Sacramento, CA…Board of Equalization Member George Runner issued the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown’s State of the State Address:

“They say ‘as California goes, so goes the nation.’ Let’s hope not, because Governor Brown’s vision for our state includes even higher gas prices and taxes that hurt working-class people. There’s enough money to fix our roads without raising taxes, our leaders just need to make the right priorities.

“Noticeably absent from the governor’s address was a real plan to strengthen the private sector. That’s really a shame, when you consider the fact California continues to have the highest poverty rate in the nation.

“Rather than fighting Washington, I hope the governor will spend his remaining years as the state’s executive fighting for the people of California by making our state a more affordable place to live and work, and improving the quality of life for all Californians. We should seek paths of cooperation rather than conflict.”