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Editorial: Smyth gets nod in 38th
Star endorses first-term lawmaker
STORY TOOLS 
More from OpinionIn a Republican-leaning district, it's likely Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, will prevail in the 38th Assembly District race Nov. 4.
First elected to the Assembly in 2006, Mr. Smyth, 37, a former Santa Clarita councilman and mayor, is seeking another term in a district that includes about 18,000 east Simi Valley voters, and also covers Los Angeles, Santa Clarita and Glendale. It is 41.3 percent Republican and 36.1 percent Democratic.
His Democratic opponent, Carole Lutness, 66, is a longtime community activist who spent her early years fighting for low-income housing, daycare services and combating hunger among the rural poor in West Virginia. She works for the Los Angeles Mental Health Department.
She is an excellent candidate, with genuine concern about the next generation and a passion for improving the environment, education and fixing a dysfunctional government bureaucracy.
Mr. Smyth, unfortunately, is a part of that dysfunctional bureaucracy. In taking a blanket "no taxes" pledge, for example, he refused to give even on the governor's request earlier this year to close tax loopholes, as recommended by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.
Despite the governor stating that closing those loopholes could save the state $2.5 billion, Mr. Smyth makes no apologies for defending the loopholes, including the so-called yacht loophole, which allows buyers of yachts, airplanes and luxury recreational vehicles from stashing their purchases out of state for 90 days to avoid paying state sales tax.
A no-tax pledge only promotes partisan bickering and leaves more borrowing as the main Republican solution to balancing the budget. Compromise and trade-offs must be a part of good governing.
Despite such an extreme position, we believe there is value in having both conservative and liberal voices in the Assembly. Therefore, The Star endorses Mr. Smyth. He has a strong record advocating for business and he has gained valuable experience in his first term.
Mr. Smyth co-chaired the E3 committee within the Republican caucus, which focuses on economic, environmental and energy issues. His goal there, he said, is to bring Republicans into the environmental debate.
He was involved in preserving jobs in the entertainment industry, the leading employer in the district, and he co-chaired the state's Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.
Although in the minority party, the freshman Republican did get nine bills signed into law. He championed the Surrogate Stalker Act that creates penalties for anyone convicted of putting information on the Internet describing a child in a way that could be used by a pedophile to stalk that child.
Another key bipartisan bill he authored targets nuisance lawsuits against businesses based on violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The bill protects businesses, while preserving the access rights of the disabled. He also led efforts to secure funding for the expansion lanes on Highway 118 in Simi Valley.
He shepherded a bill to expand the Simi Valley cemetery and pledges to continue to work to have the former Rocketdyne site turned into a park, once the cleanup is complete. He said the bill got stopped in the appropriations committee this year, but he will bring it back next year.
Mr. Smyth's ideas for avoiding future budget gridlock include a two-year budget cycle and having a two-thirds vote to get issues out of committee, so they are hashed out early on. He also supports a state spending cap. He favors Proposition 11, the redistricting proposal on the November ballot.
Posted by cassandra2 on October 21, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A strange endorsement. Sounds more in favor of the other guy.
Posted by richardmathews on October 21, 2008 at 5:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This editorial is more of a prediction than an endorsement -- rather than leading with "we endorse Smyth," all you dared to put in the lead was an assessment that "Smyth... will prevail." Given that prediction, it is no wonder that you suck up to your presumed winner by endorsing him; but I notice that you still can't resist pointing out that Smyth is "part of [the] dysfunctional bureaucracy" who has "promote[d] partisan bickering" with his "extreme position." Sounds like just the kind of guy we should get rid of. What we need instead is Lutness, "an excellent candidate, with genuine concern about the next generation and a passion for improving the environment, education and fixing a dysfunctional government bureaucracy." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Posted by annespeak on October 21, 2008 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lutness deserves more attention and this "endorsement" sounds grudging at best. What's up, Star? If she's such an impressive candidate, why are you endorsing the man who by your own admission perpetuates "dysfunctional bureaucracy?"
I heard Carole Lutness speak last week, and she is extremely well-versed in the financial ups and downs that are stressing us all out right now. Haven't we seen enough of Republicans advocating for business? As of now, American workers lead the world in productivity, and yet the middle class is shrinking. You don't have to be an economy wonk to figure out that the profits of our productivity are not being shared as they should be.
Lutness knows her stuff, she's not only able to explain what's happening but WHY. There's no reason businesses can't thrive alongside simple human dignity among those who do the heavy lifting. (Anyone who thinks wealth HASN'T been redistributed in the last decade is not paying attention.)
Lutness deserves to be in the Assembly and the 38th District should wake up and look what's happening to their neighbors. Read between the lines, readers...the Star likes Lutness, it's just weirdly afraid to admit it.
Posted by cassandra2 on October 21, 2008 at 6:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By "other guy" I was using the rhetorical "guy" who in this case was female.
I'm of a generation that learned to dance backwards first and consider myself as the "partner" instead of the dancer. It's very confusing. Hope it didn't confuse anyone else.
Posted by djoren on October 21, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is curious that you praise Carole Lutness, stating that:
“She is an excellent candidate, with genuine concern about the next generation and a passion for improving the environment, education and fixing a dysfunctional government bureaucracy.”
You then, strangely, state that your paper will endorse Cameron Smyth, who you declare is as a member of that dysfunctional government. You point out, for example, that Smyth is helping the buyers of yachts and airplanes to avoid paying their California taxes (by hiding their new toys out of state) (at a time then our state is facing a financial crisis).
Although you state that your reason for endorsing Smyth is that there is value in having both liberal and conservative voices in the Assembly, at this time I believe it is more important to have voices in the Assembly that are genuinely concerned with the well being of our state. You make it clear in your article that Carole Lutness should be our choice.
David Orenstein
Posted by EdA on October 22, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are you sure this is an endorsement? It sounds like more of an obituary.
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