DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
For 13 years I worked with Nobel Peace Prize nominee and anti-gang children’s book author Stanley Tookie Williams. He was executed at San Quentin State Prison on December 13, 2005. I fought to save his life because he and other indigent prisoners do not experience fair treatment promised by our justice system and should not face the ultimate penalty of death. I also fought for Mr. Williams because of his efforts to steer thousands of youth—in California and elsewhere—from street violence, drugs, and criminality. These are issues I have cared about for decades. I worked as a Public Policy Analyst and Senior Economist for nearly 20 years in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. I am now Executive Director of a nonprofit social services agency in Northern California, where I implement policy-transformed-into-programs at the grassroots level. Other issues that matter to me: organizing against the No Child Left Behind program that hurts public education; supporting an increase in the minimum wage law that allows working Californians to escape impoverishment; and paying for needed programs by taxing the wealthiest corporations in this State at a higher rate. Currently, the poorest people of California pay a higher tax rate than billion-dollar companies that do business here. To learn more about me, watch the award-winning movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (actress Lynn Whitfield portrays my character); read Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir by Stanley Tookie Williams; or visit www.VoteBarbaraBecnel-Gov.com.
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| VIBERT F. GREENE |
6262 Jarvis Avenue |
(510) 794-5862 |
| Governor |
Newark, CA 94560 |
VBIGMAC@AOL.COM |
Vibert Greene for Governor: A fresh voice—a different approach. Leadership, management, and common sense. Education: Advanced Engineering Degrees. Our Socio-Economic and Political Fabric Is Torn; Under My Leadership, We Will Mend It. Tired of Big-Money Politics? Balancing Budgets on Your Backs? Reduced Benefits; Increasing Tuition, Taxes, and Healthcare Costs. Had enough? My first 12 months in office: I will Enact Sweeping Policy Changes to Energize the Economy. Increase State Employees’ Salaries and Benefits. Sponsor 4-day State Employees’ work-week, staggered over 5-Business days. Promote Job Growth: Link Business Tax Cuts to Increased Employment. Levy Taxes on Outsourced Overseas Products and Services. Streamline Regulations: Unnecessary paperwork—gone. Application processes—simplified. Enforce Environmental Measures. I humbly ask for your vote. |
| MICHAEL STRIMLING |
1334 Grand Avenue |
(510) 652-1810 |
| Governor |
Piedmont, CA 94610 |
strimling2006@yahoo.com |
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MichaelStrimling.com |
I run for Governor so that we can vote for what we are truly for and against. Against wiretapping and dishonest wars. Prosecute those in government who invade privacy without a warrant. Bring the California National Guard home from Iraq. For worker’s rights, fair pay, and education. Clean air and water. Universal health insurance that limits drug prices, establishes free clinics, and eliminates HMO bureaucrats. Value families by enforcing fair hours, vacations, and pensions for everyone who works. Require huge companies like Wal-Mart to insure workers. Proposition 13 should be for small homeowners, not huge corporations like Chevron. If corporations paid taxes on the current value of property, we could pay California’s debt, reduce sales tax, reduce tuition, and support childcare and assistance for elders. Schools not jails. In 1980, California had 22,000 prisoners, now we have 164,000, increasing costs by $5 billion. Thirty years ago, California had the best schools. Now we have the most prisoners, and bankrupt schools. Why do we impose life sentences for nonviolent offenders, when we can train the repentant for productive jobs? A moratorium on biased and expensive capital punishment, which 14 States and 75 countries have outlawed. Speak truth to power. MichaelStrimling.com |
| LIZ FIGUEROA |
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| Lieutenant Governor |
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I’m running for Lieutenant Governor to invest in California’s future, and I want to ensure that all children have quality healthcare. As a Democrat, I stand up for my beliefs and fight special interests. Working with then Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, I wrote the law creating the “Healthy Families” program. This program has provided healthcare for over 500,000 children in working families. I wrote the law protecting women by guaranteeing them a minimum two-day hospital stay after life-threatening breast cancer surgery, preventing “drive-through mastectomies.” And I fought big insurance companies and wrote the landmark law giving patients the right to sue their HMOs. I protected consumers by creating the state’s first “Do Not Call” list to block telemarketers, helped victims of identity theft, and fought corporations who wanted to give away our personal information. I’m proud to have the support of California leaders like Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers, Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, Congressman Pete Stark, and many others. As a child I remember attending my first day of school not knowing English, but I worked hard to overcome challenges and support my family. Now, I’m a mother and a grandmother, and I’m fighting even harder for our children and families. After twelve years of fighting for you as a member of the Legislature, I want to take that fight to the statewide level as your next Lieutenant Governor. I’ll continue fighting for you, your kids, and your families because you are my priorities.
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California is at a crossroads: Will Sacramento continue to serve the powerful special interests and their narrow agendas? Or will we stand together to break the gridlock and address the challenges that matter most to everyday California families? As your Insurance Commissioner, I’ve taken on the insurance companies, punished insurance fraud, and delivered results—Over $1 billion in insurance rebates—$22 billion in auto premium savings—$24 million in additional homeowner benefits to fire victims—$46 million in insurance company fines. Now the Insurance Commissioner’s office is a watchdog, protecting Californians. Why? Because I refuse insurance company campaign contributions. I owe the special interests nothing. Together we’ll change the Lieutenant Governor’s office into a forceful advocate. So when a misguided Governor refuses to fully fund public schools or attacks dedicated teachers—I’ll fight your fight, not his. When health insurance and drug companies use their power and influence to increase their profits at your expense—I’ll fight your fight, not theirs. I’ll fight for universal healthcare. I’ll fight to protect our coast, air, land, and water—taking the same approach I used as President Clinton’s Deputy Interior Secretary protecting our National Parks from corporate greed. Bottom line: As Lieutenant Governor I’ll have the independence Sacramento desperately needs to solve problems and fight for you. You have my record as Insurance Commissioner, State Senator, all-star lineman at Cal Berkeley, Harvard MBA graduate, Peace Corps volunteer, husband, and father. I humbly ask for your vote.
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| JACKIE SPEIER |
P.O. Box 112 |
(650) 361-0301 |
| Lieutenant Governor |
Burlingame, CA 94011 |
www.jackiespeier2006.com |
Hello, my name is Jackie Speier. I’m a Democrat running for Lieutenant Governor. I’m honored to have the endorsement of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. I don’t stand down from hard fights. As a California legislator I took on the banking, insurance, and credit card lobby that wanted to sell your private information—and won. I forced HMOs to provide better health benefits and cover life-saving medical advances. When our governor vetoed my bill banning dangerous, performance-enhancing supplements for teen athletes, and had a conflict of interest endorsing such supplements, I helped convince him to drop the endorsement and sign my bill. Our state government should provide good value for our tax dollars. I’ve enacted legislation that eliminated entertainment perks for state officials, reduced Medi-Cal fraud, allowed seniors the state discount rate for prescriptions and collected $1 billion in unpaid child support. We must renew California’s promise of access to higher education. I support rolling back Governor Schwarzenegger’s college fee increases. As Lieutenant Governor I’d use my position as UC Regent and CSU trustee to rebuild our embattled educational system. As a young aide on official business to Guyana with Congressman Leo Ryan, I was shot and left for dead by People’s Temple fanatics in 1978. I still live by the promise I made that day: to devote myself to public service. I’ve worked hard for you, and with you. I’m proud my record earned Sen. Feinstein’s endorsement. I ask for your vote to become California’s next Lieutenant Governor. |
California must never be like Florida or Ohio, where thousands of voters were ignored on Election Day. As Chairwoman of the Senate Elections Committee, I am fighting to get every citizen registered, to make sure every vote is counted accurately, and to prevent and prosecute fraud. Your next Secretary of State must restore confidence in fair and open elections. I fought to require a paper trail for electronic voting machines. I am working to outlaw campaign contributions from voting machine manufacturers. I am leading the investigations into voting systems that are not reliable, secure, or accurate. You deserve a Secretary of State who has expertise in election reform, and who will fight for common-sense campaign reform. Since my first day in office in 1992, I’ve refused to accept gifts as an elected official, and I have worked to limit campaign contributions. In 1993 I wrote legislation allowing voters to automatically get absentee ballots. I wrote bills requiring disclosure on each initiative petition—in big type—of who is paying to put that measure on the ballot. I am a fighter for consumer protection, privacy rights, open government, and choice. I led the nation by passing a law to prevent the misuse of your social security number to protect you from identity theft. The National Organization for Women-California, California Organization of Police and Sheriffs, and the California League of Conservation Voters have joined together to support me. I respectfully request your vote. |
| DEBORAH ORTIZ |
915 L Street, PMB C-123 |
(916) 492-6387 |
| Secretary of State |
Sacramento, CA 95814 |
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I wrote California’s first major Preschool and After-school legislation . . . and now you’ll get a chance to vote YES on Proposition 82. Please join me in helping California’s kids! A few years ago, when President Bush tried to shut down stem cell research, I was the first Democrat in the nation to defy him. I wrote the law making California the first state in the nation to pursue the research aimed at curing cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. And I secured $85 million for prostate and ovarian cancer research. Today, any qualified California high school student with good grades is guaranteed a Cal Grant to help pay for college. I wrote that law. I wrote California’s laws guaranteeing safe access to family planning clinics and requiring pharmacists to provide emergency contraception to women. Erin Brockovich and I teamed up to fight dangerous toxic mold that made children sick and ruined people’s houses. These changes weren’t easy. Good things never are. I want to be your Secretary of State. Today, that office simply keeps track of political contributions. I want to turn it into the public’s watchdog . . . an office that exposes how special interest contributions are influencing public policy. Last year, the Fair Political Practices Commission dropped hundreds of cases against politicians because they didn’t have the funds they needed to investigate violations of the law. I am fighting to change that. Politicians who break the law should pay the price. I hope you will consider me for Secretary of State. |
| CRUZ M.BUSTAMANTE |
1700 L Street |
(916) 441-1175 |
| Insurance Commissioner |
Sacramento, CA 95814 |
StartWithCruz.com |
I will be an Insurance Commissioner who will make rates affordable, guarantee access to insurance, and bring health insurance under the regulatory authority of that office. But I’m starting my campaign someplace different. With myself. Insurance rates reflect not just the behavior of insurance companies, but the behavior of Californians as well. And some of that behavior is not very good. Some people commit insurance fraud, some drive recklessly, or under the influence. And some people don’t take steps to protect their children or their homes or their workplace. But the biggest factor in insurance costs is people not taking care of their health. In my case, it’s my weight. A study by the US Department of Health’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that obesity in California costs $7.7 billion a year. I want to become an example to others to lead healthier lives by losing weight myself. Fighting the obesity epidemic will lower insurance costs. I will keep my progress and program on my website. (Unlike other political websites, this will be a site dedicated to noncommercial health and nutrition information.) If you or someone you know would like to start trying to live a healthier life, join me at “StartWithCruz.com.” |
A vote for John Kraft is a vote for lower insurance rates and for better and affordable healthcare coverage. For more information, please visit my website at “www.IC-JohnKraft.com.” Thank you sincerely for your vote and for being caring and concerned Democrats, John Kraft, BA, MBA, Ph.D. |
| JOE DUNN |
P.O. Box 10451
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(714) 621-0829 |
| Controller |
Santa Ana, CA 92711 |
www.joedunn.org |
Millions of Californians were hurt by the energy scandal. Businesses closed. Teachers were laid off. Staff cuts at nursing homes. As taxpayers and ratepayers, Californians lost billions. I was the only Democrat to speak against, vote against,
and work against the energy company rip-off of our state treasury. The politicians punished me. The Sacramento Bee reported: “Senator slapped for challenging party dogma. Dunn . . . an aggressive and independent lawmaker . . . ” At JoeDunn.org you’ll find the story of the Enron scandal and how my investigation uncovered the truth. The San Francisco Chronicle reported: “Energy probe’s powerhouse . . . casting light in electricity market’s dark corner, now he’s taking on Perot.” The New York Times wrote: “The State Senator, Joe Dunn, is scheduled to testify in Washington . . . whether Enron manipulated power prices in California . . . ” When the Bush Administration wouldn’t act, the Associated Press reported: “(Dunn’s) Senate committee votes to pursue criminal charges against Enron.” In the end, I was right. “The Man Who Cracked Enron . . . Joe Dunn is not your ordinary state senator,” wrote California Lawyer Magazine. The State Controller has authority over the Audits Division. Authority that hasn’t been used effectively. Give me that authority with your vote. I will use it. And uncover the waste, fraud, and abuse that politicians always promise to find. I am proud my work has earned me “Legislator of the Year” every year. I hope that it has earned me your vote. Thank you. |
California needs a Controller to slam shut corporate tax loopholes and insist that the oil and insurance companies pay their fair share. California needs a Controller to simplify taxes for middle class families and make it easy to calculate and pay taxes online. California needs a Controller to ensure our schools have the resources to prepare our children for a more competitive world. That’s why I am running for State Controller. For 20 years I have fought for progressive tax and fiscal policies. After graduating with a degree in Finance and a Law Degree from Georgetown, I worked as a policy advisor to Senator Barbara Boxer, Congressman Mel Levine, and Treasurer Kathleen Brown. I have worked to protect a woman’s right to choose as a Board member of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. I am a committed environmentalist who serves on the Board of Heal The Bay and is endorsed by the California League of Conservation Voters. As a member and chair of the Board of Equalization and the State Franchise Tax Board I am a strong voice for taxpaying families and small businesses. I use my tax policy expertise to stand up to corporate lawyers and demand an end to special interest tax giveaways. As Controller I will fight against balancing our state’s budget on the backs of the poor, disabled, students—or future generations. I will fight for full funding for quality schools. That’s why I am endorsed by the California Federation of Teachers. For more information:
www.ChiangforCalifornia.com |
| BETTY T. YEE |
601 Van Ness Avenue #E3-438 |
(415) 759-8355 |
| Board of Equalization, District 1 |
San Francisco, CA 94102 |
BettyYee2006.com |
I am proud to be representing the residents of the diverse communities within the 21 counties comprising the First District of the State Board of Equalization. Providing free resources and assistance through taxpayer outreach and education, ensuring fair and open hearings for individuals and businesses who appeal their state tax liabilities, and serving as a responsible steward of the State’s revenues will continue to be my priorities as a member of the Board. I have over 20 years of experience in making government work, including prior service in senior positions in State government. My experience in making careful decisions with your tax dollars, my strong sense of fairness for all in interpreting California’s tax laws, and my unblemished track record of integrity make me your best choice to continue my service and leadership on the Board. My financial expertise and public service experience have been widely recognized. I am proud to have the endorsements of a broad array of organizations that represent the interests of teachers, firefighters, peace officers, workers, women, students, and taxpayers. A native and resident of San Francisco, I was born to immigrant parents who owned and operated a laundry and dry cleaners for 30 years. Working in the family business while growing up gave me first-hand insight into the challenges that small businesses face. My work ethic and strong sense of service to the community were shaped by my family upbringing. I would be honored to continue serving you on the State Board of Equalization.
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| VONNY ABBOTT |
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(562) 713-5988 |
| Board of Equalization, District 4 |
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As a California Businesswoman who is an Experienced Accountant, untouched by special interests, I promise to bring a fresh perspective for change at the State Board of Equalization. Californians are justifiably unhappy with our tax system and bureaucracy. You have an opportunity to change it. Your tax dollars should be spent in improving our schools, healthcare, social programs, and infrastructure. I need your vote to make California a better place for all of us. |
| RITA ROGERS |
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| Board of Equalization, District 4 |
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The Board of Equalization collects $50 billion a year. This revenue is used for important programs such as schools, police, and fire. As your representative on the Board of Equalization, I will collect revenue in a fair and efficient manner, assuring that important services are fully funded without the need for raising taxes.
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The order of the candidates is determined by random alphabet drawing. Statements on this page were supplied by the candidates
and have not been checked for accuracy. Each statement was voluntarily submitted by the candidate and is printed at the expense of the candidate. Candidates who did not submit statements could otherwise be qualified to appear on the ballot.
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