SF EXAMINER: Steyer “Promises to Close Tax Loopholes, Bring in Billions for California”

SAN FRANCISCO — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer sat down with the San Francisco Examiner to talk about his plan to address affordability across California by taking on money-hungry corporations, reducing utility costs, and building a million new homes in California in four years. 

The following are excerpts from the conversation.

San Francisco Examiner | Steyer promises lower utility rates, more homes if elected governor

STEYER ON WHY HE’S RUNNING:

I walked away from my business 14 years ago, I’ve spent the subsequent time as an advocate. I’ve led or co-chaired three propositions to basically take on corporate interests that were trying to take advantage, or were successfully taking advantage of, California citizens. I’ve raised billions of dollars for Californians, without charging them, and closed tax loopholes. 

ON TAKING ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION:

What everybody’s going to say is, “We’re going to sue.” We are gonna sue him. Everybody’s gonna sue him. NextGen Policy has been working on all these issues ... every single issue in the state of California, we’ve reviewed, and we’ve worked on dozens of them specifically.

You’re gonna need a governor who is willing to go in and be vocal and online constantly about what’s going on and to stand up to Trump intelligently.

ON TACKLING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY:

The number one thing in California about affordability is housing. People can’t afford to make rent. People can’t afford to buy a house… That’s a dramatic cause of our homeless problem.

Why is that true? Because we haven’t been able to get things done. We haven’t been able to build houses. I’ve said we’ll build a million houses, and we can’t have no for an answer.