Janet Reilly for Assembly

Thank You!

While the outcome last night was short of victory – I think we all came out ahead because we were not afraid to stand up to the special interests and fight on the issues.

I want to thank every single friend, supporter and voter who stood with us
in this campaign. I want to let all of you know – I won’t stop fighting for
the cause of a healthier California.

We can’t stop, because people are dying in this state because they don’t
have any health care or don’t have adequate health care. Our schools are not giving our kids the very best education. Our environment is still dangerous – poisoned by chemicals that can cause cancer, asthma and autism. I’m going to stay engaged in these battles. And I look forward to working again with all of you in the fight for reform.

But right now – I want to say thank you again and again. You made this
campaign possible. And you made it an incredible experience. As tough as it has been, I’m sorry it is over. I will miss the incredible community of
people who helped make this effort possible.

I’m looking for a date when we can all get together so I can say thank you
in person. But until then – please accept my most heartfelt gratitude for
all you have done.

Sincerely,

Janet

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Vote Today!

Polling places are open until 8:00 p.m. this evening. Please don't forget to vote. If you are not registered with a political party - please request a Democratic ballot so you can vote in this race. Find your polling place by clicking here for San Francisco voters, and by clicking here for San Mateo voters.

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Ask Your Friends to Stand With Us for Change

Throughout this campaign, we have offered detailed solutions to the most pressing challenges in our communities. We offered real plans on passing universal health care, reforming our schools, improving transit and protecting our environment. Our opponent hid behind a million dollars in unprecedented negative personal attacks from Sacramento special interests. The choice is clear: the candidate who is standing for real reform or the candidate standing with some of the sleaziest attacks in Bay Area history. Please don’t let the special interests speak for you. We can stand together to reject this ugly political mud and send a message that we care about solutions, not negative attacks.

This race is going to be decided by only a few votes. We need your help to
make sure all our friends and neighbors vote tomorrow and stand with our
campaign for change. Please take a moment today to send an email message to your friends, colleagues and neighbors.

Remind your friends who live in the 12th Assembly District to vote tomorrow, let them know that the polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., and make sure they know about our campaign for a healthier California. Ask them to read our detailed plans for reform at www.janetreilly.com/issues.

Volunteer on Election Day

We also need your help on Tuesday. We will be doorhanging at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning and then on the phones all day. Join us before you go to work, take the day off, or join us on your lunch break. Call 415-391-4088 and we’ll put you to work anytime on Election Day. If the lines are busy, please just come on by: 320 West Portal Avenue (at 14th Avenue).

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A Greener Bay Area.

Today, I read a great article about Muni’s decision to add 56 hybrid buses into it’s fleet. These new diesel-electric buses will cut exhaust, decrease particle pollution, reduce greenhouse gases, improve fuel economy, and increase service reliability. As Bay Area residents, we can now proudly state that our Muni contains the third largest hybrid fleet in the county. I'm thrilled that we have taken this important step to green our mass transit systems. I hope you will read my environmental and transportation plans available on my website's issues page at www.janetreilly.com/issues.html and share your feedback with me on this blog about your ideas for safeguarding California’s environment.

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"That's like George Bush saying he had nothing to do with the swiftboat ads against John Kerry."

Today, the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board says the recent mud from special interest groups supporting Fiona Ma is “…a cheap shot, but all too typical of the demagogic tone of "independent" campaigns…These are special interests that want to get their way in Sacramento. Take everything they say with a healthy dose of skepticism.”

In a story that ran last night on CBS 5, reporter Hank Plante asked Fiona Ma directly about these ads:

CBS 5:"There's an ad running -- basically, for you -- that slams Janet Reilly for living in Seacliff and for sending her kids to private schools. Is that fair?"

Ma: "That's an independent expenditure, and so we do not coordinate with them."

CBS 5: "I know it's an independent expenditure. You could stop it if you wanted. That's like George Bush saying he had nothing to do with the swiftboat ads against John Kerry."

We are all sick of it. What can you do? I will tell you right now that I am not going to be beholden to anyone in Sacramento except the families of this district. Please join me to reject special interest attacks and fight for change. Walk with us this weekend, join us at phone banks, take Election Day off, or make a contribution.

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Today’s News: Fiona Ma Misses Opportunity to Say Where She Stands

With less than a week to go in this Assembly race, my opponent, Fiona Ma, decided not to appear last night in our second, and final, public debate. I regret that we did have a chance to debate our visions for the state and the assembly district. I enjoyed the opportunity to field questions from voters on issues ranging from health care to protecting tenants. I think it is particularly troubling that Fiona did not show up for our only debate in San Mateo County. I believe that this assemblyperson must represent all the families of this district – and Fiona owed it to San Mateo residents to answer their questions in a straightforward manner. With so much special interest money clogging the airwaves on her behalf – Fiona missed an important opportunity to speak for herself on her priorities and positions.

Read coverage of the debate in the Examiner and in Beyond Chron.

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8 days To Go and We Are Stronger Than Ever:
Join the Fight for Change

Thank you so much to all of our supporters for spending their Memorial Day Weekend helping us precinct walk, meet voters, and spread our message for a healthier California; Bruce Engle, one of our superstar volunteers, even dressed his dogs EmmaSue and Einstein in our campaign's trademark purple and green colors. And City Attorney Dennis Herrera deserves a special thank you for his continual enthusiasm, motivation, and energy on Saturday.

Thanks to all of you, this weekend was such a success! I can feel the momentum of our campaign growing stronger every day and the energy in our headquarters is infectious. Come join the fun and see what all the buzz is about. We are phone banking and walking precincts daily. We need your help now more than ever during these last exciting days before the June 6 election, so please call us at 415-391-4088 to join the cause. If you have the time, we'll put you to work.

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Another Argument for Campaign Finance Reform

There’s a good story today on the flood of Independent Expenditures in California, and this race, in the Sacramento Bee.
Fiona’s campaign manager says in the story that they “welcome” the IE’s now jamming the airwaves, our mailboxes and our computers with negative attacks (funded by tobacco interests, big developers, the liquor industry and gambling interests). While I guess he gets a point for honesty, it works to prove our point that these attacks are coming because we haven’t been afraid to stand up to the special interests.

To read the story, click here.

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New Endorsements from the Sun Reporter and Sing Tao Newspapers!

Today our campaign for Assembly grew even stronger with the endorsements of the Sun Reporter, the region's oldest and most prominent newspaper representing the African American Community, and Sing Tao, the largest Chinese-language publication.

I am so proud that our coalition for change keeps growing stronger and stronger. But we must keep up the momentum - we are phone banking every night this week at the Headquarters to spread our message for a healthier California, please stop by and volunteer one night this week. Call Adele Diffley at 415-391-4088 to find out more and join our team!

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Another Bad Report Card

Newly released scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows California ranked near-last when it comes to student achievement in science. The report revealed that 50% of California’s fourth-graders fall below basic achievement levels, with only Mississippi students scoring worse than our state. There is also a trend among high school students in California and nationwide -- students are doing worse in science than they did a decade ago.

We don't need to see these disturbing statistics to highlight the importance
of fully and fairly funding our education system. It is simply wrong to have
more of our state's dollars going toward the prison system than our schools and teachers.

My plan is to ensure that all children receive a solid education in their
early years, which will eventually pave the way for their later academic
success. I hope to expand after-school enrichment programs and increase
access to our higher education system here in California. Our school system once served as a model for the nation, and my education plan aims to get our students back on track.

Link to article:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_3863243

Link to Nation’s Report Card:
http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2005/

Link to Janet's education plan:
http://www.janetreilly.com/pdf/Education_Plan.pdf

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A Parent’s Choice

As you may have seen yesterday in your mailbox, my opponent attacked me because my husband and I send our children to Catholic school.

The choice of parents to send their children to Catholic schools should not be, in my view, the basis of the smear campaign being run by Supervisor Fiona Ma and her supporters.

I do not think there is anything wrong with sending your children to Catholic school. Many other parents, like my husband and myself, attended Catholic schools as children and want our own children to have the experience of a values-based education. I have worked tirelessly to promote and support inner-city Catholic schools throughout the district because I know the extraordinary work they perform for our children and our communities.

I have also made improving California’s public schools one of my highest priorities in this campaign. I have outlined a 23 page, detailed plan to support excellent teachers in every classroom, high standards in every school, and access to colleges and universities for every high school graduate who wants a higher education. I hope you take a moment to read my plan.

What can you do to help stand up to these attacks?

1. Make a contribution. Help us stand up to the flood of special interest money coming into this race. To date, there are over seven “independent expenditures” that have already spent over $750,000 in this race.

2. Walk precincts with us this weekend. Please click here for dates and times. We need your help now more than ever.

3. Help us make phone calls to voters. We are phone banking every day of the week. Please call us at 415-391-4088 to schedule a time to come in.

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Guest Blogger

Don't forget to read today’s guest blogger entry on the special interests who are trying to affect this race.

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Today, I am so excited to announce the endorsement of Rescue Muni and Transit leaders like Tom Radulovich, BART Board Director, Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, and Jean Fraser, CEO of the San Francisco Health Plan and Board Member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

It’s an honor to be endorsed by this coalition of transit leaders who are working so hard to improve transportations options in the Bay Area. I believe that we can use this broad coalition to fight for change in Sacramento: for smarter statewide planning, greater investments in mass transit projects that are going to create healthier families here in the Bay Area. By making public transportation faster and more reliable, using our roads more efficiently, and making the streets safe for pedestrians, we can reduce traffic congestion and improve the air quality in the region.

Today we announced the endorsement of the Chinese-American Democratic Club and the 12th Assembly District Democratic Club.

This is a great honor that the Chinese-American community has put their trust in me. I look forward to working together to create a family-friendly San Francisco, create affordable housing, improve our schools, and make sure that every student has access to higher education. I am grateful for their support and honored that they have joined our coalition for change.

Please join our coalition for change: We are having a big rally tomorrow before we precinct walk. Please join Supervisors Aaron Peskin, Jake McGoldrick and Gerardo Sandoval. We are starting at 10 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday at our headquarters: 320 West Portal Avenue. Please come join us!

Today we had an incredible press conference with over 200 of our
Chinese-American supporters. Hope you enjoy the photos – it was such an honor to receive this incredible support from the Chinese-American Community. I am so proud that our coalition includes every community in our diverse district.

In just the last two days, we received two new exciting endorsements: the 12th Assembly District Democratic Club and the Filipino Democratic Club.

I am just thrilled to receive endorsements from these community
organizations. The 12th Assembly District Democratic Club represents the
Democrats who live in the 12th AD so its such an honor that they chose me as the best Democrat to represent them in Sacramento. And the 12th AD is home to one of the largest Filipino populations in the country so it’s a tremendous honor to win the support of these Democratic families. I look
forward to working with both these groups to create a healthier California.

P.S. Please join me this week for precinct walking. I really need your help
to make sure my message for a healthier California reaches every voter. We will start at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (5/13) and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday (5/14). We will meet at our headquarters, 320 West Portal Ave (at 14th Ave). I hope to see you there!

Today we received the endorsement of the San Francisco Tenants Union. (We have also been endorsed by tenants leaders including SF Tenants Network and the Affordable Housing Alliance.)

Since 1971, the SF Tenants Union has been fighting for the rights of tenants and for the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco.

This endorsement is a tremendous honor because the Tenants Union represents so many hard working Bay Area families. This is one of the most expensive places to live in the country so it’s critical that our Assemblymember protect renters and make sure that they aren’t victimized by unfair evictions.

We have proposed reforms to the Ellis Act including: expanding the notice
requirement for families with children who may have to change schools in
mid-year; reducing speculation by lengthening the period of property
ownership required before owners can convert to TIC; and full disclosure of a property's tenancy history so prospective buyers have full access to any information that is a potential factor in their decision to purchase real
estate. For more information on our proposals, click here.

P.S. I really need your help with precinct walking this weekend. We are
starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Please put on your walking shoes and join us for a few hours. We will meet at our headquarters, 320 West Portal Avenue (at 14th Avenue). If you can't walk, call us — we'll set you up to phone bank anytime during the week.

Today we received word that the Communications Workers of America Local 9410 and CWA Northern California Nevada Council have endorsed our campaign.

I am so proud that the working families of CWA have joined our coalition for reform. CWA has been a leader in innovative training, education programs and child and family care provisions that are considered pacesetters in the modern workplace. I look forward to working with them to pass comprehensive solutions on health care, education, transportation and the environment that are going to create good paying jobs and improve the lives of working men and women across our state.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, announced today a major agreement with the major soda
companies to establish new dietary guidelines for beverages sold at public schools throughout the U.S. Click here for the press release.
Under this agreement, schools will only sell water and no and low calorie beverages on school grounds during the regular and extended school day. Click here for more details on the agreement.

I applaud the cooperation of the beverage industry to help create a
healthier school environment. By reducing the caloric intake and improving the nutrition of children during the school day, this agreement will have a significant impact on stemming the growing trend of obesity in our children.

Although this is a great step forward, there is still much to do to address
rising obesity rates and the health problems associated with them. Please
read my education and health care plan for more information about my ideas for reform.

Ranked as the sixth largest economy in the world, California has long been driven by a highly-educated workforce. However, a recently released report has projected that our state may lose its competitive edge if we do not improve our college graduation rates.

The report from the Campaign for College Opportunity warns that California must produce an additional 2 million college graduates in order to fill all job openings in 2022 and stay competitive in the global market.

Meanwhile, our community college enrollment has dropped by more than 300,000 due to rising tuition fees and budget cuts.

To create a healthy California and a healthy economy, elected officials must present detailed plans to create a skilled workforce. To read my education plan, click here -- and stay tuned for my comprehensive proposal on higher education in the next few days.

Join me in spreading the word that this week is “Cover the Uninsured Week.” According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (November 2005):

* 45.5 million nonelderly Americans lacked health insurance in 2004.
* Two-thirds of the uninsured come from low-income families.
* One-third of the uninsured are either low-income parents or their children.
* Many of the uninsured are low-income families with incomes below 200% of the poverty level.
* 81% of the uninsured are in working families.

The lack of health insurance means that many Americans suffer from preventable medical conditions and bear avoidable financial hardship. Uninsured Americans are more likely to delay receiving medical treatment and are less likely to receive preventative care.

The Robert T. Johnson Foundation is organizing events in Washington, D.C. to highlight this problem in America including a symposium with the representatives from various health-related organizations. You can watch an archived webcast of the symposium on Wednesday, May 3, by clicking here.

Our detailed health care plan would cover every single Californian by cutting out the middle man. Please spread the word about this important fight for reform.

The 1906 earthquake centennial celebration recently hosted by San Francisco marked the city’s tremendous recovery from one of the nation’s most devastating natural disasters. But now that the celebration is over, we need to look ahead and better prepare ourselves for other potential disasters of similar magnitude. As highlighted by the Los Angeles Times, California is far from prepared for future earthquakes.

In a comprehensive study presented last week, scientists estimate that thousands of buildings need to be upgraded in our state. We need to take the findings of this study and be proactive in our efforts to reduce the amount of damage that can result from another large natural disaster.

Take a look at what scientists are saying about California’s disaster preparedness by clicking here.

Not only is Fiona Ma refusing to participate in debates, she now won’t even show up for newspaper interviews to answer questions about her positions on the issues.

Today, the San Francisco Bay Guardian published twenty questions for Fiona Ma that remain unanswered including questions about her stands on single payer health care, tenants issues, transportation, the death penalty, Comcast contracts and the budget. I urge Fiona to join me at a public forum to answer these questions and more.

You can email Fiona at Fiona@FionaMa.com or call (415) 922-9522 to urge her to let voters know where she stands — before Election Day.

Click here to read the Guardian’s questions for Fiona.

3:30 p.m. update: We just received word that we have been endorsed by the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club, the District 11 Democratic Club and the League of Young Voters. Our coalition gets stronger by the day!

San Francisco Supervisors, Local Environmentalists, and Neighborhood Supporters Made For A Great Weekend!

A huge thank you to the National Women’s Political Caucus for their endorsement last night. I talked to so many women last night who are excited about the chance to get involved in this race and fight for the bold solutions that are going to make a difference in our community. This endorsement was the second women’s group to join our campaign this week (SFWPC endorsed us on Tuesday night). The backing of the two largest women’s groups in San Francisco is a deep and personal honor to me. Thank you for standing with me -- I am proud that you are part of our coalition for change.

Prop 81: Supporting California's libraries to address literacy...and health care.

One of the ballot measures on the June 6th ballot is Prop 81, which provides a bond to help finance construction and renovation of public libraries across California. Over three million Californians are functionally illiterate, and this ballot proposition will work to address
this shocking statistic by strengthening the partnership between libraries
and schools to expand literacy efforts across the state. I encourage your
support for Prop 81.

As you know, one of the key principles of our campaign is the link between health care and so many other issues facing our state. Believe it or not, there is also a link between health care and literacy. A few years ago, ProLiteracy America did a study that found a variety of health problems to be associated with low levels of literacy. One of the
findings was that low-literate adults tend to require and use more medical
resources than adults at higher literacy levels. In fact, health care
expenses for patients with poor reading skills are six times higher than the
average person. Too many adults cannot even read their appointment slips, written instructions for taking medication or a hospital financial aid form. If we can help people overcome this literacy barrier, we can also help reduce health care costs.

Read the ProLiteracy report:
http://www.proliteracy.org/downloads/LitOutPDF.pdf

Last night, we received two new fantastic endorsements: one of the leading women’s organizations in the Bay Area, San Francisco Women’s Political Committee, and one of the strongest grassroots
organizations, SF for Democracy.

I am just thrilled to receive endorsements from two of the strongest
political organizations in San Francisco politics. I am honored that one of
our leading women’s organization has put their trust in me -- and I know
that no one works harder at grassroots organizing than SF for Democracy.
These two community organizations highlight the broad coalition that is
joining us to stand up for the substantive solutions that are going to
change our region and our state for the better.

P.S. Don't forget to join us this weekend for precinct walking. This race
is tied and, with your help, we are going to take the lead this weekend. We
are starting at 10 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. Call us to learn more:
415-391-4088.

I am thrilled to have received the endorsement of San Francisco Tomorrow, one of the longest running and most effective local environmental organizations in the entire country. SFT was founded in 1970 and is committed to great transit, environmental protection, neighborhood livability and good government. One of the best parts of running for office has been the opportunities I've had to meet and develop relationships with neighborhood activists and leaders. I look forward to implementing our environmental policy initiatives with SFT's board of directors including Jennifer Clary, Andy Katz, Jim Lew, Arthur Chang, Bernie Choden, Denise D’Anne, Chris Duderstadt, Richard Mlynarik, Norman Rolfe, Bruce Balshone, Sue Cauthen, David Hayes, Jim Houillion, Dan Kalb, Victor Marquez, Mary Anne Miller and Jane Morrison. Please read our environmental plan. I'd love to read your reactions.

Speaking of liveable communities. . . There was a fascinating article in yesterday's New York Times about the future of green building. Buildings built to LEED standards with recycled materials, better use of natural light and heat, gray water systems, use 30 -70% less energy and water than normal buildings. And, tenants and buyers are willing to pay more for the health benefits.

I'd like to see all of our new state buildings built to LEED or other equivalent standards. Sustainable construction makes sense for our environment, but it also helps maintain our health and economy. Please take a look at these policies in our environmental plan here.

I applaud SFSU’s redesign of their 20-year master plan. SFSU’s decision to increase its involvement with the community
by offering more community programs and events will only solidify San Francisco’s place as one of the best-educated
cities in the U.S., as reported in a recent study. It will also provide another reason for families to remain in San
Francisco.

Additionally, SFSU is anticipating a future student population of 34,000 full-time students -- an increase of 5,000 students.
We must plan now for MUNI to increase its public transportation service to SFSU. We can only encourage public transportation ridership if it
is convenient and accessible.

Read the Article.

Too many small businesses in California have a hard time finding information about relevant state regulations. I feel strongly about investing in small businesses because it will lead us to a healthier economy and a healthier California. That’s why I urge you to support a bill (SB1436), which is making its way through the state Senate right now. This bill will centralize all state regulatory standards onto one easily accessible web portal to be located on the official California state website.
Additionally, the bill will authorize the creation of a much-needed small
business ombudsman. Please join me in my support of this bill sponsored by Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont).

P.S. If you want the inside scoop on the campaign news, don’t forget to check out our Guest Blogger column.

I have exciting news to report this morning: we have received polling information that shows that, with your help, we have surged in the last months and our 12th Assembly District Race with Fiona Ma is now tied!

Read the poll memo.
Read our press release.

What does this mean? This race is neck-and-neck and your support can make the difference on Election Day on June 6th. So, what can you do to help put us over the top?

1) Join us for precinct walking this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at our headquarters. We are also phone banking each weekday night: Click here to RSVP.

2) Make a financial contribution to our campaign. Click here to make a donation right now. Your contribution of $250, $50 or $25 will help up deliver copies of our policy plans to voters across the 12th Assembly District.

3) Place a window sign in your home or office. Call us at 415-391-4088 and we’ll deliver a sign to you.

P.S. You also may be interested in a story on Beyond Chron today that discusses Fiona Ma’s support for the Ellis Act, a law that is being abused to evict our most vulnerable tenants.

It has been inspiring to see hundred of thousands of people in 65 cities across the country come together to stand up for fairness for our nation’s immigrants. This is such a strong reminder of the power of grassroots organizing.

I strongly support sensible reforms that bring immigrants out of the shadows and give them the tools to become tax-paying citizens. I hope that our leaders in Congress heed these heartfelt pleas for sensible reform — and that they stand up to Republican leaders who are trying to pass legislation that would deport people who have been working in jobs across California for years.

The bi-partisan McCain-Kennedy legislation would:
* Establish an earned path to citizenship for hardworking, taxpaying
immigrants
* Create smart and secure borders
* Set immigration limits that adjust with our needs
* Penalize employers who exploit undocumented workers

Thank you to City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, and the many volunteers who joined our mobilization this past Saturday making it such a success! With the help of more than forty supporters (and a much overdue break from the rain), we had a great day delivering window signs to voters and walking precincts. I hope you had as much fun as I did. Thanks again to Dennis Herrera and Jake McGoldrick for their enthusiasm and support.

If you would like to join us next weekend for our mobilizations, simply grab
a friend or two, a comfortable pair of walking shoes, and give us a call at
415.391.4088. We only have eight weekends left to win and we need your help now more than ever!

As April 15th (tax day) approaches, I wanted to highlight a great local United Way program called “Earn It! Keep It! Save It” that provides free help preparing your taxes so you can claim the earned income tax credits you deserve. If your family earned less than
$38,000 in 2005, you could be eligible for $4,400 or more in federal tax credits. This free program can help you claim your credits. Each year in the Bay Area, over 75 million dollars in Earn Income Tax Credits goes unclaimed.

In San Francisco, if your family earned less than $37,263 in 2005 then you are also eligible for San Francisco’s working families tax credit (which matches a portion of the families’ federal Earned Income Tax Credit). I think this is a wonderful way to support hard working families and I think we should take a look at expanding this program on a statewide level.

Click here to find a Free Tax Help location near you or call SF EARN at 415-217-3664.

One more thought from the debate: One of the questions last night was about the war in Iraq. I talked about the urgent need to bring our troops home. But I got an email from John Kerry this morning that eloquently lays out the situation we face today and I wanted to share it with you:

"Half the names on the Vietnam Memorial wall were added after America's leaders knew our strategy would not work. It was immoral then and it would be immoral now to engage in the same delusion. You and I have to do everything in our power to stop that from happening again..."

First of all, thank you so much to all of you who came out to support me last night at our debate. I hope you enjoyed the chance to hear where we stand on substantive issues.

The debate highlighted some striking differences between us. Fiona talked about her experience as a politician. I talked about my background as a mother, activist, and businesswoman.

Fiona talked about her support for the death penalty. I think killing people
is wrong and we should have a moratorium on the death penalty.

Fiona said that the Ellis Act is a great way to create home ownership. I
think the Ellis Act is being used to evict our most vulnerable tenants.

Fiona said she opposes the high school exit exam. I would rather work to
create stronger safety nets for the 10 percent of kids who are not passing
this test.

Although we talked about a lot of different issues last night – there are so
many more we never touched on. I think we should replicate this debate in
every neighborhood in our district. I have asked Fiona to join me at 8 more
-- one per week before the election on June 6th.

I hope you are able to join us for the SFWPC debate tonight at 5:45 p.m. at the State Building [click here for details].

Unfortunately, the Bay Guardian reported today that this may be your only chance to hear from the two candidates in this race. They reported that Fiona Ma’s campaign manager Tom Hsieh said, “none of the other debates are fitting our criteria for scheduling right now."

I sincerely hope that Fiona Ma changes her mind about this — as I strongly believe that we should be debating in every neighborhood in our district. Our district includes large portions of San Mateo County. By agreeing to only one debate in San Francisco, Fiona is sending the wrong message to San Mateo residents that their votes don’t matter. I also think we should be debating in the Excelsior, in the OMI, in the Richmond, the Sunset – in every neighborhood in AD12.

We are never going to elect leaders who will tackle the big problems in our state if we don’t ask them to lay out their policy agenda at public debates. I hope you will join us tonight at the State Building and I hope you will join me in calling on Fiona to debate in every neighborhood in our district.

——
San Francisco Guardian
April 5, 2006
by Steven T. Jones

San Francisco voters will get their first - and maybe their only - chance to hear California State Assembly candidates Fiona Ma and Janet Reilly debate the issues April 5.

Why only one debate? Because that’s all Ma is allowing, despite numerous requests from area political groups and the Reilly campaign for more. And under the terms of the debate agreed to by both sides, the candidates have been allowed to preview most of the questions (some will come from the audience).

“We’d like to debate every night in every neighborhood in the city, but she won’t agree,” Reilly campaign manager Alex Laskey told us. Ma campaign manager Tom Hsieh told us they are focused on house parties and “none of the other debates are fitting our criteria for scheduling right now."

Ma, a San Francisco supervisor, clearly hopes to cruise to victory based largely on name recognition, while Reilly is trying to position herself as the candidate of greater substance. But you can size them up for yourself at 6 p.m. in the State Building Auditorium, 455 Golden Gate, SF.

A Sacramento Bee article reports that California is poised to become the first state to enact strict laws requiring power plants and other heavy industry to reduce emissions. Assembly Bill 32 would require regular reports of emissions of carbon dioxide from companies and cuts of 10% of current levels of emissions, resulting in a 25% reduction over forecast levels by 2020. I strongly support this effort. Carbon emissions are the primary contributor to the global greenhouse effect.

Unless we act now, the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases will accelerate the climate changes that are already occurring around the world. Reducing emissions is one of the central principles of my environmental plan. I encourage you to spread the word to your friends throughout the state and urge them to tell their state representative to support AB 32. California must take the lead in protecting the environment.