California Insider

“Every time you pass a bond, you’re basically saying to the next generation, ”Here’s our gift to you“. A debt. And they’re gonna have to pay that off. Supporters say all of these things are important and reasonable, we should pay for them anyway and your children will thank you for it.”

Siyamak sits down with Will Swaim, President of the California Policy Center. He tells us what ballot initiatives we'll expect to see in November election. Mr. Swaim is going to try to argue on both sides of these issues and tell us what these propositions are about. So you can make up your own mind.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

California is experiencing a boom in accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Since the first ADU bill was passed in 2016, allowing ADUs on single-family home properties, the number of ADU permits has skyrocketed. However, along with this surge in development, some city leaders and residents are raising concerns for the community.

Join us as we explore the growing trend of ADUs in California. We will speak with homeowners, developers, investors, city leaders, and community organizers to discuss what it takes to build and use ADUs, their potential benefits and risks, and their impacts on the housing market in California.

California is experiencing a boom in accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Since the first ADU bill was passed in 2016, allowing ADUs on single-family home properties, the number of ADU permits has skyrocketed. However, along with this surge in development, some city leaders and residents are raising concerns for the community. Join us as we explore the growing trend of ADUs in California. We will speak with homeowners, developers, investors, city leaders, and community organizers to discuss what it takes to build and use ADUs, their potential benefits and risks, and their impacts on the housing market in California.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“Low-income Californians and communities of color are essentially going to be disproportionately impacted. This is because they really rely on these programs, be it in food, housing, or education. More than 200 programs will be impacted in one way or another,” Travis Gillmore says.

Siyamak sits down with Mr. Gillmore, a California reporter for The Epoch Times. He tells us the details of California’s budget deficit and the spending cuts that the state is making to address it.

“Depending on who you ask, in 2024 we dealt with somewhere between a [$50 billion to] $73 billion deficit. The legislature is essentially looking to balance these reductions by putting forth bond measures. What we’re essentially doing is borrowing from the future with these changes, which will put further pressure on later budget years, later fiscal years,” Mr. Gillmore says.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“I’m a huge EV guy. Like, I think that’s a great technology. But in reality, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to meet these goals from the infrastructure side. If we flip a switch tomorrow and get rid of all fossil fuel vehicles, all fossil fuel electric generators, the state would be an immediate blackout,” says Mr. Flora.

Siyamak sits down with Heath Flora, an Assemblyman from the Central Valley and a member of the California Problem Solvers Caucus. He shares his insights on how California is transitioning to zero emissions, and what obstacles and challenges we’re facing.

“If we flip a switch tomorrow and get rid of all fossil fuel vehicles, all fossil fuel generators, the state would be in immediate blackout,” says Mr. Flora. “Our neighbors are doing all this fossil fuel burning ... and then we import that energy to make ourselves feel better, right? But in reality, we don’t have enough green energy produced within the state for the supply,” Mr. Flora says.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“It’s like walking through a minefield; you’re trying to just make people think. But if you conflict with them just to make them think, then they’re going to be upset about that. Students just completely lock into the narrative that they want to lock into, and that’s not a good thing, whether you’re left or right. It occurs on both sides. So what I want students to do is to be able to think critically and to understand the very valid points for and against each side. But if you’re doing that, you’re gonna offend somebody.”

Siyamak sits down with Sean Redmond, a veteran high school civics and history teacher. He will explain how political narratives are impacting students’ education and the changes he’s experienced teaching in the system for the last couple of decades.

“Let’s focus on education, less than indoctrinate. Let’s bring up both sides of an issue; we need to help students think and come to their own conclusions. We need to get that offending is bad out of the air right there. I don’t see teachers trying to offend students. Teachers are there because they care; they really want to help.”

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“The homeless situation in San Diego is no longer just homelessness. It’s like a cancer that has completely taken over our streets and parks. It seems like anywhere you go, where you might have once seen one or two homeless people, is now a village,” says Jon Lutack.

San Diego County offers a wide range of housing solutions and programs to help those suffering from homelessness or on the verge of losing their homes. But despite all of these efforts, the homeless population continues to grow. Today, we sit down with George Mullen, who co-created Sunbreak Ranch, a new approach to homelessness that has gained significant backing from both citizens and politicians in San Diego. We also discuss this issue with Mr. Lutack for an insider’s view of what it was like living on the streets, the unnecessary steps it took to turn his life around, and his influence as a substance abuse counselor.

“If we look at what’s been going on, the cities just want to put a band-aid on the problem, doing the same thing. In 2019, 165 homeless persons died in the San Diego region. In 2023, a mere four years later, 624 homeless persons died in the San Diego region. That’s a 280 percent increase in four years,” says Mr. Mullen.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“Will San Francisco come back? When you look at it with the 30% vacancy, you look at the foreclosures or the defaults on a lot of the loans. You look at all this and you say to yourself, ‘What can we do?” says Mr. Farrell.

Siyamak sits down with John Farrell, a former budget analyst, assistant assessor, and financial director with extensive experience in San Francisco’s municipal finances. John will provide insights into the city’s current budget deficit and propose solutions for improving its financial health. He will also tackle critical issues such as homelessness and public safety, with a vision to revitalize the downtown area.

“Right now the city budget is $15.9 billion and the city has 35,500 employees. In 2010, there was a budget of $6.4 billion, and the city had 27,000 employees.There’s been a 30% increase in positions.” says Mr. Farrell.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“I served 29 years and two months. I went in at the age of 16; I was arrested and ultimately convicted of second-degree murder. I’m someone who they call ’the worst of the worst,' who’s taking complete advantage of the opportunities that are in there. I was dead in the water up until about 37 years old. I was going to die in prison. I had accepted it, and I knew I was. Then they opened the door. I just got a glimmer of hope, me and a bunch of guys that we ran with it.”

Siyamak sits down with Brian James, a former inmate who served 29 years in the California state prison system. He‘ll tell us how some prison reform policies have opened opportunities for inmates to rehabilitate. He’ll also share with us his transformation process that ultimately led to his recent release.

“For 20 years, I was a character. I had a name; I had a gang. I introduced myself that way. When my cell door opened, I put on my act. When it closed, I went back to Brian James. My first probably 10-12 years in prison, all the issues that plagued my life that led to my incarceration, nothing had changed. For better or worse, I took part in taking that man’s life. And our stories are forever intertwined.”

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“We only hire justice-impacted and unhoused individuals. We work directly behind Oakland Public Works. If you can go there and start with the small things instead of trying to do these huge wins, you'll be able to cure and heal the city.”

Siyamak sits down with Ken Houston, the 3rd Generation Oaklander and the director of the Beautification Council.

“All these lives would not be out here making living wages. Dignity, respect, and responsibility with a living wage—that’s what makes change.”

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“We want to be the personal trainer of the city and the county, we want to be the person that they love to hate, because we are encouraging them. We are challenging them. We are motivating them to do something that they haven’t been able to do for themselves. But they know that when they get it done, it'll be better off. It really sends a signal that there’s need for fundamental change in Los Angeles if they can’t meet these commitments and meet these metrics and milestones.”

Siyamak sits down with Paul Webster, with La Alliance for human rights. Paul and his team have taken legal action against the city and county of Los Angeles to address the homelessness crisis in LA. We'll also dive into his efforts and the outcome of his lawsuit.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.