Debate: Kashkari says Brown should be ashamed of Vergara appeal

In response to a question about AB 32 driving up gasoline prices next year, Brown ducks and talks broadly about CA’s role as a trendsetter and the need to fight climate change.

Moderator interrupts and tries to get him to talk about gas prices going up. Brown says gas prices go up and down all the time and cites Chevron’s big profits.

Kashkari says he believes in climate change but says AB 32 is designed to force people to use more costlier energy even if it causes them financial problems.

He notes LAO says bullet train, partly funded by cap and trade fees, won’t help reduce emissions at all.

In question about immigration, Kashkari defends position against allowing border kids to enter CA without restrictions. He says CA should worry about kids already here and cites the Vergara decision.

Brown says U.S. should be compassionate. No mention of Vergara.

In question about Vergara case, L.A. Times’ Jim Newton asks Brown’s about decision to appeal and how he feels about judge’s strong finding that treatment of minority students “shocks the conscience.”

Brown says he cares about 1.6 million kids facing tough conditions. But he seems determined to avoid saying anything that would offend either CTA or Latino parents. He cites his local control funding formula diverting $ to struggling students.

Brown ducks hard answer on follow-up about tenure law being harmful to students.

Kashkari calls ruling exactly right and depicts issue as about civil rights. He says gov should be ashamed for siding with CTA in pursuing appeal.

“Absolutely false,” says Brown.