Green Party response to Arnold's State of State speech

News Advisory

THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA www.cagreens.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, January 5, 2006

Contact: Susan King 415.823-5524


Pat Driscoll 916.320-6430


Beth Moore Haines 530.277-0610



Response to State-of-the-State:

Green Party says Governor, Democratic Party

not offering ‘real reform' to Californians

SACRAMENTO (January 5, 2006, 6:02 p.m.) – The Green Party of California

Thursday – responding to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's third State of the

State speech – charged that not only the governor, but also Democratic

Party leaders, are not offering the "real reform" that is needed to help

all Californians.

"Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are offering real solutions.

California does need real reform, but not the same old patchwork of

non-solutions," said San Francisco Green Party spokesperson Erika McDonald.

"The Governor and the legislature need to get tough with the corporate

interests that fund their campaigns. This means fighting for fairer

taxation, getting tough with big pharmaceutical companies, and supporting a

real hike in the minimum wage," she added.

For an example of "real reform," Greens said they are spearheading a "fair

wage" initiative for the November 2006 ballot that could raise the minimum

wage to .75 an hour, a dollar more than what the governor – and Democrats

who authored a .75 bill last year – are asking.

"The bottom line tonight is that Democrats and Republicans, from the

governor on down, are talking about programs that will get them elected,

not truly help Californians. In the end, most voters know that the plans

discussed tonight fall short of really helping Californians resolve their

daily concerns about healthcare, pensions, fair wages and jobs," said GPCA

spokesperson Pat Driscoll.



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