Brownley seeks reelection to state Assembly

Julia Brownley Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Woodland Hills) will be challenged in the 41st District in the Nov. 4 election by Republican Mark Bernsley, an attorney and business consultant in Woodland Hills.

Locally, the 41st includes Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Oak Park and Calabasas.

Brownley, who was elected in 2006 and filled the seat left by Fran Pavley from Agoura Hills, has served on a several committees during her tenure, including the budget, community college, domestic violence, natural resources and education committees. She was named chair of the education committee in July by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass for her work in passing several education bills as a freshman lawmaker.

In December, Brownley will be honored as the 2008 Outstanding Freshman of the Year by the California School Boards Association.

Brownley, who focused on education and the environment in her first term, said the economy is now her top priority.

"Our country is in financial crisis, and so is California," she said. "It's our number one focus, and requires our undivided attention."

Mark Bernsley Fixing the economy will require meeting short and longterm goals, she said. Legislators must make sure the state has enough financial stability to get through the current budget year.

"Clearly we have to give careful consideration to next year's budget because we know with a level of certainty we aren't going to be any better off than we were this year," Brownley said.

Longer term budget solutions will require some drastic reforms. Since California is one of three states governed by a twothirds super majority, change is difficult to achieve, she said.

"We need to look at the budget over a two-year process so we can have more opportunities, more time to really address the budget in a much more detailed way," Brownley said.

She says she's qualified to work on budget solutions since she served as chair of the budget committee that "prioritized education funding and spending under very difficult circumstances."

Transparency in government would be one of top priorities for the 55-year-old Bernsley. He wants citizens to understand the challenges faced by government leaders—"to see what is going on and who is doing what without (having information) obscured."

"And as it relates to financial issues, you can see where the money is coming from and where it's going," Bernsley said. "How does an informed, intelligent voter make a decision without information?"

He said good fiscal responsibility requires legislators to make better decisions about priorities, something the current Assembly members are failing to do.

"We want everything," Bernsley said, pointing out that the unfunded healthcare costs for public employee pensions have skyrocketed.

"It's absolutely mindboggling, we're so out of control," Bernsley said. "Even without crisis these would be critical issues. Ten-second soundbites on television are not enough information (for voters)," he said.

Bernsley earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance in 1975 and a law degree from the New York University School of Law in 1978. In 2003, he graduated with a business masters from the University of Southern California.

Besides being a successful business and tax attorney, Bernsley works as a small business adviser, entrepreneur and inventor. He served as chair of the Election Committee for Warner Center Neighborhood Council in 2007 and participated in the South Valley Election Alliance.

Bernsley lives in Woodland Hills with his wife and 10yearold daughter.