should toughen penalties for convicted felons found
carrying a firearm and provide additional funding to the California
Department of Corrections in order to increase the number of random
searches performed on paroled felons.
Frommer said he worries about a potential shortage of qualified law
enforcement personnel in the state and feels legislators ought to focus
on finding ways to encourage more people to enter the field.
"We need to be smart about that right now," he said. "We need to work
with our [police] chiefs and our police associations."
A TAXING QUESTION
In a year when the state finds itself with a $13-billion surplus, both
candidates are quick to call on Sacramento to return much of the money to
cities.
