Accountant Hilda Zacarias Challenges Opponents to Join Effort to Save $6 Million for Taxpayers -Says state is kicking US military personnel "in the teeth" and "making taxpayers foot the bill"-- Santa Maria, CA-- Hilda Zacarias today called upon all candidates for the 33rd State Assembly District to officially support our military personnel serving overseas by calling for a November election for the State Senate seat recently vacated by Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado. According to Paul Macintosh, Executive Director of the California State Assn. of Counties, the state's efforts to force a costly special election just months before a regular election will also disenfranchise military and overseas voters. US Military personnel will not be able to vote in this election because their ballots will not be received in time to be counted.

Zacarias said, "By refusing to consolidate the election we see a state government that has misplaced priorities and lacks the ability to effectively shepherd tax dollars. What's more, the very people risking their lives for the right of Afghani's to vote will now not be allowed to vote back home. It's shameful that the state government is kicking military personnel in the teeth while forcing San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County taxpayers to foot bill."

Zacarias noted that $6 million price tab of the Special Election could fund up to 50 teachers in our classrooms or police officers for our communities for one year. "Politicians in Sacramento are playing partisan games and taxpayers and military personnel serving oversees get the shaft. This is exactly why we need to shake up Sacramento with new leadership and common sense accounting principles," said Zacairas.

"Today I respectfully call upon all candidates running for office in the Central Coast to join me in the fight to save $6 million dollars that Sacramento wants us to waste. That's money that could go to reducing the budget shortfall or investing in 50 police officers in our communities."

Ms. Zacarias is running unopposed as the Democratic candidate for the 33rd Assembly District which stretches from San Miguel to Lompoc. The District is considered a "swing district" as Republicans have held the seat in the Assembly, but Democrats Barack Obama and Dianne Feinstein have won in the 33rd in two consecutive election cycles in 2006 and 2008. As an accountant and auditor Zacarias has made protecting tax dollars a prime focus of her campaign.