Mangia Challenges Lt. Governor Candidates to Agree to Relinquish "Exorbitant" Pay Raise

By James J. Mangia

Jim Mangia, Reform Party candidate for Lt. Governor, challenged his Democratic and Republican party opponents to publicly agree to relinquish the "exorbitant and unwarranted" pay raise voted by the Citizen's Compensation Committee.

"Once again, career politicians are figuring out how to spend our hard-earned tax money, without producing what the people of this state want. We have an educational system that is among the worst in the world, a managed health care system that is benefiting the health insurance industry instead of the patient, and an environmental policy which is destroying California's natural resources in favor of big developers and campaign contributors," stated Mangia. "Elected officials make more than enough money, especially since they accept so many campaign contributions from big money special interests and lobbyists. They need pay cuts, not pay increases!"

Mangia stated that he would not accept the pay raise as Lt. Governor. "I call on all of my opponents to adhere to the will of the people, who have registered their overwhelming opposition to these pay raises over the last few days, and relinquish those increases. This will be a key test for how responsive and representative these other candidates for Lt. Governor will be to the demands of the people!"