Fellow Californians:

 

Everyone in California, of all places, should have a shot at the American Dream: a chance to work, to discover one’s potential, and to share that potential with others. But for too many Californians, that Dream is fading.

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Our great state, the fifth largest economy in the world and a global leader in innovation, is now home to the most extreme inequality in the nation. Whether measured in terms of income, educational attainment, or life expectancy, California is falling behind. Adjusting for inflation, California’s median wage was 6.5 percent lower in 2017 than in 1979. Our economy has largely recovered from the last recession, but an increasing portion of jobs are in lower-wage occupations. This crisis is further worsened by the rising median cost of a home, now 2.5 times more expensive in California than elsewhere nationally. Working Californians often are forced to commute many miles to work, while paying the highest gas prices in the country. And after a lifetime of work, many retiring baby-boomers face a future without a pension or a 401(k), leaving them dependent on relatives for support, while their adult children grapple with how to cover the costs of infant care, now equivalent in cost to college tuition and fees.

Anyone who thinks he or she is immune should think again. The consequences of these conditions radiate throughout our society and economy. Our state is projected to produce 2.4 million fewer college degrees and certificates than the workforce will demand by 2025. Housing shortages cost California’s economy well over $143 billion annually because households spend income on rent or mortgage that they’d otherwise be spending on consumer goods.

Although California is rightfully proud of being a national leader in research and development, patents, start-ups, and venture capital funding, most Californians have not benefited from the tech boom which has brought unimaginable wealth to a small cohort of Silicon Valley billionaires. The average small business or working-class Californian instead struggles to survive in one of the least business-friendly climates in the nation. The only remedy for some has been to give up and simply leave the state, with thousands of residents each year taking their dreams, talents, and economic potential with them.

Many smart, compassionate people and organizations have worked tirelessly to improve this state of affairs, but the magnitude of the challenge demands a unified, statewide response. This is why the undersigned will call upon the incoming Governor to announce, on the first day of his/her first term, an intention to put California on track to significantly increase economic opportunity and mobility within the next ten years.

California has long been admired as a national and global policy leader by establishing big goals with real deadlines.  Because of that optimistic "can do" attitude California now leads the nation in renewables, through establishment of a 50% goal by 2030; in waste diversion, with a 75% goal by 2020; and in CO2 reductions, with an 80% goal by 2050.  We believe it is time to apply this same ambitious metric-driven approach to ensuring all California residents have real access to the opportunities and tools we know are needed for individuals, communities and the economy to flourish.

We will urge the next Governor to endorse clear, specific targets for the state to achieve by 2030, and easy-to-follow metrics to track progress. Our shared goal should be measurable, visible change. Example targets might include a reduction in the number of Californians living in poverty; increased numbers of middle-income families, defined both by rising incomes as well as increasing affordability of essential goods such as housing; and increased access to early childhood education as well as college readiness and completion rates of post-secondary education. The targets should be identified through a transparent, inclusive, collaborative process.

True success also will require a commitment to designing a data collection, evaluation and reporting process that is transparent and accessible, promotes accountability, and is welcomed as a useful tool by those who work in relevant fields. The State Legislature has a valuable role to play as well, and initiatives such as the “Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty” Task Force, established by AB 1520 (Burke) and set to produce recommendations in November, 2018, can help reach this goal.

We believe every individual has the power to make our communities better and a responsibility to try to do so; this is what compels us to act. We also believe every Californian should have access to skilled jobs at which they can excel, and opportunities to enjoy and contribute to their communities and to our collective future. This also happens to be the surest way to a strong and resilient economy that prepares the next generation to thrive as workers, employers, inventors, parents, and civic stewards.

We speak as a small subset of the thousands of Californians in our state’s world class universities, its diverse non-profits, its civically conscious business community, and its dedicated civil service, ready to shoulder this effort. We are confident that there are thousands more Californians who agree with the diagnoses and proposal in this letter, and who want to be part of a solution. If you are one of them, please add your name in support, and join us. We need you, and California needs all of us – right now.

Very sincerely,

Lande Ajose, Executive Director, California Competes
Sam Blakeslee, Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; former California State Senator, Assemblyman, and Assembly Republican Leader
Virginia Hamilton, former Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor
Lenny Mendonca, Senior Partner Emeritus, Washington D.C. and San Francisco offices of McKinsey & Company; Chair, New America; Co-Chair California Forward
Kathay Feng, Executive Director, California Common Cause*
Pete Peterson, Dean & Senior Fellow, Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Davenport Institute, Pepperdine University*
Michele Siqueiros, President, Campaign for College Opportunity
David B Smith, CEO, X Sector Labs; former Managing Director, Presidio Institute
Jonathan Stein, Voting Rights Program Manager, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus*
Ashley Swearengin, President and CEO, Central Valley Community Foundation, Former Mayor, Fresno
Zabrae Valentine, Co-founder, CA Forward and the CA Forward Action Fund
Pete Weber, former Vice-President, FMC Corporation; former CEO, TeKnowledge, Inc.; former CEO, Riverbend International; Founder and Chair, Fresno Bridge Academy; Co-Chair California Forward
Elisabeth Mason, Venture Philanthropist; Founding Director of the Stanford Technology, Opportunity and Poverty Lab, Stanford University
Hilary Hoynes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy; Co-Director, Berkeley Opportunity Lab, University of California Berkeley
David Grusky, Professor of Sociology; Director, Center on Poverty and Inequality, Stanford University
Elizabeth Hill, former Legislative Analyst, State of California
Sandra Susan Smith, Professor of Sociology; Interim Director, U.C. Berkeley Institute for Research on Labor and Employment
Nadia Diaz Funn, Executive Director, Alliance for a Better Community
Carla Javits, President and CEO, REDF*
Dowell Myers, Professor of Policy, Planning, and Demography, Sol Price School of Public Policy, USC
Kim Belshé, Executive Director, First Five LA; former Secretary of Health and Human Services, State of California
Manuel Pastor, Professor of Sociology & Director, USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity
Joseph N. Sanberg, Founder, CalEITC4Me
Natalie Foster, Co-chair, Economic Security Project; Advisor, The Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative
Neil Malhotra, Edith M. Cornell Professor of Political Economy, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Joel Fox, Founder and Editor, FoxandHoundsDaily.com
Miriam Kuppermann, Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Research, Dept. of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UCSF
Dan Schnur, Professor, Annenberg School of Communications, University of Southern California; former Chairman, California Fair Political Practices Commission
Jeannine English, 2018 Stanford Fellow, Distinguished Career Institute; former State and National President, AARP; Former Executive Director, Little Hoover Commission
Bob Lanter, Executive Director, California Workforce Association
Roger Niello, Business Owner; former State Assemblyman; former County Supervisor
Megan Joseph, Executive Director, Rise Together Bay Area
Radhika Shah, CoPresident Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs, Founding Chair, Tech Advisory Group Stanford Handa Center for Human Rights, Advisor SDG Philanthropy Platform
Julia Lopez, former President and CEO, College Futures Foundation
Sarah Swanbeck, Executive Director, Berkeley Institute for the Future of Young Americans
Zac Townsend, former Chief Data Officer of the State of California; Partner, Deciens Capital; Research Scientist, Stanford University*
Melissa R. Michelson, Professor of Political Science, Menlo College, Author
Malka Kopell, Co-Founder, Civity
Jessica Lavariega Monforti, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, California Lutheran University
Laura N. Chick, former Ca Inspector General for federal stimulus funds; former L.A. City Councilmember; former LA City Controller
Heather McLeod Grant, Co-Founder, Open Impact
David Wolf, Executive Director Emeritus, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (Western Association of Schools and Colleges); Co-Founder, Campaign for College Opportunity
Sabrina Moyle, CEO, Hello!Lucky
John Pimentel, President, White Hat Renewables; Co-founder, Independent Alliance for California
Steve Boilard, Immediate Past Executive Director, Center for California Studies, Sacramento State University
Caroline L. Whistler, CEO and Co-Founder, Third Sector
Jim Heerwagen, Founder and Chair, The Voters Right to Know Project; Founder/CEO IQVine & Sunvolt Nanosystems
Wade Rose, System Vice President, Dignity Health
Jim Mayer, President and CEO, California Forward; former Executive Director, Little Hoover Commission
Deb Nankivell, CEO, Fresno Business Council
Bill Shireman, President/CEO Future 500; Lecturer, U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business
Larry Rosenthal, Program Director, UC Berkeley Center on Civility & Democratic Engagement
Julia Rhodes Davis, Chair, Vote.org; former Managing Director, DataKind
Jessica Pitt, Executive Director, HealthPATH
Pam Calloway, Executive Director, The Bread Project
Kay O’Neill, Co-founder, OpenAccess; former Director of Workforce Development, Cañada College
Brian Brennan, Senior Vice President Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Todd Dipaola, CEO and Founder, inMarket; Co-Chair, Represent.Us*
Mary Hanna-Weir, Civil rights attorney, Santa Clara
Bill Bloomfield, President, web service company (retired)
Roy Ulrich, President, California Tax Reform Association
Norman Kline, Founder and CEO, LibraryWorld, Inc.; former Mayor, City of Saratoga
Terri Feeley, Founder and Principal, Workforce Success; former Executive Director, SF Works
Lauryn Agnew, Founder, Bay Area Impact Investing Initiative; President, Seal Cove Financial
Louise Rothman-Riemer, President, Oakland League of Women Voters
Marian Kaanon, President/CEO, Stanislaus Community Foundation
Fernando Guerra, Professor of Political Science and Chicana/o Studies, Director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University
Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO, California Emerging Technology Fund, former Secretary of the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; former President and CEO of the Bay Area Council
Robert B. Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, UC Berkeley; former U.S. Secretary of Labor
Ted Lempert, President, Children Now; Co-founder, former CEO, EdVoice; former California State Assemblyman
Connie Rice, Civil Rights Attorney
Kristin Connelly, President and CEO, East Bay Leadership Council*
Moira Kenney, Executive Director, First 5 Association of California
Laura D. Tyson, Distinguished Professor, Graduate School, Berkeley Haas School of Business; Board of Trustees Chair, Blum Center for Developing Economies, UC Berkeley; former Chair, Council of Economic Advisers; former Director, National Economic Council
Christopher Edley, Jr., Professor and Former Dean, UC Berkeley Law School; President, Opportunity Institute
Nora Silver, Founder and Faculty Director, Center for Social Sector Leadership, UC Berkeley-Haas School of Business
Gabe Kleinman, Director of Portfolio Services & Marketing, Obvious Ventures
Anne Wilson, CEO, United Way Bay Area
Steve Westly, Former California State Controller; Founder of the Westly Group

*for identification purposes only

Signatures added after May 20, 2018:
Diane Geller, Educational Consultant
Andrea Zeller-Nield, Former Assistant State Director CA Small Business Development Centers
Steven Miller, Lawyer
Micah Weinberg, President, Bay Area Council Economic Institute
Jennifer Bagosy, Attorney
David Moren, UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business; W.K. Kellogg Foundation Racial Equity & Healing National Fellow
Ezekiel Gorrocino
Hadar Aviram, Law Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law
Jen Pahlka, Founder and CEO, Code for America
Simone Otus Coxe, Co-founder and Board Chair, CALmatters
Lisa Niello
Maria Amundson, Stanford 2017 DCI Fellow; Education Reform Advocate
Joan Medeiros, Attorney
William Pace, Encore Fellow, Democracy Coach, Social Entrepreneur
Elisha Yang, Attorney, Hanson Bridgett LLP
Amr Darwish
Bill Jones, Founder and Chairman, Pacific Ethanol; Former CA Secretary of State; former California State Assemblyman, and Assembly Republican Leader
Sean Kline, Director, San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment
Jacob DuMez, San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment
Autumn McDonald, Director, New America CA
Edward Morley, Policy Consultant
Rob Lapsley, President, California Business Roundtable
Michael Andrade, Writer
Felicia Flournoy, CEO, Innovative Workforce Strategies
Marcie Gutierrez, Architect
Christopher Nellum, Education Policy Advocate/Imperial Valley Native
Casey Beyer, Chief Executive Officer, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
Sterrin Bird, CDO, United Way Bay Area
Douglas Beardsall, Retired
Heath Gregory, President / CEO – Baron Equities
Jeremy, Avins, MBA student, Stanford
Mark Burton, City of Manhattan Beach, Mayor (Ret.)
Danielle Anderson, wellness professional/community organizer
Terre Beynart, Retired Programmer/Analyst, UC Berkeley
Andrew Giacomini, Managing Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP
Ricardo Soto, Education Attorney
Ratna Amin, Transportation Policy Director, SPUR
Ellen Popejoy, Event Programs Manager
Jessica Hemington
Gina Baleria, Professor
Margi Power, Program Director, Leadership San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, Hillsborough; Hillsborough School Board Trustee
Christine Moore
Michael Fu, MD/MBA Student, Stanford
Peter Barth, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at First 5 LA; former Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services
Kelsey Gerber, Marketing
Ava Damri
Julia Dunn, Registered nurse, parent, lifelong Californian
Kathryn Redekop, Marketing/Advertising
Jeff Harris, former CEO, JSA Foundation
Ernie Ludy, CEO, 10xHealth
Valerie Lynne Kane, Policy Analyst
Mitchell Stevens, Associate Professor of Education, Stanford
Adolfo Morales, Teacher
Fred Keeley, former Speaker pro Tem, California Assembly, Board Member, Working Partnerships USA
Nancy Steele
Carlos Fernando Camargo, BHGRE Reliance Partners Realtor
Marjorie Goodwin, Goodwin Gelin Consulting
Travis Moore, Founder and Director, TechCongress
Carole Miller, Former Board of Medical Examiners – Commision of Indian Affairs
William Shaw, Lifelong Californian
William Watson, Community College Center for Economic Mobility, San Jose Evergreen Community College District
Richard Schlackman, RMS Associates
Amanda Renteria,  Fmr Candidate, COO of CA DOJ, Nat. Political Dir, Chief of Staff @US Senate
Derrick Seaver, Director of Policy & Operations, San Jose Downtown Association
Benedetto Cico
Pete Weldy, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Jamie Gardner, Cross Sector Leadership Advisor
Drew Liebert,  former Chief Counsel, California Assembly Judiciary Committee
Erin Coghlan, Policy Director, Berkeley Institute for the Future of Young Americans
Julie Cates, Early Education Advocate (participating in multiple coalitions)
Heather Sittig, CEO + Founder, Relola
Kristin Olsen, Stanislaus County Supervisor; Principal, Red Suit Consulting; former Assembly Republican Leader