Mayor Newsom is committed to innovative solutions that will help turn around struggling schools and better prepare students for the 21st century economy.

Mayor Newsom believes the outdated "K through 12" model should expand to include comprehensive early childhood and post-secondary education. But this is more than just rhetoric; as Mayor, he fought for universal preschool programs and introduced a guaranteed college education to all public school students who want one. Now, he's ready to bring his vision of high quality, widely available education to all of California.

Mayor Newsom commits to fully funding the UC and CSU systems. Furthermore, he believes that California's community college system is the state's most important asset in the development of human capital. He doesn't believe in balancing budgets on the backs of students and thinks that increasing tuition in times of economic difficulty are abhorrent. Mayor Newsom supports Cal Grants and other student financial aid programs, which he knows are critical to training the next generation of workers.

As Mayor of San Francisco, Newsom has prioritized higher education. He is now working with the California State University system to help decrease drop-out rates and promote even greater student achievement. Mayor Newsom's revolutionary program, "San Francisco Promise," guarantees a place at San Francisco State University and tuition support for every public school student who meets the entrance requirements. This commitment to accessible education reflects the Mayor's belief that educating our youth is a critical investment in our future.

San Francisco is the first - and still the only - city in America with a universal health care system. Mayor Newsom has worked with business leaders, health experts, and fellow elected officials to revolutionize health care in San Francisco. Newsom forged a program called "Healthy San Francisco" that has enrolled more than 38,000 previously uninsured San Franciscans since implementation began in July of 2007. A recent study showed that this pioneering program delivers quality care for one-third the cost of traditional insurance. It has even been recognized by the White House, with President Barack Obama telling Newsom's fellow mayors, "Instead of just talking about health care, mayors like Gavin Newsom in San Francisco have been ensuring that those in need receive it."

Mayor Newsom's work in San Francisco is an example of how successful partnerships can improve our schools.

Instead of trying to gain control of the school district or allow the state to take it over, as some mayors have done, Newsom has worked with the district's officials to improve public schools. As a result of this collaboration, San Francisco schools have been recognized as among the highest-achieving urban schools in the nation. While school districts throughout California are laying off teachers, San Francisco is giving its teachers a raise and helping to fund important programs like in-school health centers and after-school study programs. Under Newsom, San Francisco has already implemented universal pre-school.

A successful entrepreneur himself, Mayor Newsom prioritizes smart economic growth. One of Newsom's first accomplishments as Mayor was to bring the Center for Regenerative Medicine to San Francisco, which has provided thousands of jobs in the growing stem-cell research field. Newsom has expanded job training programs, with a focus on comprehensive training in green-technology skills. He is implementing a local Economic Stimulus Plan that will help create thousands of new jobs during this economic downturn.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently rated San Francisco second in the nation in terms of energy efficient commercial buildings - nearly equal to Los Angeles, a city four times as large. San Francisco has one of the most aggressive local solar power incentive programs in America. It has lowered carbon emissions well below the levels called for in the Kyoto Protocol and has one of the highest recycling rates in the nation. Newsom has helped attract more than $500 million to clean up and convert former industrial and military sites. Mayor Newsom has made San Francisco a national leader in protecting the environment.

The bond rating of the State of California is now the lowest in the nation. In San Francisco, however, the bond rating was recently increased thanks to sound fiscal management and a Rainy Day reserve. Newsom is continuing the process of reform, merging city departments to make government more effective and less costly and making San Francisco one of the only cities in California to tackle its unfunded pension liability.

Newsom has been called "One of the best mayors in America" by Newsweek because he has not been afraid to make bold reforms. San Francisco has implemented comprehensive government accountability reforms to ensure transparency. The city has also increased access to public services through innovations such as a central "311" hotline which provides citizens with information about government services. Newsom implemented innovative programs like "Care Not Cash," which has helped to dramatically lower the number of homeless people in San Francisco and created over 1,321 units of new, permanent, supportive housing. Newsom also helped launch "Project Homeless Connect," which is a national and international model of how to harness community resources to help the homeless transition to permanent housing and jobs.

The overall crime rate in San Francisco has decreased by 19.98% since March 2008 and the homicide rate has decreased by 60.7% in that time. Under Mayor Newsom's leadership, the San Francisco Police Department has met its mandated staffing level for the first time. Newsom has invested in technologies like "Shot Spotter" and crime-mapping techniques that make police more effective. He has fought for innovative reform of the juvenile justice system, with the goal of keeping young people out of state prisons. Instead, Newsom advocates providing young offenders with job training and other programs that help reduce recidivism.

San Francisco is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and Mayor Newsom is working to celebrate this diversity and harness its economic potential. San Francisco's diverse and skilled workforce has helped bring technology leaders and job creators like SunTech, Second Life, Wikipedia, and Google to San Francisco. Mayor Newsom launched a new trading mission with China, opening a San Francisco office in Shanghai that has already helped attract major new industries and jobs to the San Francisco Bay Area. In the field of civil rights, Newsom is known for his national leadership in standing up to protect the right to marriage for all of his constituents. Finally, his job training programs ensure that the growing green economy includes those who were once locked out of the old industrial economy.