Brooke Adams, 25, candidate for Governor in the recall race, launched her "Brooke by the Bay" tour on Friday with a call for the repeal of term limits. Slated to speak from the steps of City Hall Adams claims, "Term limits have been an unmitigated disaster. Legislators don't stick around long enough in Sacramento to learn the job, much less take responsibility for their actions."
Calling Mayor Willie Brown the "poster child" of term limits, Adams said, "It's time we give voters back the right to decide how long their legislators deserve to serve." Political observers generally agree that term limits passed because voters thought then Speaker Willie Brown became too powerful after almost two decades in the Assembly.
Under term limits, Assembly members can serve no more than 6 years, while State Senators can serve no more than 8. According to Adams, "The effect of term limits is that performance in office doesn't matters. Worse, good people are forced to leave before becoming truly effective." She says that's part of why the state is in trouble.
Adams, who also blames much of California's woes on what she calls the "me first" mentality of the older generation says, "We all suffer with this revolving door in Sacramento. In the old days, legislators had time to understand critical issues. Today, they're out of office just about the time they can really contribute." Adams says the people of California have been the losers under what she calls the "term limits fiasco."
What make matters worse, according to Adams, is that most legislators now spend time campaigning for the next office, rather than focusing on doing their job. Adams claims, "It's an open secret in Sacramento that legislators spend their days plotting career moves and fundraisers for future office -- instead of doing the people's business."
In a campaign swing last weekend that Adams called her "Heartland of California" tour, Adams called for a flat tax and pledged to call the legislature into special session to deal with California's fiscal crisis. She says as Governor she will do "whatever it takes" to see term limits repealed.
In a meeting with economists, Brooke Adams, candidate for Governor, called for a sweeping overhaul of the state's tax system. Comparing the current financial mess to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Adams said, "California's tax system is a disaster. It's time for us to scrap the current system for a simple, fair, flat tax."
Adams, an Independent, said that the $99 billion budget recently signed by Gray Davis "just puts the pain off for another year." Adams says that if she is elected, she will call the legislature into special session to consider her flat tax proposal. According to Adams, "They helped create this mess and I'm going to see that they help me get us out of it."
Adams, 25, has been critical of what she calls the "Me First" mentality of the older generation. Calling herself part of a new generation of leaders, Adams says, "Our future has been mortgaged by a generation that cannot live within its means. They have ruined our state's bond rating. That's a prescription for future disaster that my generation is going to stop."
Adams called the Davis plan to raise taxes on the wealthy (to offset a rollback of DMV fees) an idea that will just drive the best and brightest out of California. Adams said. "As Governor I will immediately rollback the DMV fees and reduce spending, not raise taxes." Adams also criticized the current tax system under which millions of people pay no taxes, saying, "Everyone must contribute their fair share. A flat tax is the best solution."
Brooke Adams, 25, was born in Mission Viejo, California. A life-long resident of Southern California, Brooke is the daughter of Orange County Superior Court Judge, John Adams, and Sally Adams, a high school teacher.
Brooke distinguished herself early in life as an outstanding student at Huntington Beach High School. As a freshman, she was elected to the student body government. She was later elected Vice-President of the Junior Class.
A talented athlete, Brooke lettered on the Cheerleading Team all four years of high school. A popular student, she was elected the Homecoming Queen of 1995. Brooke graduated from Huntington Beach High School in 1996.
Brooke began her college career at the University of Oregon. While majoring in journalism, Brooke served as a freelance reporter for the Emerald Student Newspaper. In 1998, Brooke transferred to the University of Southern California, where she graduated in 2000, with Honors, from the prestigious Walter Annenberg School of Communication.
As a student at USC, Brooke served internship positions with ABC and CNN, where she assisted in developing news stories and interviews. After graduation, Brooke went to work as an Assistant Account Executive with the Young Company, an advertising and media firm with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County. After a brief stint as an on-air reporter for a Los Angeles television station, Channel 35, Brooke joined Gramercy Partners, a publishing firm based in Los Angeles, as an Account Executive.
Brooke has a keen ear for listening and a job that brings her in daily contact with business leaders throughout California. She is acutely aware of the damage the Davis administration has done to businesses large and small. As Governor, one of her top priorities will be to improve business opportunities, reduce government red tape and fix worker's comp.
Adams said, "My administration will welcome business back to California with open arms. Our top priority will be fiscal responsibility and improving California's bond rating."