In the 250th year of the American Republic, California citizens and candidates for Governor enter a mutual agreement, not a campaign promise, but a public covenant with consequences, witnessed by the people it serves.
Quarterly plain language progress report, published in print, at libraries, on broadcast, and online. Measuring real outcomes, not talking points. Including what isn't working, and why.
Ground level budget reviews with frontline staff, not just managers. Equitable tax structure. Ccorporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their share. Infrastructure renewal without defaulting to fees and fines on working residents.
Address vacant land before new development. Distinguish corporate landlord abuses from small property owners. Incentivize local business. Report honestly, including what legislation is blocking progress and why.
No actions weakening courts, legislature, or the press. No deliberate disinformation. Civility and respect as the standard of conduct, toward all citizens, including those who oppose.
Judged not by what was proposed, but by what actually changed for working Californians. Every major economic policy evaluated and reported on by measurable outcomes, not stated intent.
Govern with honesty, including the honest acknowledgment of failure. Never knowingly mislead. Trust is rebuilt through consistent conduct over time, not declarations of intent.
Full donor disclosure beyond legal minimums. No campaign contribution treated as a claim on decisions in office. If a donor seeks to exercise influence, it will be disclosed publicly.
Claims about opponents must be grounded in verifiable fact. Allegations, real or fabricated, met with evidence and independent review, not counterattacks. Both candidate and citizens agree: defamation corrodes democracy for everyone.
Accept verified results. Never amplify unverified fraud claims. Support accessible, secure, verifiable voting for every eligible Californian. Any attack on ballots without legal authority or verified cause is an attack on every citizen.
Failure is not breach. Governance is imperfect. Unforeseen crises, legislative deadlock, and inherited conditions may limit what any governor can achieve. A governor who acknowledges obstacles honestly has not broken this covenant. One who deliberately acts against it has.
Consequences are layered: public documentation by co-signers and civic organizations → electoral accountability at every future ballot → California's existing recall process for cases of deliberate, sustained breach.
A governor who signs this covenant and then betrays it does not escape it. They are defined by it. The record belongs to the citizens.
- Civility & Respect The non-negotiable baseline. Disagreement is a right. Contempt is a choice. We choose differently.
- Hold This Governor, Not The Last One By evidence. By the standards set here. Not by comparison to past failures. This office, this term, these commitments.
- Engage Vote. Stay informed. Participate. Democracy is not a spectator event.
- Good Faith Extend it to a governor who acts honestly, even in disagreement. Evaluate conduct on its merits before rendering judgment.
- Demand Integrity, Not Perfection A governor who tells us the truth about what isn't working has earned more trust than one who claims everything is fine.
This covenant is a public record. It belongs to no party, no campaign, and no individual.
It belongs to the people who sign it.
This document may be freely reproduced and distributed. It belongs to the people.