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Marc Levine (D) for Insurance Commissioner
Endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle May 1, 2022.
LINKS (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Endorsement-Ricardo-Lara-has-to-go-Vote-Marc-17138169.php
Same article on the Levine website: https://www.marclevine.org/san_francisco_chronicle_editorial
Excerpt:
Lara is running for re-election after a parade of ethics scandals. The list is too long to go through in its entirety, but here are just some of the lowlights:
After promising to forgo insurance industry campaign contributions, Lara accepted in excess of $270,000 from 56 different people with ties to the industry around the time of the last election in 2018. His office then directly intervened at least twice to overrule his own department’s administrative law judges to advantage a business with ties to campaign donors. In 2019, despite earning more than $174,000 in annual salary, he stuck taxpayers with the bill for an apartment he rented in Sacramento. He also decided to accept field-level tickets to a Beyoncé concert from a fossil fuel company.
SNIP
(Levine) has vowed to mandate more transparency regarding insurance company fossil fuel investments — by, among other things, reinstating the policies of former Commissioner Dave Jones that lead to billions in disinvestment from the coal industry. California’s insurance market is so large that forcing such sunshine in this state has the potential to spark nationwide fossil fuel divestment and increased climate transparency for consumers everywhere.
In terms of equity, Levine promises to eliminate existing insurance breaks for those who are more educated; arguing that lawyers should not be getting cheaper insurance rates than farm workers. He also promises to push legislation that guarantees homeowners who invest in home hardening and other wildfire prevention measures can’t be denied insurance. This issue could prove especially crucial in the coming years, as homeowners in fire country are increasingly seeing their policy renewals denied — often after having paid into the system for years.
After promising to forgo insurance industry campaign contributions, Lara accepted in excess of $270,000 from 56 different people with ties to the industry around the time of the last election in 2018. His office then directly intervened at least twice to overrule his own department’s administrative law judges to advantage a business with ties to campaign donors. In 2019, despite earning more than $174,000 in annual salary, he stuck taxpayers with the bill for an apartment he rented in Sacramento. He also decided to accept field-level tickets to a Beyoncé concert from a fossil fuel company.
SNIP
(Levine) has vowed to mandate more transparency regarding insurance company fossil fuel investments — by, among other things, reinstating the policies of former Commissioner Dave Jones that lead to billions in disinvestment from the coal industry. California’s insurance market is so large that forcing such sunshine in this state has the potential to spark nationwide fossil fuel divestment and increased climate transparency for consumers everywhere.
In terms of equity, Levine promises to eliminate existing insurance breaks for those who are more educated; arguing that lawyers should not be getting cheaper insurance rates than farm workers. He also promises to push legislation that guarantees homeowners who invest in home hardening and other wildfire prevention measures can’t be denied insurance. This issue could prove especially crucial in the coming years, as homeowners in fire country are increasingly seeing their policy renewals denied — often after having paid into the system for years.
I'm not affiliated with the Levine campaign. I just think it's time for someone better. Levine will get my vote.
