[GPCA Updates] GPCA Release: Gov. Brown missed mark in his inaugural speech

[Green Party of California Updates]

Gov. Brown missed mark in his inaugural speech, charges Green Party gov
candidate; CA poorest should not be asked to shoulder more austerity

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO (Jan 4, 2010) - Gov. Brown's inaugural speech Monday was far off
the mark, asking the poorest in state to shoulder more austerity even while
the wealthiest in the state get wealthier, charged 2010 Green Party of
California gubernatorial candidate Laura Wells.

In a YouTube video (link), Wells said "Here's what a Green Governor in
California would and would not be talking about today.

"Governor Brown is talking about austerity for the majority of Californians. A
Green Governor would be talking about fairness and balance, and continuing to
have great schools, environment, healthcare and jobs. We would be talking
about the kind of California we want."

Referencing a new report showing that California's income gap is continuing to
widen, Wells said:

"Imagine a ballot proposition that would guarantee that the richest one
percent of Californians would become even richer. (It) would give the richest
one percent an increase in income of three times the total income of average
Californians. Would that pass? No!

"This disparity of wealth didn't happen because only that one percent are good
and smart or because they're better or smarter than the rest of us nor because
they were creating jobs or helping California.

"The problem is that the government of California is set up to encourage the
concentration of wealth rather than sharing it fairly.

"There are solutions to this problem, but austerity for those who have already
been experiencing austerity, is not the solution. We do not need the richest
one percent... running the show. They have not been helping with our jobs,
with our environment, with our kids," Wells said.