1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: It is the News Blitz with Randy Wang on Talk 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Radio seven ninety KABC. Let's get right into today's California 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: report at Randywangradio dot substack dot com. Matthew Seedorf has 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: gone to the sewer drains and now Matthew Seedorf at 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: Fox eleven has discovered something that most of us has 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: known for quite a while that there are a lot 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: of homeless living in the La River. And I use 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: river in quotation marks because really there's not much water 9 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: in the La River. That being said, whenever it rains. 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: This is why you have to have the LAFD helicopters 11 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: out there doing a swift water rescue because there's people 12 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: living in the river. And it's of course yet another 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: crisis where nobody seems to actually care that's involved in 14 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: government of making sure that this technical greenery stays green, 15 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: or that the bike pass that we encourage so many 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: people to use are safe. I'll tell you a true story. 17 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 1: For a while in twenty sixteen, I wanted to get 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: back into riding my bicycle and I lived in Burbank 19 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: at the time, and it was like, you know what, 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: this is great. I live close to the La River 21 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: bike path, so I could go from my house in 22 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: the Burbank Foothills and on the border of Glendale, and 23 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: I could take my bicycle down to Victory and take 24 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: Victory all the way to the one thirty four where 25 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: the La Zoo is, and then you could get on 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: the La River bike path, which is one of the 27 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: least appealing bike paths just by design, because you're plopped 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: in between the La River and the five Freeway. It's 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: a horrible, horrible, horrible place like it is not comfortable, 30 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: it is not relaxing. But you could theoretically take that 31 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: down to the Atwater area. You could take it down 32 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: to Los Phelis, take it all the way till you 33 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: get to where you want to go to Griffith. You 34 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: could do that, and I have taken it pretty far. 35 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: I had to stop using the La River bike path 36 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: because my tires popped. Why did my tires pop on 37 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: the Ller River bike path? Because the La River bike 38 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: Path was littered in glass. Because when you allow the 39 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: homeless to live in a bike path, they end up 40 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: breaking bottles or breaking pipes, who knows what. So I 41 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: stopped doing that path. My friend who I would ride with, 42 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: she lived in the Encino area, and so she would 43 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 1: ride the other part of the La River bike path, 44 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: you know, the one that goes along Chandler, the Chandler 45 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: bike Path. A few months after I stopped riding, she 46 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: had to stop riding because she got mugged by a 47 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: homeless person on the chair bike path. And it's just 48 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: all of these nice things that we have, we can't 49 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: really enjoy because we allow the homeless to take over 50 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: every single piece of public space, and nobody in elected 51 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: office cares. And that might be why. Moving to our 52 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:22,639 Speaker 1: next story, that La County saw a huge population loss 53 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: from twenty twenty four to twenty twenty five. Apparently we 54 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: lost in this county of over ten million, which were 55 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: not over ten million anymore now we're over nine million. 56 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: Because we lost fifty four thousand people, and some of 57 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: them may have gone to other counties, some of them 58 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: may have gone to other states, some of them went 59 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: to other countries. Apparently there's a whole lot of people 60 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: that are relocating to Spain, and I'm very jealous. That 61 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: sounds awesome. I have fantasized about, Hey, could I I 62 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: do the show for a month from Spain, But the 63 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: time difference would be at the point where like, I'm 64 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: broad casting in the middle of the night, which means 65 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: that when am I exactly supposed to get my drink on? 66 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: But I have thought about it. But you know what 67 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: was interesting about this piece is a majority of the 68 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: population leaving was with the fires. And what does that mean. Well, 69 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: when you burn down two neighborhoods through incompetence of our 70 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: utilities or incompetence of everyone in city government, being the 71 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: ETN fire and then the Palisades fire, a whole lot 72 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: of people left and I don't think a lot of 73 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: them are coming back. And I keep hearing these stories 74 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: about the FAA using Burbank Airport as an example of 75 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,799 Speaker 1: why we need to change the way the flight grids 76 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: are working, because the people who are doing air traffic 77 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 1: control are just a little too text And apparently this 78 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: all goes back to a near miss incident at Burbank 79 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: Airport involving news Chapter four, the helicopter that Channel four 80 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: US uses for high speed chases and traffic what have you. 81 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: And apparently the helicopter had to do a quick turn 82 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: because a cargo plane a little one didn't notice that 83 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: they were there, and they were about to collide, and 84 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: it just it has me thinking, especially as we're in 85 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: this situation that's not going to get much better anytime 86 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: soon of a staffing shortage with air traffic control, that 87 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: maybe we need to reduce the air grid sum And 88 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: I know there's never going to be an appetite to 89 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: lessen the amount of private jets that are in the air. 90 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: That's not going to happen. You are not going to 91 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: do any commercial air travel because people need that, and 92 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 1: there's people that need to pay through the nose to 93 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: fly out a burbank. But I honestly believe in twenty 94 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: twenty six the news helicopter is outdated and antiquated. I 95 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: think everything that could be done by news Chapter four, 96 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 1: a new Chapter two, or what have you, could be 97 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: done by a drone flying at a much lower level 98 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: and more efficiently. And look, I have respect for the 99 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: helicopter pilots. I do not understand the science of alla 100 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: helicopter works. It seems a way more complicated than a plane. 101 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: But it seems that at this point having helicopters in 102 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: the sky for five different news channels to cover one 103 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: high speed chase seems incredibly inefficient and maybe we could 104 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: do better. A lot of people are talking about this 105 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: story in the Bay Area where bodycam footage from a 106 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: San Leandro police officer confirms what we've all pretty much 107 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: known that in the smaller cities, in a county that 108 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: has a big population center that doesn't like to do 109 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: anything about quality of life crimes, whether that be Los 110 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles or Alameda 111 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: County and the city of Oakland. Well we now have 112 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: video proof that here's what happens. You have a homeless 113 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 1: person in San Leandro that's loitering. Some ambassadors come up 114 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: to him, say, hey, can you move along? You're making 115 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: people feel real nervous. That doesn't work because, of course, 116 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: who's going to listen to an ambassador. So the homeless 117 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: person the ambassadors start getting in each other's face, and 118 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: that is when a shop owner looks like there's about 119 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: to fight to break out, so they hit the emergency 120 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: button and that sends out the San Leandro PD. The 121 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: San Leandro PD can do kind of a verbal argument 122 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: with this guy as they're trying to cuff him. Apparently 123 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: they've ripped out one of his braids. They put him 124 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: in the back of the car. They're trying to figure 125 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: out if they can put him on a fifty one 126 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: to fifty hold, but realize that he hasn't really done anything, 127 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: so they do what you always assume they do. They 128 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: dump him in another city. We can't leave him out here, 129 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,679 Speaker 1: We need to drive him seven miles north to Oakland. 130 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: And some people may see that. And if you live 131 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: in one of those smaller cities like Burbank or Culver City, 132 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: and that's what you know your police officers are doing, 133 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: and dumping people in the city of LA you might 134 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: be all for it. And you could definitely argue that 135 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: because cities like Oakland and Los Angeles tolerated so much more. 136 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: That's of course what you're going to see. But there 137 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: should be a better way to do all of this. Ultimately, 138 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: what was the issue here was that there was use 139 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: of force in this and it wasn't reported. But and 140 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: this is an unfortunate thing about the cultures that we 141 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: have at certain places, including police agencies. The guy who 142 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: reported that, hey, this bodycam was not documented for misuse 143 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: of force, well, now he is being retaliated against because 144 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: he spoke out a turn and can we all just 145 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: be on top and transparent. Look, it's a very difficult job. 146 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: Mistakes are going to be made, and you're dealing with 147 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: the worst of the worst sometimes or you're dealing with 148 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: people that do not want to help you out in 149 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: any way. But we can't be you know, that whole 150 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: stereotype of going after the people in internal affairs. That's 151 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 1: just come on, we can do better. But the video 152 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: is quite interesting, and check out the story. It's Dan Noys, 153 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: so you know it's going to be a good time. 154 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: And apparently this is just the beginning of a whole 155 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: expose on the San Leandro PD so we're going to 156 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: have even more stories coming out soon. Apparently the San 157 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: Leander pdee chief was involved with a hit and run 158 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: and tried to make it go away, but that's another 159 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: story for another day. Now, speaking of Oakland and their 160 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: search for a police chief, well it takes a really 161 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: long time, right Shenhy absolutely absolutely see Oakland has gone 162 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: through nearly a dozen police chiefs and nearly a dozen years. 163 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: It's a rite of passage. You become the police chief, 164 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: you immediately leave, whether it's your choice or not your choice. 165 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: So you go back to twenty twenty three, Shang Tao 166 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: in her big boss move, decides the thing that she 167 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: needs to do is she needs to fire the police 168 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 1: chief because well. 169 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 2: She can absolutely not. 170 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: Oh yes, that's right. It's because he was sounding the 171 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: alarm about the city being in a federal receivership and 172 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: the federal monitor getting a seven figure salary that wanted 173 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: to make sure that Oakland was no longer that Oakland 174 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: stayed in that federal consent to create. But that's too 175 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: complicated a story. Let's just give you this. Shang fired 176 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: Lauren Armstrong, who by all accounts was doing a pretty 177 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 1: garn darn good job in Oakland. 178 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 2: At the end of the day. 179 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: Then she goes through the process where the police commission 180 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: takes forever to select a new candidate. They select three candidates, 181 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,359 Speaker 1: put them on her desk, one of them being Lauren Armstrong, 182 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: and Shanghy says no to all of them, arrest is 183 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: like the ones we were announcing today. So then they 184 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: have to present her with three other candidates. She chooses 185 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: a guy at a Lubbock, Texas called Floyd Mitchell. Floyd 186 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: joins the department. Apparently he had to go through training 187 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 1: because the level of police training in Lubbock is a 188 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: little different than the level of police training in Oakland. 189 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: And around this time, Shangy gets in trouble. Her house 190 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: gets raided by the FBI, she gets recalled from office, 191 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: then she gets indicted, and now Barbara Lee's in charge. 192 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 1: But she says, Floyd Mitchell, we got your back, You're great. 193 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: Six months in, Floyd Mitchell quits because of course he does. 194 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: So Floyd Mitchell out and now the search is going 195 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: on again. The current guy who's the interim police chief 196 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: says that he wants the job. I don't know why, 197 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: but at the very least it would make more sense 198 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: to promote from within. Getting an outside or didn't really work. Now, 199 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: this story broke yesterday and it's been a long time 200 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 1: coming where once again we have a lot more misuse 201 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: of funds and fraud coming out of all these weird 202 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: departments that are supposed to connect with nonprofits. This coming 203 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: out of San Francisco. Brooke Jenkins announces that the ex 204 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: San Francisco Human Rights Commission director has been arrested for 205 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: several felony counts of pretty much stealing the public's money. 206 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: The public's money that was supposed to be used to 207 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: give to black businesses or some kind of racial equity, 208 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,079 Speaker 1: who knows what. But you wonder why city budgets are 209 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: so strained and there's always cuts that have to be made. 210 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: San Francisco is facing a nearly one billion dollar budget 211 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: deficit after another one last year. And look, I know 212 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 1: that labor is more expensive. So yes, police and fire 213 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: are more expensive than they ever have been. But what 214 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: are you going to do. You need to hire them. 215 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: That's why we have these shortages, and overtime is only 216 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: gonna make that more expensive. But if you look in 217 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: these budgets, and this is true in LA and this 218 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: is true in San Francisco, even though these are much 219 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: smaller line items, there are so many departments where you 220 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: don't know what they do, and what they do sure 221 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: doesn't seem like the basics of government, like keeping the 222 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: street lights on. And usually these are departments where we 223 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: just take public money, give it to a trusted nonprofit 224 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: to give to the community, and so often that doesn't work. Now, 225 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: if you ask the average California and they are asked, 226 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 1: what is the most challenging thing going on in California 227 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: right now? Now, I'm sure they'd say it's expensive to 228 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: live here. And that's why Gavin Newsom wants every single 229 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: city in every single county to build as much housing 230 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: as possible, and he's threatening to sue any community that 231 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: does not align with his housing goals, something called the arena. 232 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: You have to have a plan to build enough housing 233 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: so the state can say they added two million homes 234 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: or whatever. And Gavin likes to call out some of 235 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: these cities. Now, what's interesting is he's recently started calling 236 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: out Los Angeles for not wanting to fully implement SB 237 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: seventy nine. But will he call out any members of 238 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: the city council by name? No? Will he call out 239 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: Karen Bass by name? 240 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 2: No. 241 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,119 Speaker 1: But at least that's a start. But what was interesting 242 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: was apparently in northern California, the community he's got the 243 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: biggest beef with is half Moon Bay. Half Moon Bay, 244 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: which is a very small community and a lot of 245 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: farmers that live there. Well, Gavin says, they we need 246 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: to build a lot more housing, especially for those farmers, 247 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: and half Moon Bay is like Gavin, We're trying, but 248 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: we're governed by the California Coastal Commission and they won't 249 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: im they won't approve any of these changes to zoning. 250 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: So the soothsayer herself is right. Once again, the bureaucracy 251 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: is real. Half Moon Bay can't build the housing that 252 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: Gavin wants them to build because the California Coastal Commission 253 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: is involved and they don't want you to build anything. 254 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: Sometimes California government is a circular firing squad. In Napa County, 255 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: a winery lost a legal battle over permit violations, and 256 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: in true California fashion, we need to be as punitive 257 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: as possible. After losing this legal battle, the small family 258 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: owned winery is being charged four million dollars in fines. 259 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: They are lawyering up. They're actually being represented pro bono 260 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: by an organization that goes after cruel and unusual punishment 261 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: like four million dollar fines for a court case over permits. 262 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: And I found this story to be kind of interesting. 263 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: So it is expensive to live everywhere. One of the 264 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: most expensive cities in the entire country is San Jose, 265 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: and San Jose has an interesting idea of how they 266 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: can get more of their city employees to be able 267 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: to afford to live in San Jose because I guess 268 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: a lot of them are commuting from Gilroy. So there's 269 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: a downtown high rise apartment that is almost completely empty. 270 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: Nobody's moving in, because if you can afford an expensive 271 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: high rise apartment, you could probably afford a nice house. 272 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: And why would you choose an apartment over a house 273 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: if you're trying to raise a family. So what does 274 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: the city want to do. Well, they're going to intervene. 275 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: They want to buy a portion of that building and 276 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: subsidize the rent to the city employees. I just found 277 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 1: that funny because Okay, sure you could do that, and 278 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: at least they're saying subsidized housing. They're not saying affordable housing, 279 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: because affordable housing is all subsidized housing. But your tax 280 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: dollars are now going to subsidize the rents of not 281 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: only the city employees, but this building that was too 282 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: damn expensive that nobody wanted to live in. And it 283 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: just seems like, maybe, just maybe, if the developers are 284 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: going to build these insane luxury buildings and nobody wants 285 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: to move in, then they should be the ones figuring 286 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: out how to make it cheaper so people will actually 287 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: afford to live there. But we could try this, you know, 288 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 1: it's not like they're just paying rents indefinitely. They're owning 289 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: a piece of the building, so maybe we're getting back 290 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: into public housing. We'll see. San Francisco wants to make 291 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: it easier for businesses to host block parties with the 292 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: upcoming World Cup, because I don't know, there's this whole 293 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: drive that the one thing that we need for nightlife 294 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: activation is for open carrying of booze in between bars 295 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: and restaurants. And look, I admittedly have never been to 296 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: Bourbon Street, so I don't know what that experience is like. 297 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: I have been to Vegas and I have walked around 298 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: Vegas with a six foot tall Dackerie. It's not that fun. 299 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: I just don't understand how it's that different from I 300 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: love the idea of having a block party where you're 301 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: closing off traffic and you can walk around, but does 302 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: the open carrying of booze really make the experience that 303 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: much better? And finally, San Francisco is trying once again 304 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: to do something that they have tried to and failed 305 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: to do for one hundred years, and that is breakup 306 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: with Pacific Gas and Electric. I will say a lot 307 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: of negative things about Tom Stiers run for governor and 308 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: how the state of California really does not want to 309 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: elect a billionaire, and his ads are making people support 310 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: that billionaire tax even more. But all that being said, 311 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: the one thing Tom Stier's talking about that nobody else 312 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: is talking about, not the Democrats or the Republicans, is 313 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: that PG and E SO cal Edison and San Diego 314 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: Gas and Electric are monopolies and they need to be 315 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: broken up. And that is something I think we can 316 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: all get behind. That's it for this part of Today's 317 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: California Report. The rest of it is all available. Check 318 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: it out at Randywangradio dot substack dot com. It's the 319 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: News Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. It's the News 320 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. There is another story 321 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: in Today's California Report where spring break is being cut 322 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 1: short for a whole bunch of people in the southern 323 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: part of San Diego because of a se muge crisis, 324 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: making and impossible to go outside. It's the News Blitz 325 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: with Randy Wang on KABC. It is the News Blitz 326 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: with Randy Wang on Talk Radio seven ninety KABC. Make 327 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: sure to subscribe for free to the California Report at 328 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:20,479 Speaker 1: Randywangradio dot Substack dot com, my daily curated list of 329 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: all of the news stories that I found interesting in 330 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: the state of California. It really has become like this 331 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: visual representation of what my show prep has been for 332 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: many years. Although it used to just be an email 333 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: that I sent to Johnny every day, then I turned 334 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: it into an Excel document, and then Mondo gave me 335 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 1: the idea to go even further with that, and I 336 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: decided to make it something that I publish, because why 337 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 1: am I just sharing it with john You should all 338 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: be able to see and like and share these videos. 339 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: Randywangradio dot substack dot com. We are just a few 340 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: months away from the June race, and then a few 341 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: months after that it's the November race. And one thing 342 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: that you're going to see on the June ballot and 343 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: the November ballot is a whole lot of new ways 344 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: for Californians to decide to increase their own taxes. We 345 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 1: are looking at a possible La County sales tax hike. 346 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: I don't even remember what they said that one was 347 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,239 Speaker 1: going to pay for, but we need it. Even though 348 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: they just got a sales tax hike with measure A 349 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: city and County of San Diego were mulling over another 350 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: sales tax hike, but now they're going to push that 351 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: to twenty twenty eight. The five Bay area counties are 352 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: looking at a sales tax hike for funding transit. There's 353 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:42,160 Speaker 1: just so many little taxes here and there, and yet 354 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: another one might be on the ballot unless you take 355 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: action now. And this one is in the town of 356 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: Glendora in Los Angeles County. The organization is Take Action Glendora, 357 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 1: and they want to make sure that you do not 358 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: support and signed the petition for an additional parcel tax 359 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: for homeowners in Glendora. Our next guest is with Take 360 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: Action Glendora. Michael Baron, Welcome to the Newsplitz. 361 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 2: Hello, thank you for this opportunity to share some information. 362 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,239 Speaker 1: Well, Michael Wanchi, tell us exactly what's going on in 363 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: Glendora right now. First off, why does the city think 364 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: they need more money? 365 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 2: Well, it's really a tug of war between those individuals 366 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 2: that feel that they have incurred enough new tax increases 367 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:43,360 Speaker 2: recently and those that are close to the city of Glendora, where, 368 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 2: to be honest with you, there are some infrastructure repair 369 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: replacement needs and that's what's driving this parcel tax. But 370 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 2: the problem with it is that the impact is the 371 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 2: cost of living. No tax that gets applied to a 372 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 2: property owner, especially a multifamily residential property owner, stays just 373 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 2: with that property owner. It gets passed on. The retail 374 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 2: outlets that have are looking at a twenty seven cents 375 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 2: per square foot increase in their tax. They're calling it 376 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 2: a partial tax because unlike the normal property tax that's 377 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 2: based on the value the assessed value of your property, 378 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,959 Speaker 2: this parcel tax basically treats every square foot of development 379 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 2: the same nineteen cents per every square foot on a 380 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 2: single family residential, including your garage, including any patio that 381 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 2: has a roof overhang over it. So everyone will see 382 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:59,360 Speaker 2: a greater taxation because of this formula that they've come 383 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 2: up with. Now here's the interesting thing. When I looked 384 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 2: at all of the information, I was trying to find 385 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 2: out how much is this parcel task going to generate? Well, 386 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 2: you have to do some math and generate an equation, 387 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 2: and basically, over the thirty five years that this proposal 388 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 2: calls for, the amount of money that the City of 389 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 2: Glendora has the ability to generate is close to four 390 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,719 Speaker 2: hundred million dollars. Now, they've already said that they need 391 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 2: about one hundred and fifty million to correct all of 392 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 2: the infrastructure issues. And I don't deny that those need 393 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 2: to be addressed. They haven't been looked at for I 394 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 2: mean for forty years. The city of Glendora, which is 395 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 2: a great city. Everybody that is on either side of 396 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 2: this issue loves this city and there's a lot of 397 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 2: trust that's been built up with the City Council of 398 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 2: the City of Glendora. But this particular tax has come 399 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,239 Speaker 2: at us fast, and we us don't feel that it 400 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 2: makes sense in today's environment to add a commitment to 401 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 2: spend four hundred million dollars of our money over in 402 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 2: the next thirty five years. And not only that, but 403 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 2: after thirty five years, that tax rate drops back to 404 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 2: the original percentage nineteen cents per square foot and twenty 405 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 2: seven cents per squarefoot for commercial buildings, retail buildings, multifamily, 406 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 2: residential buildings, and it starts over. So it's going to 407 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 2: last forever unless and this is part of California law. 408 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 2: It was passed back and I think it was two 409 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 2: early two thousands that says anytime the residents of a 410 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 2: city want to stop a tax, they can create an 411 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 2: initiative and basically vote to stop that parcel tax or 412 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 2: the property tax increase. So you know that's being used 413 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 2: to say, hey, we may not need all that money, 414 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 2: so we won't. We won't tax you if we don't 415 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 2: need it, we won't. Actually, well, what was the last 416 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 2: time you ever heard of a government agency that spent 417 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 2: less money than what they were able to tax from 418 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 2: the people. I mean, that just doesn't happen. So the proposal, now, 419 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 2: I think is going to be now that people are 420 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 2: paying attention to this proposal, because having to pay a 421 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 2: higher tax in perpetuities makes people pay attention. And now 422 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 2: I think with enough people engaged and enough people saying 423 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 2: no to this attempted process, which would basically, you know, 424 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 2: create a whole new civic center. I mean the construction 425 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 2: would be new, everything would be replaced, everything would be 426 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 2: tip top beautiful. And something that concerns the need is 427 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 2: the way that the city council approached this. They spent 428 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 2: thirty eight thousand dollars about to develop a plan, and 429 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 2: just into development of the plan, they decided to spend 430 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 2: another seventy five thousand dollars to get a more beautiful plan, 431 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 2: a more extensive plan, an animated plan so that people 432 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 2: could see better what was available. Well, to me, that 433 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 2: doesn't fly as being responsible with the city of the 434 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 2: city budget. And even though the city is in good 435 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 2: hands and has good management of expenses, it just does 436 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 2: not play well with those of us that have facing 437 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 2: tax after tax after tax, like you mentioned. 438 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,160 Speaker 1: Not only that, Michael, but we've seen such an evolution 439 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: with the concept of a temporary tax doesn't even exist anymore. 440 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: When Jerry Brown had to raise the state's taxes because 441 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: of the budget short falls into that was supposed to 442 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:03,880 Speaker 1: be a five year tax, it got extended. It's never 443 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: going away. Uh. The homeless tax in La County was 444 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 1: a ten year plan. They replaced that on the ballot 445 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 1: with one that lasts forever. The gas tax is a 446 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,239 Speaker 1: tax that lasts in perpetuity until it gets repealed, and 447 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: this one a thirty five year tax that still continues 448 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: upon all of that. So they can say that they 449 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: have a dedicated funding source for infrastructure. That's great, But 450 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: what I hear that What I hear is, okay, well, 451 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: you had money that you were going to spend on infrastructure. 452 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: But now that you're getting this tax, you're going to 453 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 1: take that money away and spend that other money on 454 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: whatever you want. 455 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 2: It's just something that you mentioned the La Homeless Services administration, 456 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 2: you know, the half a percent tax that we unfortunately 457 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 2: voted for back in twenty twenty four. So you know 458 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 2: that things are bad in terms of budget management when 459 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 2: La County actually took money away from that organization because 460 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 2: they couldn't track two point four billion dollars of taxes 461 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 2: that they basically mismanaged and couldn't even tell you where 462 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 2: it went. And it was so bad that the La 463 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 2: County said, we're taking our own money and not letting 464 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 2: you manage it anymore. So, you know, Glendora is known 465 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 2: for wanting local control, and it's done a good job 466 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: of local control. But for whatever reason, over the last 467 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 2: forty years, we spent money on other things necessary things 468 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 2: didn't go over budget, and we find ourselves now with 469 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 2: some challenges that have to do with infrastructure. So there's 470 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 2: got to be a way that both sides of this 471 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 2: debate can come together and figure out a solution. And 472 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 2: maybe it's taking more time, maybe it's development fees or 473 00:29:55,040 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 2: some other process. That is less obtrusive, less dependent on 474 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 2: all of the residents that own own property. So that's 475 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 2: that's the problem that we see is that this effects 476 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 2: cost of living. This is the only way we can 477 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 2: get rid of this tax is if we developed an 478 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 2: initiative when we get you know, fifty plus one to 479 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 2: vote for it. And that's another thing. Prop thirteen and 480 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy eight was had a very specific aim, and 481 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 2: that was to control runaway valuation and assessments of property. 482 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 2: That was that was really driving seniors and retired people 483 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 2: out of their homes. But the moment that that passed 484 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 2: and said you can only increase that by two percent 485 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 2: per year, you get courts and politicians say, well, we're 486 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 2: not going to call it attached, we're going to call 487 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 2: it a fee, and we're going to allow people to 488 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 2: vote for it with fifty percent approval plus one vote, 489 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:07,880 Speaker 2: and then we passed the tax. So you know, in Glendora, 490 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 2: it makes a difference whether the city initiates the initiative 491 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 2: or whether an organ a citizens organization initiates the initiative. 492 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 2: If the city initiates it, two thirds vote approval is required. 493 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 2: If a citizens group initiates it, you just need fifty 494 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 2: percent plus one vote. And in our particular case, we 495 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 2: have very you know, we have former mayors that that 496 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: know intimately what's going on within the city council, that 497 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 2: are on that committee that are trying to put push 498 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 2: this forward. And the other thing that concerns me is 499 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 2: I've heard that the signature gatherers have specifically said, oh, 500 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:52,960 Speaker 2: this sign here so that Glendora can save can have 501 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 2: its library. The library is about to be condemned. It's 502 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 2: you know, it has these structural problems. And we had 503 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 2: someone do a foyer request, a California request for information 504 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 2: about the supposed forensic study that was done on the library. 505 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 2: They won't give it to the person. They won't they 506 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 2: won't release it. Well that that's a little suspicious to me. 507 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 2: They need to be transparent and they need to tell 508 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: us the truth. So that's another aspect of this that 509 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 2: makes me suspicious. That says, wait a minute. It's very 510 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 2: easy to spend money. It's tougher to make sure that 511 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 2: you're doing it in the right way, that you're doing 512 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 2: it efficiently. I haven't seen the time when a budget 513 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 2: has been evaluated and prioritized to try to save money. 514 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: You know, everything is always need more, need more, need more. 515 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 2: There's never any step back that says, hey, there's got 516 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 2: to be some things that we can cut here, there's 517 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 2: got to be some services termined to pay for where 518 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 2: people that use services have to pay for them. But 519 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 2: the other part of it, that one it kind of 520 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 2: end with, is we passed at local Measure Z back 521 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,800 Speaker 2: in the twenty twenty four election. It was a self 522 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 2: imposed half percent tax sales tax, and the projection was 523 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 2: that we were going to get three million dollars of 524 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 2: funding from this quarter percent, two to three million dollars 525 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 2: back to the city because this would give local control 526 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 2: to these funds. Well, guess what, the socioeconomic status of 527 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 2: the city is good enough that when La County collects 528 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 2: the money, they were only giving us two three hundred 529 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 2: thousand dollars back when we taxed ourselves expecting two to 530 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 2: three million dollars back. So it's it's we got you know, 531 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 2: what do they say the details? It's all of the 532 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 2: devil is in the details, and we need to spend 533 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 2: time on the details on this parcel tax because you know, 534 00:33:56,960 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 2: once it's passed with fifty percent of the vote plus 535 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 2: one no, it's it's going to be tough to do 536 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 2: anything about it. 537 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: The website is take action Glendora dot com. If you 538 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 1: want to learn more and you want to learn why 539 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: you should not sign this petition, Take action Glendora dot com. 540 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: Michael Baron with take jack Action Glendora. Thanks so much 541 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: for joining us. 542 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you very much. Appreciate it and keep up 543 00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 2: the good word. 544 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 1: Thank you. It's the News Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. 545 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: It's the News Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. The 546 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: California Assembly is trying to figure out how to regulate AI. 547 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,120 Speaker 1: This is an interesting one. They're looking at a bill 548 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:43,320 Speaker 1: that would bin the practice of you having to train 549 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: an artificial intelligence machine to do a job that they 550 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: will then replace you with. Sounds great, but I don't 551 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,399 Speaker 1: know how they're going to enforce that. It's the News 552 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: Blitz with Randy Wang on KABC. It's the News Blitz 553 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 1: with Randy Wang on KABC. See. I think we finally 554 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 1: got into a critical mass where people have had enough 555 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,359 Speaker 1: of the teens on the e bikes, because it sure 556 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 1: seemed like all of the stories that were coming out 557 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 1: were how okay, let's make sure that you have to 558 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: be at least twelve, and maybe you have to take 559 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,799 Speaker 1: a safety test if you are caught doing something you're 560 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 1: not supposed to do. We've gotten a little further than 561 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: that in just the last week. It feels like there's 562 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 1: been a big turnaround in Galton, Sacramento area. The police 563 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:32,280 Speaker 1: are now taking away your e bikes. If you're violating 564 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 1: traffic laws. Do you run a red light, you run 565 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: past the stop sign, you're doing wheelies in front of 566 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: cars and doing all kinds of dangerous behaviors. We are 567 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 1: towing your e bike and good luck trying to explain 568 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: to your parents that you deserve to have it back. 569 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 1: And then, of course you saw this massive operation in 570 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 1: San Francisco where the SFPD and the CHP teamed up 571 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: together to stop a Bay Bridge e bike takeover before 572 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 1: it even started, where a bunch these little knuckleheads we're 573 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:03,799 Speaker 1: trying to go up the wrong way on an on 574 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,319 Speaker 1: ramp to the Bay Bridge to the freeway. They took 575 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 1: away all eighty five bikes, detained and cited all eighty 576 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 1: five jackass teens. I feel like people are sick of 577 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: these things. I like to look at things, are they 578 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: a net negative or a net positive for society. E 579 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 1: bikes are a net negative. There is no doubt about it. 580 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,320 Speaker 1: This is there is no good. It is not taking 581 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: any cars off the road. The voucher program where money 582 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:39,439 Speaker 1: that you spend on your gasoline that goes to Cap 583 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: and Trade was going to two thousand dollars vouches for 584 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: these bikes. It didn't take a single car off the road, 585 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: but it gave parents a really cheap Christmas gift for 586 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: their brady kids. And their mob mentality takes over and 587 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:55,400 Speaker 1: you turn into a monster. When you're a pack of 588 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,359 Speaker 1: these things, you do these things called rideouts where you're 589 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: just looking to read havoc and for some reason, once 590 00:37:03,239 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: you learn that there's no consequences, kids are smart. Kids 591 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: are dumb, but kids are also smart, and there are 592 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: some kids. If they learn there's no consequences for the behavior, 593 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,879 Speaker 1: they'll do it just because they can. Well, one great 594 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:18,319 Speaker 1: consequence is take away the bike. If the parents aren't 595 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: going to do it, then let the state do it. 596 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: I'm all for that. Thank y'all so much for being 597 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: a part of this show. Hey, you have any guests 598 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: to suggest for us something that's going on that you 599 00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 1: don't think it's getting enough attention. Email I said Randy 600 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 1: Wangradio at gmail dot com, and we'll try to get 601 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 1: your cause on the show. It's the Newsplitz with Randy 602 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 1: Wang on KABC