California Insider

Siyamak sits down with Bill George, historian and filmmaker, who has been studying and documenting the history and culture of California. He'll discuss the changes he has observed in California’s state capital when it comes to homelessness, crime, and transparency in the legislative body. We'll also take a deep dive into California's history and look at the forces that shape its culture.

"I've lived in Sacramento on and off since 1982. I love the city; it's just beautiful. Recently, however, it has been degrading. School kids couldn't even walk to school without being threatened, yelled at, or cursed out. I mean, when you walk down the streets, you just hear somebody randomly spouting off a string of profanity," Mr. George said. "And then I noticed that the state Capitol was undergoing a huge renovation, a billion-dollar renovation. It was all done in secret. Even the press in Sacramento says it's been the most under-the-radar thing they've ever seen."

Join us as we explore the complex issue of homelessness in Sacramento. Having witnessed the state capital's transformation firsthand since 1982, Mr. George voices his concerns about its recent downturn, exacerbated by the billion-dollar renovation of the state Capitol building and the pandemic.

He also sheds light on the grim realities on the city's streets—where the escalating homelessness and associated social challenges contrast with official narratives and actions—and highlights the lack of public engagement in decisions that shape the city's landscape and sense of community.

Siyamak sits down with LeRonne Armstrong, a former police chief who served for the Oakland Police Department for over 25 years. He explains how it’s difficult for the police to operate because of the rules and regulations they are facing from the city. This situation in Oakland is so dire that the governor is sending 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland to help with safety. Meanwhile, Mr. Armstrong has filed a lawsuit against the city and Mayor Sheng Thao, claiming that his dismissal last year was an unlawful act of retaliation for exposing misconduct by Oakland PD’s federal monitor, Robert Warshaw.

“When you think about a city that’s growing, but a police department that’s shrinking, it is a recipe for disaster. People are fearful that bullets could fly into their homes. We don’t want to live in a society where everyone needs to be armed. The city’s image must change,” Mr. Armstrong said. “The city has been a part of my life. Oakland, such a beautiful city, has built me. There are so many areas in the city to be proud of, but all people know about the city is its violent crime.”

According to the former police chief, Oakland’s public safety is at a crossroads, facing challenges exacerbated by a shrinking police force in the face of growing demand and stringent policies that limit officers’ ability to effectively combat crime. He sheds light on the concerning increase in auto burglaries, robberies, and violent crimes, emphasizing how these trends have instilled fear among residents and visitors alike.

Join us as we delve into the complexities of policing in Oakland, including policy restrictions that prevent officers from pursuing suspects, contributing to a sense of lawlessness. Mr. Armstrong’s insights highlight the urgent need for a unified approach to reimagine public safety, restore trust in law enforcement, and foster a safer environment for all Oakland residents.

Siyamak sits down with Matt Schrap, CEO of Harbor Trucking Association, which represents trucking companies operating at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. Today, he'll share his insights on what it takes for trucking companies to comply with the zero-emission mandates at the ports and how this might affect Californians.

Join us as we delve into the challenges California's trucking companies are facing because of strict emission regulations—particularly the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Expecting job losses and more companies leaving the state due to the new rules, Mr. Schrap emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that considers both environmental goals and the trucking industry's well-being, which he said is essential to California's economy.

Siyamak sits down with Chris Cooper, principal and regional managing director at Avison Young. He talks about what challenges downtown Los Angeles is facing today in the aftermath of the pandemic and the impact on the commercial real estate industry.

“I’m a third-generation Angeleno. We have a wonderful community.“ Mr. Cooper said. ”There are competing interests, but we can solve those problems by all taking a step back and really think through a way to attract people to come back to L.A., to reenergize that Renaissance that we had established before the pandemic.”

Mr. Cooper highlights the city’s previous success in creating a vibrant live-work-play environment and the setbacks caused by the pandemic. He emphasizes the need for a partnership between the private sector and city government to revive downtown Los Angeles. He also addresses the challenges posed by the homeless problem and the hybrid work strategies affecting commercial real estate.

Join us as we delve into the impact of the mansion tax on commercial real estate transactions and what Mr. Cooper says are its catastrophic effects on the industry. We also discuss the attractiveness of Los Angeles to foreign investors despite challenges like high taxes and regulations, attributing it to the city’s diverse economy and favorable lifestyle.

Siyamak sits down with Jim Doti, president emeritus at Chapman University. Today he will talk about his latest findings on the California Exodus and provide some insights on the demographics of people who are leaving California, why they are leaving, and the outmigration’s impacts on California's job market and economy.

"Over the last five years, we've lost 1.2 million people. We did a survey of CEOs; over 50% say that they're thinking of relocating their operations, and that's why jobs increasingly are leaving the state. That's why California ranks number 49 in job growth. There's no greater loss to an economy than the loss of human capital, and that's what's happening,” Mr. Doti said.

In this interview, our guest offers insights into the recent revisions in migration numbers, revealing a concerning trend where over 300,000 more people have left California than those who have arrived in the past few years. He shares his observations on the updated estimates by the Department of Finance of California, signaling a significant outflow that poses challenges such as a growing deficit and perceived policy inertia in Sacramento.

Our guest sheds light on the challenges faced by the state, from fiscal deficits to concerns about job growth. The discussion emphasizes the impact on high-paying jobs, particularly in advanced industries, where California historically held a strong position but now faces growing competition from low-tax states.

Mr. Doti also navigates the complexities surrounding housing affordability and anticipates potential changes in housing dynamics as the outflow continues. As the looming budget deficit comes into focus, the conversation explores the available options for state leaders and contemplates the potential consequences of policy decisions.

Siyamak sits down with John Cruikshank, mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County. He will discuss the challenges facing California cities regarding the state housing mandate and the potential problems of government overreach when it comes to improving housing affordability.

“Right now the policymakers up in Sacramento don’t trust the cities to do their job. And so now they’re using the stick or lawsuits to force us into complying with what they have visioned for California,” Mr. Cruikshank said. “We’re doing this for affordability, but when you start off with already very expensive land, it never pencils out; it would never work.”

In this special episode, we discuss an unlicensed Chinese biolab in California that was illegally researching viral diseases. Siyamak sits down with investigative reporters Steve Ispas and Lear Zhou from The Epoch Times. He also talked to Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who, along with his colleagues in Congress, has been investigating this case.

“There were 1,000 mice in there. These mice are genetically modified to contract COVID-19, hepatitis, and other dangerous pathogens that were in this lab,” Mr. Kiley said. “And I believe this company got a $360,000 tax credit from our state. So there are a ton of questions here. What was the purpose of this lab?”

Siyamak sits down with Juan Alanis, an assemblymember from Modesto County and former law enforcement officer. He discusses the issue of rising retail theft in California and his insights from serving on the Assembly Committee on retail theft. He also talks about the impacts on businesses, law enforcement, and local communities.

“We’re talking about millions of dollars. These chains, these stores, these small businesses—they all stand together against retail theft. But we also need to remember that they’re competitors to each other. So, they’re not always going to share all the information that they have,” said Mr. Alanis. “A lot of people look at it like this: ‘Hey, shoplifting has gone down. Look at it from the previous years.’ Well, when you don’t make it a crime anymore, it’s hard to report it.”

Siyamak sits down with Joe Vinatieri, Mayor of Whittier, California and a tax expert. He'll talk about why people are leaving California and the impact of high taxes on the state.

“McDonald’s started here, Carl’s Jr. started here, Taco Bell started here, In-N-Out started here. There was just a great entrepreneurial spirit,“ said Mr. Vinatieri. ”When you’re pushing people and they’re leaving California, they’re taking jobs with them, they’re taking income with them, and those are tax dollars.”

Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Jim Desmond, San Diego County Supervisor. He'll talk about how the recent surge of migrants in San Diego is causing a big problem for the county and how he's worried that homelessness could get worse as a result.

"We're not as bad off as San Francisco or LA but if we keep going down this path, we're going to have the same problems and same consequences," Mr. Desmond said. "We've had over 45,000 people being dropped off the last couple of months. It's an unmanageable system. There's no end in sight."