Gubernatorial prospects speak up

As the campaign for the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial primary
gets underway, the issue that most divides candidates Steve Westly
and Phil Angelides is proving to be tax policy.

Dealing with topics such as immigration, the economy and
education, Westly, the current state controller, and Angelides, the
current state treasurer, are competing to win the Democratic
primary election on June 6 ““ and recent polls have shown that
Westley is slightly ahead of his opponent, with many Democrats
undecided.

The two candidates have similar histories, but they have
highlighted several differences in their platforms ““ the
biggest being the question of raising taxes.

While Angelides said he would tax the wealthy and close
corporate tax loopholes, Westly said he would not raise taxes
unless it became unavoidable. Westly said he would instead alter
the state lottery to allot more money to schools.

In addition, Westly proposes to make community colleges free for
all California residents by instituting a policy of forgivable
loans, which require that students receive a degree and graduate in
order to receive the benefits. To fund the proposal, he plans to
give community colleges a share of Proposition 98 funds, which
promises K-14 education a minimum amount of state and property tax
revenue each year.

Angelides has outlined his own platform on education, proposing
to roll back tuition and fees, increase financial aid, and double
the number of counselors in California high schools.

He proposes to immediately roll back college fees to the level
they were at before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took office in 2004
and provide state funding to make up the difference. However,
Angelides has not yet publicly revealed how he will find the money
to do so.

Angelides also plans to raise the income ceilings on CalGrants
to benefit middle-class families and to increase the cap for
competitive grants to 34,000 from the current level of 22,500.

Jesse Melgar, media relations director for Bruin Democrats, said
the group has chosen to support Angelides because he has expressed
sincere interest in the group’s work, and has consistently
offered his support to the organization.

“Being an experienced Democratic, he’s served as
kind of a mentor for us,” Melgar said, adding that Angelides
has collaborated and communicated with the Bruin Democrats in the
past.

Many political leaders and groups have declared their
endorsement of either Westly or Angelides as well.

Campaign co-chairs for Westly include state Sens. Martha
Escutia, D-Montebello, and Carole Migden, D-San Francisco. He has
also been endorsed by various groups, including the California
Small Business Association and the Association of Los Angeles
County Deputy Sheriffs.

The co-chairs of Angelides’ campaign include U.S. Sens.
Barbara Boxer, D-California, and Dianne Feinstein, D-California,
and U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Angelides has been
backed by the California Federation of Teachers and the California
Federation of Labor.

Melgar said Angelides has a record of success and experience
that has won him support from those prominent figures.

“The fact that he’s being supported by Nancy Pelosi,
Barbara Boxer and other prominent Democrats shows that he’s a
Democrat that’s capable of leading the state of California
and undoubtedly we trust his experience,” he said.

The statewide concern over several other issues, such as the
environment and the budget, have entered both Westly and
Angelides’ campaign platforms.

In regard to the environment, Westly proposes to ban offshore
oil drilling and stop toxic storm water runoff and pollution, while
Angelides has proposed to reduce California’s gasoline and
diesel use by 25 percent in the next 10 years.

Nick Velasquez, spokesman for the Westly campaign, said that in
order to be truly committed to progressive values, one must be able
to manage the budget and subsidize proposed programs, as Westly has
done and will continue to do.

But Brian Brokaw, spokesman for the Angelides campaign, said the
broad range of supporters show the treasurer’s advantage over
both Westly and Schwarzenegger, who will be running for governor
against the winner of the Democratic party.

“He not only has the support of both California senators,
which is quite an honor to the campaign, but he’s got
unprecedented breadth … and support from progressive and
conservative Democrats,” Brokaw said.

Analysts have said the key to winning the election in November
will be winning the large number of moderate and independent
voters.

Westly and Angelides both attended prestigious institutions of
higher education and currently hold high posts in Sacramento.
Westly graduated from Stanford University and was elected
California state controller in 2002, while Angelides graduated from
Harvard University and was elected California state treasurer in
1998.

Schwarzenegger will be the Republican candidate for governor in
November’s election, though Julie Soderlund, press secretary
for Schwarzenegger’s campaign, said the governor is currently
focused on governing and is not concerned with the Democratic
primaries.

With reports from Bruin wire services.

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