Dick Monteith (R): Dirty Dozen 2002
California's 18th House District

Lifetime Rating From California LCV = 9% 

View Dick Monteith's Race At A Glance page.

Dick Monteith has served in the California State Senate since 1994. During his time in the California legislature, Monteith voted against stronger environmental protections over 90 percent of the time. His past record in the state legislature proves that Central Valley families cannot rely on him to vote to protect their environment in the U.S. Congress.

Monteith consistently voted against clean air
Despite significant clean air challenges facing California's 18th District, Monteith has consistently voted against measures to improve air quality. Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties all received a grade of 􆶠from the American Lung Association for the high number of red and purple high ozone days. Merced County ranked 7th worst in the nation and has the fourth-highest percentage of people with reported asthma cases in California. Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties also have high reported levels of asthma. Ozone, a primary component of smog, is also linked to increases in asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of smog. 

In spite of these air quality issues, in 2000, Monteith voted against increasing penalties for air quality violations, especially those that are negligent, willful, or intentional, preventing fair and firm enforcement of air quality laws. In 1996, Monteith voted for legislation to make it more difficult for local air districts to develop new pollution control regulations.

Wider use of alternative fuels and vehicles that reduce air pollutant emissions is essential for the Central Valley to comply with air quality standards. Cars and trucks create about 60 percent of the valley's smog problems. Nevertheless, Monteith voted against cutting the tax on low-emission experimental fuels and against helping consumers purchase zero emission vehicles. Also, in 1996 he voted against allowing low emission vehicles to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in California.

Monteith votes against clean drinking water
Despite the fact that a significant number of residents of the 18th District get their drinking water from groundwater �r 45 percent in Stanislaus and Merced Counties �teith has ignored this vital resource. He voted against a comprehensive program to examine the level of contamination in groundwater.

A 1999 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report found that arsenic in drinking water causes bladder, lung and skin cancer, and may cause kidney and liver cancer. The NAS study concluded that the original drinking water standard for arsenic was not sufficiently protective of public health, threatening the health of families across the country. Arsenic has been detected over the new EPA standard of 10 ppb in eight community water systems in Merced County and five systems in Stanislaus County. Nevertheless, when given the opportunity to vote for a more protective standard for arsenic in drinking water, Monteith voted no. 

The District
The 18th Congressional District includes a large portion of the California's Central Valley, one of the country's most valuable agricultural areas. While agriculture is still a mainstay of the economy, many people reside in the valley because of affordable housing while commuting daily to jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Traffic and air pollution are serious problems in the District. While air pollution is blown in from the Bay Area, some is generated by local sources. The District was redrawn to include more Democratic voters, including the city of Stockton. Latino residents make up the new district's single largest ethnic population, 41.6 percent. In 2000, the newly-drawn district voted 53.4 percent for Gore and 44.6 percent for Bush.

The Race
This district was redrawn to make it a safe Democratic seat. Scandal-plagued incumbent Representative Gary Condit (D) lost his March 2002 primary to State Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza (D), making the general election an open seat race. Dick Monteith (R) worked in a number of agi-businesses. He has served in the California State Senate since 1995. Cardoza, who at one time worked for Condit, served in the California State Assembly since 1997, representing about 70% of the residents of the 18th District. The Cook Political Report rates this race 􌥡n Democrat.�cause of Monteith's vocal statements against �alanced environmental groups�d Cardoza's support for environmental legislation, environmental issues will be important in this race.