At School, Angelides Touts Education Plans

State Treasurer Phil Angelides reached out to teenagers and Teamsters here Friday, pledging to stand up for working families, schoolchildren and college students if elected governor.

“I’m going to be there for each of you,” the Democratic candidate told scores of students who had gathered to hear him in the library of Clairemont High School -- a handful of whom were old enough to vote.

Greeted by the school pep band upon arrival, Angelides tried to connect with the youths, asking if they had seen recent episodes of “Saturday Night Live” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” He touted proposals to increase funding for the state’s public schools.

“I want us to have the best schools, the best textbooks, the smallest [classroom] sizes, so each one of you ... has the skills and the knowledge and the power to compete in the global economy,” he said. “It’s not going to come for free.”

Angelides reiterated his call to increase education funding by raising taxes on those earning more than $500,000, a move that could affect tens of thousands of Californians.

“Couples making more than $500,000 should give back some of the tax breaks [enacted in recent years] by George Bush” and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, he said. Such a move, he said, coupled with a reduction in tax breaks for large corporations, would force the wealthy to “pay their fair share.”

He aligned his primary opponent, state Controller Steve Westly, with Republican Schwarzenegger. “I’m the only guy in this race calling it like it is,” he said.

Students peppered Angelides with questions about the environment, immigration and education.

Matt Emmel, an 18-year-old senior who will attend San Diego State in the fall, asked Angelides what he could do to reduce the financial burden for students.

“I have to pay for college by myself, without my family’s help,” Emmel said.

Angelides pledged to increase the income eligibility for certain grants, to sell surplus state property to fund an endowment for additional scholarships and to roll back recent tuition and fee increases at state colleges and universities.

The latter, he said, “will be my first act. We’ll get that done.”

After the speech, Emmel said he was undecided between Angelides and Westly.

“It was interesting, but ... I kind of wanted more details,” said Emmel, who plans to major in business and psychology. “It will be my first time voting. I’m going to look into both” candidates.

Earlier in the day, Angelides had addressed about 20 members of Teamsters Local 542 who gathered near a table laden with doughnuts in the parking lot of a UPS center. The state Teamsters organization has endorsed Angelides.

“If you give me the chance ... I will never forget who I was sent to Sacramento to represent,” he told them.

Angelides noted that Westly had spent nearly $35 million of his personal fortune on the campaign. Angelides has spent $1.5 million of his own money in the campaign, according to records he filed with the state.

“It’s a tough election,” he said. “But I’ve got guys like you and women like you all over the state, and I need you.”