In my judgment, we have to avoid, at all costs, tax increases. That would be the worst possible thing to do and will make a bad economy even worse. Beyond that, targeted tax relief should be expanded upon.

A business leader has to keep their organization focused on the mission. That sounds easy, but it can be tremendously challenging in today's competitive and ever-changing business environment. A leader also has to motivate potential partners to join.

Silicon Valley is 130 miles from Sacramento, but it might as well be a million miles away given how it operates.

I want to work with the teachers' union. But as I said out there, we have to put the kids first and we are letting down a generation of California children. It's not acceptable.

Regulation is strangling businesses of all sizes in California, and we've got to streamline regulation so it's easy, not hard. to do business.

To be effective, leaders must have the qualities and attitudes essential to work in a group setting.

If we don't rededicate ourselves to education with the same attitude Americans have applied to going to the moon and fighting wars, the results will be profound. We will gradually lose our successful workforce.