July 23, 2010

GILROY – Meg Whitman stopped at the nation’s largest fresh garlic producer this week to talk with voters and workers about her plan to create and keep jobs in California.

It’s a message that Meg’s been emphasizing since the beginning of her campaign, and this week she went to Gilroy to deliver it: The state’s next governor must help put Californians back to work, and, if elected, she will stand up and compete for jobs.

“California is worth fighting for and that is what I’m going to do,” Meg told a 100-strong crowd Thursday at Christopher Ranch, a 54-year-old family operation in Gilroy that grows and ships 60 million pounds of garlic each year.

Christopher Ranch is a California success story: Founded in 1956 on a small plot of land in the Santa Clara Valley, the ranch grows and processes garlic products that can be found on the shelves of several major grocery chains, including Costco and Safeway. The ranch employs hundreds of Californians each year – and up to thousands during the summer harvest season.

Managing member Bill Christopher says he’s excited about a governor who can help his ranch continue to grow – a governor who will keep critical agriculture jobs in California. And he’s excited that Meg has a plan to make that happen.

“The fact that she comes from a business background already will make our jobs easier,” Christopher said. “She understands our problems and what we’re going through and she’ll be able to help solve our problems that way, rather than a career politician who’s never had to meet a payroll.”

In the general election, Meg is facing Jerry Brown, a 40-year career politician who has sought public office 14 times. Brown has admitted he never had a plan for California during his tenure as governor three decades ago – and now he is refusing to offer Californians details about how he plans to turn California’s economy around.

In contrast, Meg has outlined her plan for economic recovery in “Creating Jobs For A New California,” a policy booklet she debuted last week. The 36-page road map highlights her plan to create two million private-sector jobs by 2015. Her agenda includes implementing job-creating tax cuts, easing burdensome regulations, and competing to recruit new businesses and keep existing employers in California.

“In this kind of environment, if you don’t have a plan, you will have no chance of being successful,” Meg told the enthusiastic crowd.

Judi Harsany, who attended the event, said she has never been passionate about a political candidate – until Meg. Meg is the one who will fight for California, she said.

“She’s a fighter with a direction,” said the Los Gatos resident. “She knows business right and left. She is not a career politician. She’s not afraid to step on toes of political bigwigs. She knows what she wants and she knows how to fight to get it.”