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Green Party of California

Longtime Napa City Councilmember re-registers with Green Party, says he's ‘disgusted' with GOP, Democratic parties

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Friday, April 29, 2005

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Kevin McKeown, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-393-3639,
Sara Amir, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-270-7106,

NAPA (April 29, 2005) – Three-term Napa City Councilmember Harry Martin – founder and owner of the Napa Sentinel – announced this week that he has re-registered as a member of the Green Party.

The decision by Martin boosts Green Party officeholders to 69 elected seats in California, and 221 offices in the U.S. There are now four Green Party mayors, a mayor pro-tem and vice mayor in the state. Greens also hold majorities on several city councils in California.

First elected to the Napa City Council in 1994, and re-elected in 1996 and 2003, Martin is the longest-serving council member in Napa's history and has served as vice mayor three times. He is a native of San Francisco.

"I selected the Green Party because it represents the direction this nation, state and regional needs. The voice of the environment is being muted now and I thought I could help revive it once again through the Green Party," said Martin, who added that he was the first full-time environmental writer in the U.S.

Martin – who for nearly five decades has been registered as both Democrat, Republican and Decline-to-State – said he has watched the Green Party for a while, and chose it because it has the "zeal for what is really important."

"I have supported the concepts of the Green Party, and I have been disgusted with the Democrats and Republicans – sometimes they seem to be one party. I could not honestly tell a Republican from a Democrat. Their central focus is money and greed. It is not about the people, but about winning and control," he explained.

"Harry Martin has been successful because he stands up for the local people, the environment and the social needs of the Napa community. He has never been happy with Democrats or Republicans. He looks forward to participating with us," said Lowell Downey, a member of the Napa Green Party County Council.

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org