With Election Day right around the corner, the two candidates for the 37th Assembly seat are making it easy for voters to choose between them.

As the two hopefuls expressed different opinions on almost every issue discussed, area residents got a good look at where Assemblymember Audra Strickland and challenger Ferial Masry stand.

More than 70 people crowded into Moorpark College's television studios Tuesday, with another 35 in a nearby overflow room, to listen to Strickland and Masry share their views on everything from education to affordable housing to the prison system.

Illegal immigration was a hot issue, coming up several times during the forum. Strickland, a cochair on the task force on illegal immigration, said her beliefs represent those in the district.

"The Legislature has been talking about giving free college education to illegal immigrants and giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants," Strickland said. "I'm an advocate of the people of this district who say, 'That isn't right.' I don't support the folks in Sacramento that say that because they are here, we need to take care of them."

Strickland also said she supported the construction of the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Masry had a different outlook, saying that as long as the government allows illegal immigrants to have jobs, they will come, despite any walls in their way.

"If the wall can help, build the wall," Masry said. "But it's not about the wall. If they don't come from under the wall, they will come by sea . . . that's not the issue.

"We need a comprehensive policy to protect our borders and enforce our laws," Masry added. "And we have to look at the people we have here right now. Do we really have the resources to get them all out?"

Although both candidates are teachers, Strickland and Masry had different ideas about the state of education funding today. While Masry used other countries as examples of how negligent the United States has been in funding education, Strickland defended California's efforts.

"California is spending more today than it ever has on education," Strickland said. "Fifty percent of the money coming into the state is going straight toward education. . . . Up in Sacramento, we don't know all the needs of all schools all over the state. From San Diego to Camarillo . . . it's a very diverse state."

The overcrowded prison system also drew opposite views.

Masry proposed the separation of violent and nonviolent criminals, suggesting that halfway homes and rehabilitation programs could be better places for some prisoners.

"Out of fiscal concern, I cannot understand why we are going to put so many of them in prison when it costs us so much," Masry said.

Strickland strongly disagreed.

"The people of California have spoken, and public safety is a top priority," Strickland said.

"There is no dollar amount you can affix on a human life, on the safety of a child. We need to build more prisons-it's a matter of planning."

Masry pushed for campaign finance reform and called Proposition 89 "a good start."

"(Candidates) don't have to appeal to people, just appeal to businesses," said Masry, who stated that her campaign was supported heavily by $10 and $20 donations from individuals.

Strickland disagreed.

"We already have campaign reform in California," Strickland said, drawing laughter from some members of the audience. Strickland said that Proposition 89 only affects people who can't afford to fund their own campaigns, and without the support of businesses, Californians "would see a trend of only wealthy people running for office."

Masry later alleged that Strickland accepts money from "Indian gaming and alcohol and tobacco companies."

"You claim you have family

values," Masry said to Strickland. "No one is giving you that much money for nothing."

Another disagreement came with the mention of Proposition 87, a tax on oil companies.

Strickland opposes taxing oil companies to obtain money for alternative fuel research because, she said, the private sector is already tackling the research. Masry scoffed at her view, calling the taxa "way to get the money" needed to look into alternative options.

The lack of affordable housing in the Ventura County area was considered a crisis and priority by both candidates.

"Thousand Oaks is becoming Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara is becoming Beverly Hills," said Masry, who expressed concern over the fact that teachers and police officers cannot live in the areas they serve. "People just cannot buy here. . . . We need to make it a priority to ask developers to make more affordable homes."

Strickland pointed out that although there are more affordablehousing units being built, high property taxes pose another problem.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Moorpark professor Al Miller presented Masry and Strickland with CDs of America's greatest love songs after the forum.

The candidates laughed together, in complete agreement for the first time that afternoon.