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 (March 2, 2007, San Francisco) – Mark Leno today formally launches his campaign for State Senate in 2008, unveiling a bold plan for reinventing the office that he said will challenge people to redefine how they look at issues and how we come up with solutions. “The issues confronting us today are huge, from climate change to health care for all,” Assemblyman Leno said. “If we hope to address these issues in any meaningful way, following the status quo isn’t a choice. We need new ideas, new leadership, new approaches. That’s why I believe I’m the best choice for change. “I want to redefine the office of Senate,” Leno said. “The challenges confronting us are always changing, getting more complicated. We need to change with them and stay ahead of them if we have any hope of making progress.” Leno is seeking to represent Senate District 3, which covers all of Marin County, the eastern half of San Francisco and much of southern Sonoma County. He currently represents San Francisco in the State Assembly. “Democracy is best served when voters are given a choice in their elected representatives,” Leno continued. “It allows for an infusion of creative ideas and innovative thinking. It demands that we as politicians listen to voters and listen to our constituents. It also makes politicians more accountable.” Leno said he plans this month to launch a series of regular online meetings and discussions to be known as Communities of Interest Policy Talks. The talks will bring together citizens of Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma counties to exchange ideas for addressing a variety of important issues, including transportation, the environment, housing, education and health care. They will serve to identify issues, frame them in a regional context, help develop solutions and advise the campaign on policy directions. “These talks can help unify the progressive politics in Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma counties and give them a strong, powerful voice,” Leno said. “We need to find new ways to bring government to the people. We need to engage the public in a way that makes it easier for them to be more proactive players in the decisions that affect their lives,” Leno said. “Putting technology and the Internet to creative and innovative uses will figure prominently in my plans to translate ideas into action, to bring more people into the discussion. “My style has always been one of inclusion, accessibility, collaboration and respect,” Leno said. “I’m extremely excited about the prospects for using technology to reach out to more people, to make government more responsive and make it work harder for more people.” Leno also spelled out plans for a series of traditional town hall meetings to serve voters and others who may not have easy access to the online talks. “Many of the issues that Petaluma faces, that San Rafael and Mill Valley face, that San Francisco faces are not issues that those communities face alone, they are not issues that are unique to those communities,” Leno said. “We are part of a broader region and an even larger more complicated state. We need to leverage the strength of all our ideas, our energy and our resources to make our lives better. I believe the office of Senate should serve as the fulcrum with which we create that leverage.” Leno is challenging incumbent Senator Carole Migden for the Democratic nomination to be determined in the June 2008 primary election. Assemblyman Mark Leno is Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Chair. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2002 after serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is the owner of Budget Signs, Inc., a small business he started in San Francisco in 1978. In addition to authoring the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, Mark Leno has authored legislation on a variety of issues important to Californians such as expanding solar power generation in the state, creating more and affordable housing, reforming foster care, expanding transparency of government operations, protecting our most vulnerably housed residents and combating childhood obesity and diabetes, among many others. Contact: Rufus Jeffris Office: 415.615.0311, ext. 23 Cell: 415.994.0604