Statement of Carl Guardino, President and CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, regarding the roundtable discussion hosted by the Leadership Group today with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and two dozen Silicon Valley CEOs and business leaders:

“The Silicon Valley Leadership Group applauds the governor’s willingness to tackle the health care problems facing our state and for taking time in his busy schedule to meet with several of our member company executives today at Seagate Technology in Fremont.

“We are just beginning to analyze the governor’s health care proposal in detail, but we endorse its overall objectives in spirit. Initially we are quite supportive of four elements we view as important areas for our members: (1) the plan’s emphasis on wellness and a healthy lifestyle for all Californians, (2) the proposal to make sure all of the state’s children have adequate health insurance, (3) the effort to contain the rising costs of health insurance, and (4) the goal of reducing the hidden tax burden on Californians for providing services to those without health insurance.

“We concur with the governor that when it comes to comprehensive health care reform everyone benefits and everyone contributes. This sense of shared responsibility benefits every individual and every employee, as well as California’s economy.

“We respect that there are some in Sacramento who are focused on the semantics of whether this includes a tax or a fee. In Silicon Valley, our focus is more pragmatic and post-partisan: Is the plan effective? We applaud the governor for a bold plan around which he is working to build consensus to move California forward.

“The Silicon Valley Leadership Group and its members pledge to work diligently with the governor and his health care staff toward achieving the goals of the plan this year.”

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