Economy
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The current state of California’s economy is a concern common to most citizens of the Golden State. Amidst one of the most critical economic recessions in the United States’ history, California has been stricken with job losses, devastating housing collapse, budget crisis, and a deficit that is estimated to reach $42 billion by the end of 2010. California is said to be in a state of emergency, and many of the citizens and legislatures of the state are feeling the burden of our current economic situation. Symmon Says He Will:

Stop unemployment and create jobs for Californians.

Reform and marginalize budget cuts.

Consciously allocate and generate California’s revenues.

Lower taxes on income and sales taxes.

Develop partnerships between education, industry, and health sectors.

Erase California’s deficit.

Economic independence with investing and financing

Joe Symmon understands the concern of Californians, and the imperativeness and necessity to stabilize California’s economy. While Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of Emergency in California—Joe Symmon has taken the initiative to declare that California is not in a state of emergency—but is in a State of Opportunity!

Indeed the task that Californians face is certainly a formidable one, and the people’s concerns are legitimate and substantial. Joe Symmon has no delusions about the imperativeness of resolving California’s economic hindrances. This is a critical time for California and we will be faced with challenges that will test the fiber and fabric of everyone that makes California their home. However! There is no backing down from this challenge.

This is a great opportunity to unite Californians toward a common goal of economic stability. This is an opportunity to reinvent the way that California runs its economy—an opportunity to be a part of the generation of Californians who faced the most daunting task in the history of the state’s economy, and resurrected California’s workforce, production, industry, ingenuity, and overall wealth!

Joe Symmon is ready to take on the burden of this economic situation, and accountability for the actions of those in Sacramento who have not taken responsibility. Faith is something that is a necessity in these times. And Joe Symmon believes that the people of California’s faith should be in themselves: the people of California. Joe Symmon has faith in the people of California and wishes that they will instill their faith in his vision. With great resolve and resilience, Joe Symmon and the people of California will work relentlessly to fix our current economic troubles and restore the luster back into the Golden State!

Joe Symmon plans to stabilize California’s economy and offer relief to all of those in California who have been debilitated by this current economic predicament. Creative and progressive steps will be necessary for finding solutions to our economic troubles—hard work, accountability, teamwork, and leadership will be vital for undertaking this task. And as Governor, Joe Symmon will pledge that he will do everything in his power to ensure that every region, county, community, neighborhood, family, and individual in California will regain the economic stability that they deserve.

We will fix this problem, and Joe Symmon will lead California back to prominence. Vote Joe Symmon for governor—for progressive change in California’s economy in 2010!

Education

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Symmon Says that education is one of the most important foundations in California. An informed citizen, capable employee, and progressive industries require that the standard of education hold the same values. It is Joe Symmon’s goal to protect education and ensure that the cornerstone of California’s society will lead to statewide success. California’s students and educators alike are the future of the state, and as Californians we must recognize that we must make progress in education. The success of our state’s future will only be realized once we recognize that the success of students in the classroom now will ensure success in the future. Joe Symmon believes this may be achieved through:

Progressive and new tactics for teaching.

Focus on applicable knowledge for success in college and workforce.

Allowing teachers freedom in the classroom.

Limit teaching that is geared towards standardized testing.

Finding new measures of success in education.

Allowing students to acquire college credits during high school.

Generating apprenticeship and intern programs in cooperation with our schools.

Making more charter schools available so that Californians will have more options in education.

Budget Cuts

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The budget cuts to education have been devastating for our public schools in California, and as a state we need to protect our educational institutions. Budget cuts in education will cause class sizes to grow, deprive our students of proper resources, and cause fees and tuitions to skyrocket for our higher-education students. Further, California’s teachers will continue to lose their jobs and the freezes in hiring will keep potential employers from entering California’s workforce.

Joe Symmon believes that there can be no exceptions made in the field of education in California. Legislatures have recently cut $11 billion in the state’s spending for education, and the value of education has been objectified by their legislation.

As legislatures have promised to refund the money that has been taken away from education—Joe Symmon vows that as governor, he will make sure that $11 billion that has been refunded by California’s legislatures. Joe Symmon’s budget solutions for education:

Implement a data base amongst the school districts to track the spending of state funds.

Contact legislatures to make sure the 2/3 vote gets passed to refund education.

Diversify the methods that public schools use to generate revenue.

Form partnerships with industries and manufacturers in the state for funding and apprenticeships.

Develop stricter criterion for the affordance of Cal Grants and scholarships provided by the state.

Educational Efficiency

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California ranks 48th amongst the United States in quality of education and our student’s test scores. This is an alarming statistic for a state that has always been at the forefront of education in America, and whose educational policies have guided schooling for the entire country.

Symmon Says that California’s educators need to take a serious look into finding new methods for teaching our students, better assessment tools for evaluation of progress, and ways to make education more efficient.

Budget Reform

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The current administration in Sacramento has jeopardized the well-being of Californians and our economy alike; with their stubbornness and inability to work together to pass California’s budget they have not only increased California’s deficit by billions of dollars—but have also resorted to short-changing the people of California with IOU’s, and trivializing the importance of necessary institutions in California with budget cuts.

Joe Symmon believes that their propositions for making an economic recovery and balancing the budget are short-term remedies rather than long-term solutions, and that they have not offered a sustainable plan that will give California the stability needed for our economy.

California must look to rethink our philosophy on spending, and marginalize the appropriations for programs that are not a necessity to the vitality of California. We cannot waste state funds on programs that have no imperative application into the daily lives of Californians, and we must have controlled spending to make sure that our taxpayer’s money is being used responsibly and fairly.

The taxpayers of California deserve for the money that they generate for the state to be spent wisely and responsibly. Accountable and responsible citizens who make our state run ought to see an immediate impact in their lives for their devotion to the state’s well-being. And to get California out of its deficit, there must be some sacrifices in certain areas which are supported by state spending. This is a time of conservation in California, and with that we must conserve our revenues so that we can get California out of debt and back to prosperity.

With that said, California cannot make exceptions and jeopardize the well-being of its citizens by cutting back on programs that are vital to the protection and future of our state. On-going cuts on education, disaster protection and prevention, healthcare, and environment are unacceptable. Joe Symmon understands the need to ration the state’s revenue, and consciously allocate money to the most essential programs first. Our spending has consistently exceeded the revenues generated by the state, and we must take control over where California’s tax dollars and revenues are going.

Joe Symmon realizes the need for Californians to prioritize where the states revenues and tax dollars are allocated—but further understands that the Golden State needs to find innovative and creative ways to generate revenue for the state. We cannot depend upon the income and sales taxes in California to generate the bulk of our revenue for the state—especially during a time where every cent matters to Californians. As a governor Joe Symmon will look to utilize progressive and fair means for taxing Californians and seek new ideas for generating revenue in the state. We need to invest in the people of California through small businesses, reach out to California’s large corporations for assistance, and find new efficient technologies for energy, transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Energy

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California requires an abundance of energy to power our homes, businesses, institutions and infrastructural necessities. California has historically been at the forefront innovative ideas and legislatures in energy, and presently we must look toward the future in with energy policies that we construct today.

The California Energy Commission has worked diligently to find solutions to make energy more affordable, efficient, and eco-friendly. Joe Symmon’s desire is to continue the work of this and other agencies, so that California can have sustainable energy that will be safe for our citizens and California’s environment.

California needs to be at the forefront of Green Energy in the United States and for the rest of the world. We have already taken measures to ensure that the research and development of these alternative sources of energy will become a priority to California. But we must continue efforts to hold off our dependencies on fossil fuels and find other sources to generate California’s energy.

We must decrease the emissions of greenhouse gases, and find ways to put cleaner energy and vehicles into the hands of Californians. Measures have already been taken to ensure that Californians will have access to these new technologies—but as a state we must ensure that the acquiring of such utilities is available and affordable to everyone in the Golden State. Joe Symmon’s Energy solutions:

Localize the energy in California’s counties, and create energy independence for communities.

Develop incentives for businesses and individuals in California that invest in energy-efficient technologies.

Increase the use of renewable energies and continue to strive towards 33% of California’s energy being derived from renewable sources.

Teach the youth and students how to utilize renewable sources, and inform them on the issues regarding energy.

Encourage car and gas companies to develop new cars and fuels that will ensure that Californian’s air quality and carbon emissions will be marginalized.

Joe Symmon’s stance on Sustainability

Joe Symmon sees California as the place to be, a place where people realize the value of working and living together. Joe Symmon sees California as a place where businesses are recognized for their link to the surrounding environments that they live and work in; the practicality of this link provides businesses and the environment with sustainability.

Joe Symmon is grateful the Golden State is the place where citizens appreciate their environment. The Golden State values actions that make this a practical place to live, a practical place that provides sustainability.

Joe Symmon appreciates the business efforts that thrive by providing internet access, educational facilities, the ability to travel, and the gear for individuals and organizations to go explore the Sierra-Nevada’s, the Mojave Desert, the Pacific coastline and many other Californian wonders.

“Joe sees that business, education, and economic activity happen here, in California”.Joe Symmon looks at California as more than an economy, more than a budget and more than an education system; he sees the tall Sequoia trees, the open Mojave Desert and the stretching Pacific coastline and the people who are blessed to share such a land. Joe sees that business, education, and economic activity happen here, in California."

Joe Symmon’s Faith

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Joe Symmon is a man of deep faith. His religious convictions are dear to him and through Christ—he is able to find the strength, wisdom, and guidance that will allow him to continue his endeavor to become the next Governor of California.

Joe became a Christian on June 10, 1973. After his first encounter with Jesus Christ, Joe received the anointing to become a man who would live by faith and strive for moral virtue. Symmon is a devoted and committed Christian serving Christ passionately and His people with compassion

>One of Joe’s favorite scriptures in the Bible is, II Cor. 5:17; which states:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Joe’s take: If anyone comes to Christ, he is a new creation, old things have become new. Old self and lifestyles die in Christ and an unstoppable new birth initiated in Christ. A fresh fire ignited by the Holy Spirit is set ablaze; a new thought system based on values, morals and Godly principles is birthed.

Joe’s favorite Biblical heroes are Joseph, David, Daniel, and Abraham because of the enduring spirit and resilience that these Patriarchs were able to demonstrate. He admires the story of Joseph—in that Joseph started out as a dreamer, was sold as a slave, and jailed for a crime he did not commit—all leading up to his status as a governor who was able to save two nations from starvation.

Joe’s walk of faith has enabled him found Believers Faith Church, Jubilee Children Center, Child of Destiny a (501c3) Christian Charity—and also enabled him to organize and preach in crusades of up to 65,000 people. God has truly empowered him to create and accomplish great things, and Joe believes his faith will give him the power to lead California back into prominence.

Faith has given Joe the ability to reach out to those in need and give them hope and inspiration. As governor he will use Godly wisdom to be able to make tough decisions, do what is right, and have the courage to take on the responsibilities required—to make sure that the luster of our Golden State is restored, and give California the faith needed to unite and conquer its challenges.

Agriculture

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The agricultural industry in California is one of the most important sources of jobs and revenue for the State of California—and is the backbone of our economy. California is one of the leaders in the world for exports in agriculture. In 2007, California exports brought in $10.9 billion for the state (Record for the state)—and was able to increase its revenue by 11% from the previous year.

With California’s water resources becoming more scarce, farmers all across the state have been struggling to keep their crop yield up. Farm land all over the state is being marginalized, and famers are consistently fighting to make sure that they can keep, manage, and maintain their land.

Joe Symmon believes that agriculture is an invaluable asset to California’s prosperity. California needs to strive to maintain our farmlands and ensure that all farms have enough water to meet their needs. California’s farmers must be able to conduct their business—and further, the citizens of California need to have access to fresh, affordable, and healthy foods. California’s farmers need not only to be able to export their commodities, but also to be able to support their regional communities. We need to look to take care of our state first with food, and make sure that California’s farmers are being supported by Californians.

California’s farming has evolved to conduct safer and healthier forms of producing food—and we need to strive to make sure that our foods are uncontaminated, healthy, and readily available for the people of our state.

Joe Symmon will continue to fight for California’s farmers—so that they will be able to conduct their business, and provide California’s most prized products at the best of their ability. We need to make farming affordable for our famers so that our farmers can make food more affordable for Californians.

Infrastructure

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California needs to embrace the Green and become the leader in new technologies for energy and transportation. Maintaining and solidifying California’s infrastructure is a priority for Joe Symmon, and the state of California needs efficiency and sustainability in our energy, transportation, and water supply. More than ever this is a time where Californians need reliable sources of transportation and energy for our basic necessities for fulfilling our state’s needs. Joe Symmon understands that we need to preserve and facilitate the basic tools for making sure that our state may run smoothly and effectively.

Transportation

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Travel and commuting in California is one of the basic necessities for running our economy. In order for California’s workers to be able to fulfill their duties in their professions, they need to be able to have efficient and cost-effective means for making their way to work. Our freeways are consistently congested and overcrowded—and Californians spend hours away from their families every week in traffic trying to reach their place of employment. Joe Symmon wants to make people’s daily commutes and times of travel less time-consuming and offer more resources for Californians to make their way around our state. Joe Symmon Seeks to:

Expand California’s public transportation and increase efficiency of those systems.

Utilize federal grants to develop new and creative ways for transportation in California.

Offer a network for potential commuters to be able to carpool when commuting.

Get projects in motion for increasing the ways that people get around California.

Find a remedy for the amount of traffic on California highways, and make people’s commutes faster.

Natural Disaster Preparation

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While the state of California is blessed with some of the most majestic landscapes in all of the United States—California is also constantly in danger of having those landscapes threaten the safety of its citizens.

California has a multitude of natural disaster threats that can be catastrophic if we don’t take the precautionary measures that will ensure the least amount of damage to our state. Californians must remain aware of these threats so that our state is not viciously decimated such as was the case in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina.

Wildfires, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and drought are eminent threats to the state and the well-being of all Californians. Every region of the state has its own potential threats—and accordingly steps must be taken in every area to prepare for the most probable disturbance in that vicinity.

Wildfires have cost the state billions of dollars in the last 5 years, and the probability of fires is increasing with the increase droughts, heat, and other disturbances. Bark Beetles and Sudden Oak Death kill thousands of trees each week—leaving behind standing dead trees which increase the magnitude of California’s wildfires.

Cuts in our state park and firefighting institutions will leave many of the areas affected by these threats unmaintained, and the potential for fire will increase. The California Conservation Corps, who works to maintain and safeguard California’s land, has lost much of its funding. We cannot make exceptions to the safety of people, their homes, businesses, and infrastructure in California.

Joe Symmon’s plans to protect California by:

Preserving the jobs and funding for firefighters throughout California.

Developing emergency evacuation plans for all cities and counties in California.

Refining the state’s organizations that manage the wilderness in California.

Upgrading California’s flood, earthquake, and fire safety structures.

Reaching out to researchers in California’s natural disaster aid organizations.