This is the third part of my interview with Rob Haswell, CA Assembly candidate from the 4th district which stretches from the Sacramento suburbs to Lake Tahoe, for my local blog Turn Tahoe Blue.
You can read part I at Turn Tahoe Blue or the Booman Tribune cross-post.
You can read part II at Turn Tahoe Blue or the Booman Tribune cross-post.
In this part Rob talks about the most pressing issues for the 4th district, preserving Lake Tahoe and gay marriage.
Is there a difference in the concerns of voters in your district between the more rural areas and small towns and the suburbs of Sacramento? What are the most pressing issues for voters in the 4th Assembly District?
I’m not sure the concerns are all that different. It seems most of the voters from the Sacramento valley towns of Antelope, and Rio Linda, to Roseville and Rocklin and up into the foothills of Sierra like Placerville and Auburn and into the Lake Tahoe Basin people are worried about their quality of life. They are concerned about traffic congestion, the encroachment of suburban sprawl, public safety, keeping the water and air clean enough to drink and breath, keeping quality public schools open and safe. I don’t think those issues are all that different from one community to another. Without question, the number one issue on people’s minds is over development. If Placer and El Dorado counties lose their status as destination spots, you can bet that’s going to negatively impact the economy.
What needs to be done to preserve Lake Tahoe in the future? What do you think you can do in the Assembly?
First off, we need people in political office that will be advocates for Lake Tahoe. It’s highly problematic to elect officials, such as my opponent, who have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from developers. Having grown up just a few miles from the lake, I can tell you how much I value it as a natural and recreational resource. We need to ensure that the decision making done in relationship to Lake Tahoe and its surrounding areas for the coming decades is in the service of the preservation of the lake, first and foremost. That means that development in the area must be done with great care and with a defined long-term vision for the lake.
What is your position on GLBT issues, specifically on the gay marriage vs. civil unions issue which has received some attention in California recently?
I am a supporter of marriage equality. All people should be treated equally under the law.
Rob has also published his statement on the healthcare crisis in California over at the California Progress Report yesterday. Go over there and read it!
You can help Rob get elected. Click on the links below to get more information on Rob and check out what you can do:
Rob Haswell’s Campaign Website
Watch out for the 4th and final part of this interview tomorrow!