Steve Westly for Governor of California

CAMPAIGN CONTACTS

Campaign Name: Westly for Governor
Address: 550 College Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Phone: 650-843-0140
Fax: 650-843-0748
E-mail: steve@westly2006.com
Website: www.westly2006.com

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

1. State Controller, Elective, Jan. 2003 - Present

2. The State Controller, by virtue of office, automatically serves on over 50 State boards and commissions, summarized as follows:

Public Pension Funds:
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS)
The Controller also serves on the Investment and other committees for both of these boards.

Taxation Boards and Commissions:
Franchise Tax Board, State Controller serves as Chair of the FTB
Board of Equalization, State Controller is the only statewide member of the BOE
Streamlined Sales Tax Committee, proposed and chaired by the State Controller
Multi-State Tax Commission

Housing Boards and Commissions:
Tax Credit Allocation Committee
Debt Limit Allocation Commission
First Time Home Buyers Financing Committee
Housing Bond Credit Committee

Environmental Boards and Commissions:
State Lands Commission, chaired by the State Controller during even-numbered years
Oceans Commission, member during even-numbered years
Coastal Commission, created ex officio position
Pollution Control Financing Authority
Passenger Rail Finance Committee
Lake Tahoe Acquisitions Finance Committee
Hazardous Substance Cleanup Committee
Clean Water Finance Committee
Clean Water & Conservation Finance Committee
Clean Water & Water Reclamation Finance Committee
Water Resources Development Finance Committee
Wildlife, Coastal & Parklands Conservation Programs Finance Committee
Alternative Energy Source Financing Authority

Other Infrastructure and Bond Financing Authorities:
Education Facilities Authority
Health Facilities Financing Authority
National Guard Finance Committee
Urban Waterfront Area Restoration Financing Authority
Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission
County Correction Facilities Capitol Expenditure Finance Committee
Earthquake Safety & Public Buildings Rehabilitation Finance Committee

Other Boards and Commissions:
Commission on State Mandates Commission (for local government and school districts)
Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
Debt and Investment Advisory Commission
Independent Citizens Oversight Commission for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, co-convened first meeting
Independent Financial Oversight Commission for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Chair

YOUTH ISSUES

1. Good schools from pre-K to graduate school require adequate funding and innovative leadership. How would you use your elected office to improve public education and/or make higher education affordable and accessible for young people in our community?

As we move toward a global economy, it’s vital that young people have access to colleges, universities, and career and technical training. The old model of a job-for-life in one industry has disappeared; in it’s place, we need to train the next generation to be flexible, adaptive, and move quickly up the economic ladder in a variety of industries. That starts with public education.

First, I’m committed to strengthening the UC and CSU systems and guaranteeing no qualified applicant is every turned away from a spot. We must also expand our socioeconomic outreach to make sure our colleges are as diverse as California’s population. I also favor expanding Cal-Grant eligibility to make sure every student can afford a world-class higher education.

I believe we need to renew our focus on community colleges as well. Community colleges are the real engine of this economy—workhorse institutions that do so many things at once: provide a bridge to a four-year degree; develop career and technical trades; teach the basic skills not all high school graduates possess; and offer retraining opportunities to older professionals. With so many tasks, it’s important that community colleges have the funding and authority to do their job right. That means better integrating community colleges with high schools, simplifying the route a four-year degree, and expanding vocational tracks.

We also need to remember that many high schools graduates won’t go on to college. These kids deserve a chance to succeed too. That’s why we need to reinvent high schools for the 21st century, give the senior year rigor and relevance, and make it easier for high school students to pick a vocational or university track early on and make progress toward it during the final two years of high school.

2. How will you use your office to combat enduring racial segregation and inequality in our education system?

The Governor of California should be a strong national voice for civil rights and equal access to good jobs and a good education. I support affirmative action and believe we need to roll back Prop 209. I’m also committed to UC and CSU outreach programs to underserved communities. We also must find a way to get good teachers into low-performing and urban school districts. Ending racial injustice in this country begins with ending racial injustice in education.

3. Young people face special challenges to obtaining health insurance and many go without. How would you use your office towards making health insurance available to all?

I believe a combination of expanded state programs and employer mandates can move California towards universal health care. I supported the Chan-Escutia bill this year to expand Healthy Families to cover every child in California, and I’m disappointed the Governor vetoed it. As Governor, I will push to expand Healthy Families and require that employers over a certain size provide coverage to their workers.

4. The war in Iraq had claimed the lives of too many young people from our community Money spend on the war is need for healthcare and education programs that young people in our community sorely lack. Nobody wants to cut and run from Iraq. But our country and community needs an exit strategy. How would you use your office to bring our troops home?

I will use the bully pulpit of the Governor’s office to advocate for a responsible timetable for bringing the troops homes. Additionally, I will explore ways to get the California National Guard back to California, where they’re desperately needed in their “day jobs