The “Shared Prosperity” tour stop attracts its largest crowd yet, with Steyer addressing how to make California more affordable
SAN DIEGO— Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer shared his vision to make California work for working families during his “Shared Prosperity” town hall tour’s sixth stop in San Diego. Steyer was introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward, who represents San Diego in the California state legislature.
“I don't need to tell the room that the stakes are getting higher and higher every day,” Ward said. “Tom knows that the electric companies are ripping us off. He knows that a lack of housing is pushing people to the brink. He knows that quality health care is a right not a privilege, and he's going to move us toward a single-payer system.”
“And I'm not just giving you empty talking points, friends. Today, a super PAC was formed, that, of course, is being funded by the real estate interests, by the for-profit health care interests, by utility company affiliates, by others that know that Tom is a threat. And when, of course, when you follow the money in the dirty business of politics, that says something.”
Steyer also took questions from a packed room crowd of more than 300 Californians and addressed their concerns about a range of challenges, from the shortage of affordable housing to rising gas prices, as well as the federal government’s failure to support working people.
On fixing our health care system:
“It's eating every family, it's eating every business, and it's eating up the budget of the state of California because it just keeps escalating in cost… but health care is a right for everybody.”
“[Short term,] I will call a special election to close the corporate real estate tax loophole for over $20 billion so that we can make the budget foot next year. […] Long term, we don't have a choice. We have to move to single payer.”
On an AI policy that protects Californians and makes Big Tech pay their fair share:
“I'm the only person running for governor who has an AI policy. [...] We're going to have a Sovereign Wealth Fund… because these companies need to own some of [the responsibility] so we can protect people from losing their jobs and make sure we don't get hollowed out by a technology that depends on our experience, knowledge and data.
On prioritizing public education for children:
“A society that doesn't educate and take care of its children really well is not a successful society. Kids are the future… We've got to be in the top 10 education states. We've got to spend on our kids.”
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