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Matt Gonzalez Quotes

American Politician

Matt Gonzalez is an American politician born on June 4, 1965. He has a rich experience in politics, serving as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and running for Mayor of San Francisco in 2003.

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All People Running Thinking Office Ifs Kids Mayors Opportunity Way Wells

Famous Matt Gonzalez Quotes

“Already renewable energy advocates are noting that the 42 miles of above-ground right-of-way between Yosemite and the city could be fitted with enough solar panels to generate at least 40 megawatts per year - a proposal the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has never seriously considered because they currently aren’t required to do so.”

Way Years Enough Energy Cities Miles San Francisco Proposal Utility Renewable Energy Yosemite Solar Panels

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“This idea that once you get into politics you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error - and that is believing that the only way you can hold progressive views and implement them is in elective office.”

Way Believe Ideas Views Duty Office Fundamentals Errors Progressive Lifelong

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“As a society we're always so quick and able to spend money on lawyers for someone for incarceration, but we don't make the corresponding commitment to the preventative components of it.”

Able Commitment Lawyer Components Corresponding Incarceration

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“Certainly other things we can do, we gotta promote after-school employment, give kids an opportunity, raising the minimum wage was part of that, we can't expect that young people are going to feel they can make a living out there for such low wages.”

People Giving Feels Kids School Young Opportunity Can Do Lows Employment Minimum Wages Minimum Wage After School

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I don't think the schools are getting as much money as they should.”

Thinking Should School

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I have voted to make tough decisions in budgetary times, I've served on two recessionary budgets, my opponent has never served on any a budget committee where there was less money to spend than the year before.”

Years Two Decision Tough Budgets Opponents Committees Tough Decisions Making Tough Decisions

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I think that when we're talking about youth violence, we're talking about kids who don't have opportunities, so they're engaged in a certain degree of lawlessness, because we as a society have failed them.”

Thinking Kids Certain Opportunity Talking Violence Youth Degrees Engaged Lawlessness

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“When in some communities selling drugs is so lucrative that that's a pretty big enticement that we have to break down. Part of that is by making opportunities and paying decent wages.”

Bigs Opportunity Community Break Drug Selling Decent Wages Breaking Down Enticement Selling Drugs

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“A fascinating challenge facing today's environmental movement is how to best approach the reversal of past decisions that altered once-pristine environmental spaces for the sake of urgent man-made needs.”

Men Needs Made Today Past Challenges Space Decision Movement Approach Environmental Sake Fascinating Urgent Altered Reversal Pristine Past Decisions

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“When I got into politics, it was a shock. People promise all sorts of things and then never deliver.”

People Promise Shock

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“Some types of environmental restoration projects are well-known; restored wetlands, for instance, or coal mine reclamation projects. Recently though, larger dam removal projects have started, a number of them in Washington state.”

Wells States Numbers Known Mines Type Projects Environmental Instance Coal Well Known Restoration Removal Dams Wetlands Washington State Reclamation

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I think when judges are in the position of authority, they really get bent out of shape when someone tells them they acted inappropriately.”

Thinking Position Judging Shapes Authority Bent

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“Running for office is important, and you don't really need more than to be right on the issues, and to be able to articulate what it is you believe. You don't need a certain background. You don't need to be a lawyer. You don't need to have some professional degree.”

Needs Believe Important Running Able Certain Issues Office Degrees Lawyer Backgrounds Running For Office

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I really am disappointed when I run into people who are angry I'm leaving office.”

People Running Office Angry Leaving Disappointed

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“If you are doing well, your business will pay more in tax; if you're not doing well, you pay less.”

Ifs Wells Pay Taxes

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“If you engage people honestly, and you're willing to do the leg work, people will respond to that.”

People Ifs Willing Legs Honestly

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“You don't have to be wealthy to run for mayor. I'm a Green Party candidate running for mayor and I'm being taken seriously.”

Running Party Taken Green Candidates Wealthy Mayors Green Party

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“As a young boy I won a few dollars in 1972 when Riva Ridge won the Kentucky Derby. I had overheard someone say he was going to win, and I guess that made an impression on me.”

Made Young Winning Boys Dollars Impression Kentucky Ridges Derby Kentucky Derby

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“At some point the rhetoric runs out, and we have to ask ourselves, 'Are we simply going to standby while somebody's rhetoric is good, but their actions are so lousy?' Are we going to stand up for that?”

Running Action Asks Rhetoric

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I had tried painting, mostly to give myself a greater appreciation of the craft and to inform how I looked at paintings. That led to collaging some of the work I had done on paper, and I found myself mixing in found pieces as well.”

Giving Wells Done Found Greater Pieces Painting Paper Appreciation Crafts Mixing

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I think a lot of politicians, rightfully so, understand that their political futures are tied to how many times people see their names in print. The press is so accustomed to politicians wanting those things, it's a surprise when somebody's like, 'Whatever, I'm not really worried about those things.”

People Thinking Political Names Politician Presses Surprise Worried Print Tied Accustomed

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I've run for office, and I've stood on street corners, while people walked by me and didn't want to talk to me, and did not think I was a credible candidate. And then four years later, I was nearly elected mayor of San Francisco, so I know what it takes.”

People Thinking Knows Want Years Running Four Streets Office Corners Candidates Four Years San Francisco Mayors Talk To Me Credible Street Corners

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“If you run for mayor, people say you're being egotistical. If you decide you won't run for mayor, people say you're being self-centered and egotistical.”

People Ifs Self Running Self Centered Mayors Egotistical Being Self Centered

Author:Matt Gonzalez

“I represented many of these kids as they become young adults in the criminal justice system when I was a public defender. One way of reaching out is by the mind of experimentation.”

Way Mind Kids Young Justice Adults Young Adult Criminals One Way Reaching Reach Out Experimentation Defenders Justice System Criminal Justice Criminal Justice System

Author:Matt Gonzalez

About the Author

Born: June 4, 1965
Known for: American Politician
Quotes: 24

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