(Editor’s Note: The gubernatorial debate between Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and his Republican opponent Neel Kashkari, former U.S. Treasury Department official, is tomorrow night. At Fox and Hounds Daily we asked some of our contributors if they had an opportunity to be a questioner at the debate what question would they ask. Here’s what they responded.)
John Wildermuth, Journalist and Political Commentator: What happens to the state budget when the Prop. 30 tax increases expire and what does the governor need to do now to prepare for that?
Tony Quinn, Political Analyst: The legislature has passed a bill mandating that shoppers pay ten cents for the paper grocery bags that are now free. Are you in favor of this law, and if so why, and if not, why not?
Steve Maviglio, Principal of Forza Communications: For Neel Kashkari: Two other candidates for constitutional office on the Republican ticket have declined to support your candidacy, and they are considered moderates and rising stars of the party. What does it say about your candidacy when you can’t even attract other candidates of your own party and philosophy to support your election?
Daniel Weintraub, Editor of California Health Report: Neel Kashkari, as governor would you do anything to pare back the state’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and if so, have you identified any steps you could take without the participation of the Legislature?
Joe Mathews, Connecting California Columnist and Editor, Zócalo Public Square: Gov. Brown, it is December 2018, and a reporter asks you to list 3 specific things that you accomplished in your second term. What three things do you list?
Mr. Kashkari, you’ve tried almost everything that’s been suggested to Republicans about how to reverse their fortunes in California — and you’re getting creamed. Why?
Jon Fleischman, Publisher of the FlashReport: Governor Brown, will you veto a plastic grocery bag ban bill that contains a mandatory 10 cent per paper bag fee the proceeds of which, hundreds of millions annually, go straight to the profits of grocery store owners?
John Hrabe, Publisher of CalNewsRoom: Gov. Brown, in January, your administration proposed a cap on overtime for the state’s in-home support workers — those who help care for people with disabilities. Last month, you demanded that in-home support workers be excluded from a bill to require all employers to provide at least 3 paid sick days per year to every employee. Why are in-home support workers less deserving of the same labor protections that you require small businesses to provide to their employees?
Neel Kashkari, you’ve stood by your role in the Troubled Asset Relief Program as a project that ultimately turned a profit for taxpayers. Yet, during this campaign, you’ve been critical of Gov. Jerry Brown for handing out hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate welfare to Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Tesla and the film industry to name just a few. How is Jerry Brown’s support for sweetheart corporate tax breaks any different than your support of TARP?
Tom Scott, Executive Director, California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse: Where do you stand on Prop. 46? Governor, you signed the original MICRA in 1975. It has worked. Do you support or oppose Prop. 46 considering it can impact healthcare in our state by approximately $9.9 billion annually?