California/San Francisco Young Democrats' Bay Area Statewide Candidates Forum

Jerry Brown speaks to the attendees of the Bay Area Statewide Candidates Forum

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy Team attended the California/San Francisco Young Democrats' Bay Area Statewide Candidates Forum on Saturday, February 6, 2010.  It was a well organized event that brought together an impressive group of candidates vying for a number of publicly held offices to discuss their qualifications to members of the Young Democrats in California and members of the public:

• Governor
• Jerry Brown (has not officially declared candidacy)
• Lt. Governor
• Janice Hahn
• Treasurer
• Bill Lockyer
• Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Larry Aceves
• Tom Torlakson
• Insurance Commissioner 
• Hector De La Torre
• Dave Jones
• Board of Equalization
• Betty Yee
• Attorney General
• Kamala Harris
• Chris Kelly
• Pedro Nava
• Alberto Torrico
• United State Senator
• Representative for Barbara Boxer

Candidates for California Attorney General (from left to right): Pedro Nava, Chris Kelly, Kamala Harris, Alberto Torrico

The following are selected highlights from Jerry Brown's address to the attendees:

Green Energy and Jobs

California Attorney General and undeclared democratic candidate for governor, Jerry Brown, stated that "change originates and disseminates in California."  To elaborate on this, Brown mentioned that the state can recapture the lead in the 'green' energy sector by investing in alternative energy to protect the environment, increase tax revenues and create and maintain jobs.  "Jobs are key...to the long-term economic prosperity that Young Democrats will inherit" Brown said.

Jerry Brown addressed the "job killers in California" and how the state can increase its workforce while "building a sustainable future."  Dependency of imported oil reduces the state's workforce; investment in solar, renewable fuels, etc., focuses job creation at the local level.

California Attorney General 

Mr. Brown discussed his current role as California Attorney General, and some of the issues his office is currently working on:

• Protecting workers in the underground economy.
• Reduce the costs of California's prison system--currently 10% of the state's budget--and reduce the recidivism rate, which is currently at 70%.
• Working with cities and counties to include housing and work opportunities in their General Plans.
• Protecting public safely by getting at the issue of crime early through education and workforce training.

The Economic Outlook for California

Mr. Brown stated that "as bleak as the future looks, the opportunity is [in California] as California is a state of imagination."  He continued by noting that there is still a vast amount of opportunity and hope in the state and that citizens of California need to focus on the future.

Raising Revenues (Taxes)

Mr. Brown commented that both the California Legislature and the Governor "need to be careful before [they] tax" and that "we need a real honest in-depth discussion" on this issue.  Jerry Brown does not support raising revenues at this time.