Candidates for Governor, Treasurer Discuss Health Care
Democratic gubernatorial candidates and a Republican candidate for treasurer recently discussed their views on health care. The primary election is June 6. Summaries appear below.
The state's two Democratic gubernatorial candidates -- Treasurer Phil Angelides and Controller Steve Westly -- debated campaign issues on Wednesday, including health care proposals, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Angelides said he supports universal health care coverage and if elected, would immediately extend health care coverage to all children in the state.
Westly said that he supports employer health insurance mandates and that he would promote a bipartisan effort, similar to the one that led to the Massachusetts health insurance mandate (Hecht/Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, 5/11).
Assembly member Keith Stuart Richman (R-Granada Hills) said he believes the state treasurer can use CalPERS and CalSTRS, large purchasers of health insurance, to reduce health insurance costs for all residents, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Richman, who will run against Board of Equalization member Claude Parrish in the June 6 primary, said as treasurer he also would focus on controlling the increasing costs of public employees' retirement benefits.
Whichever candidate wins the primary will face Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D) in November's general election.
The Bee did not address health care positions of Parrish or Lockyer (Benson, Sacramento Bee, 5/11).