This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/state/ for current information.
California State Government June 6, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

Announcement of Candidacy for Lt. Governor

By Liz Figueroa

Candidate for Lieutenant Governor; Democratic Party

This information is provided by the candidate
In this announcement, I outline my goals for the office of Lt. Governor and tell why I decided to run.
I'm extremely proud today to officially announce my candidacy for Lt. Governor of California. I have dedicated my entire career to fighting for California's children and working families, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to take that fight to the statewide level.

Too many of California's children face a bleak future with few opportunities. We have to make sure they have a healthy start in life and a future filled with possibilities. As an Assemblymember, I worked with then-Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa to create the Healthy Families Program. Our program has given healthcare to more than 500,000 children, but that's not enough. There are still at least a million children in our state without healthcare. As Lt. Governor, I'll fight to expand Healthy Families and I'll work to make sure all California's children have healthcare so they get a good start in life. I've fought with the California Nurses Association for greater access to healthcare, and I'm proud that they endorsed my campaign.

We also must guarantee all our children a great education and a chance to go to college. California's economy hinges on the UC system + if we don't have an educated workforce, our economy will wither. As Lt. Governor, I'll use my position on the UC Board of Regents to fight against the rampant waste within the UC system that has recently come to light + our students deserve better than that. We also need to expand access to higher education. I have a long history working with the Cal-Grants program, but many of our students are unaware that they are eligible for those grants. As Lt. Governor, I would work with the Legislature to increase funding for Cal-Grants outreach so that every eighth grader in the state knows that if they work hard, they can get money for college.

As a member of the State Lands Commission and the California Coastal Commission, the Lt. Governor has a great opportunity to be a champion of California's environment. I have been awarded the Coastal Guardian Award from Vote the Coast and I'm proud to have the support of the Sierra Club in this race. I know that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals are being discussed across this state. But we must proceed carefully. LNG can never replace our goals for renewable energy, and we must pursue LNG for the right reasons and in the right way. As Lt. Governor, I will work for a proper process for finding and certifying all LNG sites, I will oppose allowing the Federal Government to have the last word, and I will be sure that our local communities have input over the final decision.

California's working families also face a tough road today. I fought for our working families and against big insurance companies when I wrote the law granting patients the right to sue their HMO's. But now those protections we all worked for are under threat from the Bush administration. I'll use the office of Lt. Governor to maintain those protections, to fight for a decent wage, and to expand after-school programs so that our children stay in school and off the streets.

I have a different story from the other candidates in this race. My parents immigrated to California from El Salvador to give their children a brighter future and a better life. But it wasn't always easy + I still remember going to my first day of school not knowing a word of English. I worked hard and overcame obstacles, and I became the first Latina from Northern California elected to the Legislature. I know how important family is, and I know that California's working families need support to build a better future for their children. I'll continue to fight for working families. I'm proud that the United Farm Workers (UFW) are supporting my campaign. They know that I'll continue to fight for California's children and working families. That's what I've always done, and that's what I'll do as California's next Lt. Governor.

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
June 2006 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


ca/state Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 17, 2006 21:12
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.