PHIL ANGELIDES FOR GOVERNOR

As an activist, I appreciate the fact that Phil's been walking the walk as far as getting liberals elected and opposing Governor Schwarzenegger. I like the attention to detail he's known for as an elected official and he's done a good job as treasurer, ringing alarm bells about our fiscal woes when necessary.

Steve Westly, with his personal fortune and very good commercials, has somehow positioned himself in some people's minds as the environmental candidate. Actually the Sierra Club has endorsed both candidates, but the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has endorsed only one: Phil Angelides. I'm not a scientist and so I trust the environmental groups, and the one I trust the most is LCV.

I'm usually alright with a little negative campaigning. As long as there are no lies, gross distortions, or race baiting, it's just part of a robust campaign. What gets me about Westly is the hypocrisy. I saw him, on at least three occasions, hold up a pledge not to air negative ads, and then he was the first to do negative ads. Some of the ads really do cross the line of distortion; the "Lake Tahoe" ad is so close to a lie that he ought to be ashamed of himself.

Westly's distorting attack ads are rebutted on Phil's website. The link is below.

As a developer, Phil built with a conscience, pioneering smart growth, protecting wetlands, and creating new ones. As treasurer he sits on California's pension boards. That's an unbelievable amount of investment power and Phil has taken the lead in investing it in renewable energy and environmentally responsible companies.

But the big difference between the two candidates is that Phil Angelides is upfront that we need to raise taxes a little on the rich.

If we're going to continue growing economically and not saddle our kids with the bill, we can't continue Schwarzenegger's anti-tax charade. Where is that money coming from? Well, let's see, tuition has gone up at all the state schools and city colleges. Los Angeles, in order to put enough cops on the street, is doubling fees for trash pickup. We are now being asked to vote to borrow money to fix crumbling libraries. In effect, we have a tax on students, a tax on homeowners, and a tax on our kids. Steve Westly takes no stand on raising taxes.

Both candidates are good businessmen, both now hold elected positions as stewards of state money. But when it comes to money management, I want the guy who's frank about how we're going to pay for everything. Phil will raise taxes on couples making half a million dollars and roll back tuitions to pre-Schwarzenegger levels.

Both candidates in this race are good men. Each will run a great campaign against Schwarzenegger and outshine him as governor. But this is a primary so vote for the better politician, not the better commercials. Vote for Phil.

Angelides' rebuttals to attack ads:
http://www.angelides.com/enviros/

LA Times: "Westly Stumbles in the Mud":
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-westly18may18,1,7150375.story?coll=la-headlines-california