Issue Position: California's Fiscal Health

Issue Position

California's fiscal health is dependent on the state's economic health. As our state continues to recover from the Great Recession, during which 1.3 million jobs were lost, we are witnessing an uneven recovery. We see robust recovery and growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego, while several counties still face double-digit unemployment. We see a recovery in which opportunities for those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder are limited. And in the areas of our state where there are strong job gains, the issue of income inequality is coming into sharper focus.

Our Golden State regained the 8th ranking among economies around the globe, in part due to the sustained weakness of European economies. However, amidst this growth, California also has the highest rate of poverty among the 50 states. The living standards and conditions of Californians and our families as well as the ability of California businesses to grow, succeed, and thrive can significantly affect the fiscal health of our state.

I hope to have the privilege as your next Controller to give voice and leadership to three priority areas that may improve our long-term fiscal health and economic outlook: comprehensive tax reform, preserving retirement security, and modeling responsible environmental stewardship.

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