Green Party chooses 2007 Green candidates for campaign support

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624 – mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805 – starlene@gp.org

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States has selected nine Green candidates for special campaign aid in the 2007 election.

The Coordinated Campaign Committee of the party chose candidates from all over the US based on winnability, the organizational strength of their campaigns, prior fundraising by the candidates, and other criteria. The assistance given to the chosen candidates include financial contributions, donor and volunteer lists, and web site help and promotion. A list of the candidates is appended below.

There are currently at least 121 Green candidates running for public office in the 2007 election. For a complete list of the candidates, visit the Green Party election page at http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml.

"I really appreciate the Green Party support for my campaign," said Windham, Connecticut candidate Jean de Smet. "Greens will grow small, sustainable businesses, stabilize our tax base, and plan for a positive future everywhere we're elected. Our towns and our country need our leadership right now."

Howie Hawkins stressed the importance of his Council campaign in Syracuse, New York: "While the 8-2 Democratic majority on the Common Council and the Democratic Mayor continually approve tax breaks for corporate developers, what has actually developed in Syracuse is a recurring structural fiscal deficit and the highest poverty rates among America's 100 largest cities, including the highest black poverty rate, the third highest overall poverty rate, and a 45% child poverty rate. My alternatives to these failed trickle-down economic policies include progressive tax reform, fully funded schools, a municipal bank to plan, finance, and develop worker co-ops in green building and sustainable manufacturing, and a radically expanded living wage ordinance that includes a community hiring hall to insure city residents and people of color get their fair share of jobs with the city and city contractors."

Jennaro Pullano, Green candidate for Mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania, is promoting a plan to eliminate blight and crime and to invest in neighborhoods: "The people in this city do not believe that this city is heading in the right direction... We will stop using taxpayers' money to build banks and movie theaters downtown, and redirect our tax money back to the neighborhoods."

List of chosen candidates:

California
Janice Brittain, Candidate for City Council, Hermosa Beach http://www.janicebrittain.com

Connecticut
Jean de Smet, Candidate for First Selectman, Windham http://www.VoteJean.com
Ronna Stuller, Candidate for Board of Education, New London http://www.nlgreens.org

Maryland
Maria Allwine, Candidate for President of the Baltimore City Council http://www.takebge.org/main.htm

Massachusetts
Grace Ross, Candidate for Councilor-at-large, Worcester http://www.grace4worcester.org

New York
Howie Hawkins, Candidate for Councilor At-Large, City of Syracuse http://www.howiehawkins.org
Margaret Human, Candidate for New Paltz Town Councilman (At-Large) http://www.humanfornewpaltz.org
David Lussier, Candidate for Albany County Legislature, District 7 http://albanygreens.pbwiki.com/Dave

Pennsylvania
Jennaro Pullano, Candidate for Mayor, Reading http://www.pullanoformayor.org

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers

2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading,
Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/

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