Sharon Rushford California’s special election of October 7, 2003 will be a difficult one. The number of candidates is a mixed blessing that has posed many a problem. These problems should not discount the important messages many candidates bring to this race. On that note, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. Below is a brief history, some of my reasons for running and my position on some of the important issues this state faces.   I have been married for twenty-seven years to my husband Gary. We have two children and two grandchildren who we cherish. I have been a business owner since 1982. Five years ago, personal tragedy led me into the world of healthcare reform. Since that time I have come to know of far too many people and their loved ones who have been harmed or killed at the hands of their HMO. I have become an active member of the Kaiser Permanente Reform Committee, a group of concerned citizens who desire only to protect and educate the public from the tragedy of medical malpractice and abuse of the binding arbitration system. This involvement has lead to my becoming a board member of the non-profit group The Managed Care Reform Council, a group also dedicated to managed care reform through public awareness and legislation. I am currently the Santa Clara County Petition Circulator for The Committee for the Voluntary Health Plan Arbitration Act of 2004, an initiative we hope to get on the November 2004 ballot, which would make binding arbitration a choice for HMO members not an unwitting requirement to receive coverage. I have given my solemn promise to bring justice back into managed care in this state. A fellow healthcare advocate Dr. Charles Phillips sums it up perfectly; “Going to Sacramento is not just about dealing with the budget deficit, it is also about dealing with the ethics deficit in managed care. Budget is about citizens’ wallets; healthcare is about citizens’ lives. Just fixing one is not enough.”   The state of the economy is obviously on everyone’s mind. This will be the biggest challenge for the new Governor. I believe that with creative thinking, together we can come up with a plan to turn the deficit into surplus. No one wants taxes raised or programs cut. No one can honestly tell you, during a campaign, what he or she will do to solve the problem. One must take office, assess the situation then do what is necessary for the good of the many without disregarding the needs of the few. This will be my main focus.   Education of our young is of the utmost importance to our communities, not only formal education but mentoring as well. Both are of equal value. Knowledge is power and we need to teach our children humanity as well as scholastics.   California faces serious issues as it always has. Each candidate has an important message. We need a Governor who is not afraid to face challenges head-on. I have a fierce determination to enact change in this state. With your support and vote, we can make things better for all, not just a few. It takes courage to enact change. Change is what we need.  Take the chance for a new California. I thank you for your support.    Sharon Rushford Candidate for Governor Independent   For more information see Smart Voter Question: How do you know if your doctor has ever been accused of medical malpractice? Answer: You could check out his medical license at the California Medical Board, however if you are a member of Kaiser Permanente, you probably won't know if your doctor has been accused of medical malpractice, if the case was settled. As a condition of membership, Kaiser requires aribtration to settle all disputes, including accusations of medical malpractice. If a settlement is reached before the arbitrator reaches a decision, no record of the event will show on his/her license. We were told the doctor, Richard Lynn Frazier, who amputated Gary's leg was accused of malpractice four times including our accusation. His record remains unblemished at the medical board's website to this day. Kaiser continued to let him practice medicine at their Santa Clara facility for 2 1/2 more years knowing he had been accused four times of medical malpractice. We were told the other three cases settled. We refused to settle our case. The second doctor named in this case, Deborah Shih, also is no longer employed at Kaiser Santa Clara. She is now working at a hospital in the Boston area. Her patients are also unaware that she was accused of malpractice also. Gary called her several times in the months preceding his surgery. Dr. Shih offered him pain killers over the phone. She told Gary it was not necessary for him to come in for an examination and referred Gary after several months to a podiatrist who also failed to notice Gary had no pulse in his foot. The podiatrist is currently still employed at Kaiser Santa Clara.