Among the candidates seeking the governor’s office is David Laughing Horse Robinson, a Bakersfield resident who wants to change California for the better.

The 48-year-old art technician at California State University, Bakersfield is not only the sole gubernatorial candidate from Kern County, but also the first Native American to run for a statewide office.

Cuts made in education along with neglected senior care and the crisis in California’s economy are all reasons why Robinson decided to run for governor. Robinson said that with the cuts, children, and especially those of lower income families, are being denied a higher education.

“You cannot blame the schools, they are not being funded, and the easiest way to resolve that is to make education free,” he said.

Making education free from kindergarten through doctorate programs will not require an increase in state income taxes.

“I would totally restructure income taxes to a 10 percent flat tax free up to $30,000 with deductions available for dependents,” Robinson said.

He also noted that since “one tenth of 1 percent of our population has more money than the rest,” It would be essential to “bring the wealthy people up to paying their fair share of taxes.”

As for the state economy and the energy crisis, Robinson said the millions spent could have paid for solar units in every house.

“It is not how much money we spend, it is how we are spending,” he said.

Another issue he is concerned with involves senior citizen rights.

Robinson is especially concerned with the senior citizens community, because it is “under attack,” he said.

He opposes a bill that would take driver’s licenses away from seniors who fail a medical test. He said that this is unfair and deprives them of their independence.

“Elderly people have less accidents and kill less people per capita than people under 30.”

One factor that sets Robinson apart from some of his competitors is his background.

Politically active since 1987, and chairman of the Kawaiisu tribe since 1997, Robinson plans to use his experience to apply his politics.

“Since I was raised in a matriarchal society, I recognize the need to establish a commission of women to evaluate concerns that affect the female population.” That way, he added, “issues like abortion would then generate guidelines with appropriate solutions.”

For him, “the basic needs of California are community based.”