Personnel Profile: Laura Wells

What are the biggest differences between you and Jerry Brown?
He is not a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get.” Behind the scenes … his actions and inactions have caused a great deal of harm. Examples include his being governor when the old Prop. 13 was passed in 1978. Its clauses increased the disparity between the mega-rich and the rest (and) the two-thirds vote required to raise taxes has ratcheted state revenue down.

He teamed up with Schwarzenegger to defeat Proposition 66 … I became political at the same time the Green Party became a party (and) Green candidates remain committed to the rejection of corporate campaign contributions to stay with our stated values.

If you were elected governor of California, what are the three main things you would do to try to fix California?
Number 1, the State Bank for California, partnered with local banks and credit unions, would invest not in Wall Street, but in California’s universities and students, local banks and businesses, infrastructure and homeowners. Two, keep the great and fix the bad of old Prop. 13. Three, start the process of getting a new constitution, building on ideas from all sectors including grassroots organizations.

How do you plan to get the State Bank of California to invest in “California’s universities and students, local banks and businesses, infrastructure and homeowners”?
We would study the Bank of North Dakota and adapt it to fit California.

All state and local government agencies would be required to place their funds in the bank.  The Bank would be similar to a central bank guaranteed by the general fund of the State Bank and the taxpayers.

The State Bank would guarantee student loans, business development loans, and state and municipal bonds.  The mission of the bank would be to invest its assets responsibly in ways that build California, rather than take the money out of the economy.

You say that taxpayers’ money would guarantee the State Bank fund. What would you tell the taxpayers that do not want their money used for a State Bank meltdown?
The State Bank would not be in danger of melting down like Wall Street and the big banks. It would not be allowed to play the casino-style games. The State Bank for California, like the North Dakota Bank, would be regulated properly so it could accomplish its mission: to make California and its people stronger, not to profit off California and take the money out of the state.  

You mentioned you wanted to begin building a new constitution. What would you like to change with the current constitution?
There are some structural problems that have made California ungovernable. Decision-making technologies have been proven around the world, and with “experts on tap not on top,” citizens could apply their values, develop a new constitution, and create better:

Representation such as a combination of proportional representation and ranked choice voting and an analysis of whether term limits has helped… A citizens initiative review process would alert voters to (the) destructive aspects of initiatives.

Independent party candidates have argued they should be included in the debates. Others have argued there is no reason to include candidates who can’t win. Explain why you should have been there, and what you would tell the people of California.

Voters, especially now, are angry – or depressed – when they feel they have only two choices.

California would win if independent candidates were in the debates because the dialogue would be more meaningful, and the real problems and solutions would be at the table. As a result of inclusion, the first Green governor could get elected, and represent the vast majority of Californians, not the big campaign donors.

When voters are surveyed with the question “Do you want only Republican and Democratic candidates in the debates, or others as well?” a big majority wants others as well.

You stated, “California would win if independent candidates were in the debates because the dialogue would be more meaningful, and the real problems and solutions would be at the table.” What are the real problems and solutions, and what ideas do you think, you as an independent candidate, can bring to the table that Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman cannot bring to the table?
If everyone knew what the real effects of the old Prop. 13 have been in California ,then people would realize that Prop. 13 has some good parts – and some terrible parts. Jerry Brown will not impart that information, and Meg Whitman would protect Prop 13.

Jerry and Meg will not put forth the facts, whether it’s due to their insider friends, or the way they finance their campaigns….Meanwhile they stay with simple-to-state blaming of each other, the legislature, immigrants, and the people … Independent candidates like Greens are not beholden to the special interests and would speak out for the people’s benefit.