Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 14; Democratic Party

Having served over 11 years on the Berkeley City Council, Kriss has more legislative experience than any other candidate running. With a remarkable 98% success rate getting hundreds of pieces of progressive legislation passed, Kriss has a track record of proven results. Locally, he has brought together broad coalitions to win and protect innovative funding for education and crucial human services for women, children, seniors, and veterans. Kriss has the experience and the smarts to get things done in Sacramento. You may find more information at http://www.krissworthington.com

• EDUCATION: INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE, INVESTING IN OUR KIDS. As your Assemblymember, education funding will be Kriss's number one priority. In spite of legislative gridlock and paralyzing budget cuts, education must be protected + not only is it the morally right thing to do, it's in our state's best interests. California schools rank almost last in the nation in per-pupil spending + but we can do better. We can have some of the best schools in the country once again, and Kriss will bring progressive leadership to Sacramento to fight for better public schools + both K-12 and higher education. For over a decade, Kriss has succeeded in moving millions of dollars around within a small city budget + he'll take these skills to Sacramento and fight to make sure we're investing in a solid future for California's kids.

• ECONOMY & JOBS: CREATING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR WORKING FAMILIES. During perilous economic times, we must make sure our priorities our straight: our economy must work for California's working families. As your Assemblymember, Kriss will work to attract business and create good jobs, he'll stand with labor to protect workers on the job, he'll fight to close corporate tax loopholes and ensure a progressive tax code. For over a decade, he used his role as City Councilmember to find millions of dollars for his constituents + while many read only the summaries of the budget documents, he scoured thousands of pages to find where bureaucrats keep the money hidden. You can count on Kriss to do the same in Sacramento + he'll continue to work hard to keep our economy strong for those who work so hard for our economy.

• ENVIRONMENT: SAVING OUR PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change is finally reaching the forefront of the political debate + and it's about time. Global warming may easily be the most critical issue of our lifetimes. As your Assemblymember, Kriss will bring progressive leadership to fight for legislation limiting greenhouse gases + but more importantly, to address real causes of the problem. For over a decade, he worked vigorously as a Councilmember to target traffic congestion and air pollution + he is the only candidate who has fought for an "EcoPass," which has been wildly successful in getting cars off the roads. And he's worked to shift public funding from highways to public transportation. We need progressive leadership that is willing to do more than talk about the problem + Kriss has a record of proven results on addressing the real causes of the problem, and this is what you can expect from him as your Assemblymember.

• HEALTH CARE: QUALITY HEALTH COVERAGE FOR EVERY FAMILY IN CALIFORNIA. Universal health care in our country is long overdue + this is why Kriss fully supports Senator Kuehl's single-payer universal health care plan. As your Assemblymember, he will fight to get this legislation into law + but more importantly, to be a progressive leader who will rally colleagues to provide an actual funding source for such an important proposal. To Kriss, it is critically important that SB 840 doesn't end up as just a ceremonial measure + he'll stand up to the insurance companies. On the City Council, Kriss helped expand access of health care to children in Berkeley. With his progressive leadership and proven results, you can count on Kriss to make universal health care real.

• PUBLIC SAFETY: MAKING OUR STREETS SAFER FOR EVERYONE. Growing up in the foster care system and spending time as a homeless youth, Kriss understands all too well how crippling violence can be to our communities. As your state Assemblymember, Kriss will make public safety a major priority + safer streets and reducing violence in our communities shouldn't be just empty rhetoric. On the City Council, Kriss authored a violence response plan. But most of all, he understands that the best way to address violence is to prevent it + if people have housing, jobs and education, they are less likely to turn to crime and street violence. In the Assembly, Kriss will fight proactively to make our streets safer by expanding opportunities that provide an alternative to crime.

• AFFORDABLE HOUSING: PROTECTING TENANTS AND HOMEOWNERS ALIKE FROM A TOUGH MARKET. One of the most critical issues facing the Bay Area economy is our troubled housing market + Kriss understands that keeping housing affordable for working families is the lifeblood of ensuring that we continue to live in such a diverse community. As your Assemblymember, he will fight both for laws to protect tenants, and for legislation to stop the influx of unfair home foreclosures. On the City Council, Kriss fought hard to protect the stock of existing affordable housing, and to obtain funding for new housing + and he worked to make sure that as many of these new units as possible were designated for working families and low-income people. You can count on Kriss to bring progressive leadership to the Assembly to defend tenants and homeowners alike in this tough market + his proven record on affordable housing means we know he'll continue to be a champion not because he says so, but because he's been there before.

• CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: A CALIFORNIA FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS. As the first openly gay man to serve on the Berkeley City Council, Kriss has worked on jut about every social justice issue under the sun. In Berkeley, he has been at the forefront of almost all major civil rights issues. In an ever changing and diverse state as California, we need a champion who has a track record of fighting for everyone. Kriss understands that it takes a heart, brains, and courage to do what's right. As an Assemblymember, Kriss will fight to give voice to the voiceless and make sure that we have a state government that is compassionate and accountable to everyone. As a local leader, Kriss has served on the boards of both the NAACP and NOW, and he has a proven track record for appointing the most diverse city commissioners of any councilmember. A lifelong activist, Kriss is the only man ever to be honored by Berkeley's Commission on the Status of Women for his work in increasing the hiring and appointment of women in Berkeley. We can count on Kriss to lead us forward!

• YOUNG PEOPLE AND STUDENTS: EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE. Kriss Worthington is the go-to guy if you want progressive ideas to become reality. He shepherds groundbreaking legislation through the lengthy City process, including the Living Wage, Equal Benefits, Precautionary Principle, and Zero Waste ordinances. Kriss leaps to the defense of workers organizing unions and negotiating reasonable contracts. He obtains funding for community-service agencies and affordable housing. He improves services for seniors and people with disabilities, and works hard to increase racial, gender, and age diversity in City government. He has also helped defeat many horrible proposals, while being a persistently "calm, cool, and collected" advocate for all of us.