1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: If I am six forty, you're listening to the John 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: Cobel podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: I'm Phil Schuman in for John Colbet with you till 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 2: four o'clock this afternoon. As I mentioned, love to hear 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: what you have to say. Click that microphone icon on 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio appar KFI and you can record a message 7 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 2: using the talk back feature. 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 3: So talk back. 9 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 2: In the olden days, sometimes we used to even take 10 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: phone calls, but right now we're going to ask for 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: those talkback messages. You heard that news report about the 12 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 2: Dodgers building two new baseball fields in Altadena under the 13 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: Dodgers Foundation la DF Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. It's been 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 2: around for about thirty years, but I think about ten 15 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 2: or twenty years ago they sort of reinvigorated it. 16 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 3: They do a phenomenal job. 17 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: I've covered many programs and stories with them over the 18 00:00:54,080 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: years for Fox eleven, supporting young people in particular granting moneies, 19 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 2: donating moneys, building fields. So they're also all wrapped up 20 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: in the relief effort, the overall fire relief effort. You 21 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 2: can get more information on that if you just want 22 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: to go to the Dodgers' website. Check that out. Very 23 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: worthy cause to donate to. So back in the day, 24 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 2: it seems so long ago, but it really wasn't. December twelfth, 25 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two. December twelfth, twenty twenty two, I was 26 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: in downtown Los Angeles at the Emergency Operations Center for 27 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 2: Mayor Karen Bass's first day on the job, signing a 28 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 2: state of emergency on homelessness. The quote, this is a 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: crisis that we know is going to be ongoing, and 30 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: it requires us to have It requires us to have 31 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: sustained focus and effort. A crisis that's going to be ongoing, 32 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: sustained focus and effort. That was said in twenty twenty two, 33 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: it was said in two thousand and two, it was 34 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 2: said in nineteen ninety two. My point is, we keep 35 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 2: saying the same things, we do increase. Under Mayor Bass, 36 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: we have seen a significantly increased focus and effort, at 37 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: least on clearing encampments under the Inside Safe program and 38 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 2: getting people off the streets into temporary shelters. The LA 39 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 2: County and LA City both function under the umbrella of 40 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which was created about 41 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 2: a generation ago. To administer funds in a more efficient 42 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: way and give oversight in a more comprehensive way than 43 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: the city of the county could do on their own, 44 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: and they're not doing a great job of that. The 45 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: Westside Current and others have reported on the much anticipated 46 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 2: audit of LASA that essentially says that billions of dollars 47 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: in spending are really unaccounted for. So let's bring in 48 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 2: Jamie Page from Westside Current dot com. 49 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: Jamie, thanks for coming on with us. 50 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,399 Speaker 2: I know we've talked before about this issue and related issues. 51 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 2: Rather than me paraphrase the whole story, why don't you 52 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: explain to our listeners what the headline is and what 53 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: the significance is. 54 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 4: HI feel good to be on here. I want to 55 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 4: highlight one important part of this of the audit, the 56 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 4: two point three billion dollars that they say is unaccounted for. 57 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 4: That's just a third of the money spent that they 58 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 4: could track. And a large part of our story was 59 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 4: basically like this audit showed that they couldn't follow the money, 60 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 4: that there weren't invoices that they could fool. Oftentimes there 61 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 4: were cash therese cash that was paid out, but no 62 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 4: receipts to to show where that the cash went to. 63 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 4: So so the two point three billion is just a 64 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 4: fraction of what we're talking about. 65 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: So what we're talking about an audit that is a 66 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: result of a lawsuit that was conducted by an independent 67 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 2: firm under the direction of federal judge to examine various 68 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: city and county funded programs. 69 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: And so it's not that the money wasn't spent. 70 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 2: Correctly, it's that we can't really account for how it 71 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 2: was spent and then correlate that to results. 72 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 3: Is that a fair summary? 73 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 4: It is a fair summary, they were asked during this lawsuit. 74 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 4: It was part of the La Alliance for Human Rights lawsuit. 75 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 4: They were suing the city and the county for the 76 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 4: homelessness crisis. Specifically, they are representing a large group of people, 77 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 4: folks on skid Row who are unhoused, business owners in 78 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 4: the skid Row area who were unhoused, and then other 79 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 4: areas within the City of Los Angeles and the county 80 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 4: also joined in on the lawsuit. But they basically looked 81 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 4: at three things, the Insight Safe program, the road Map program, 82 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 4: and then the settlement program underneath the La Alliance Settlement 83 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 4: Agreement that the city. 84 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 2: And by the way, this pre dates Mayor Bass. I 85 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 2: mean this lawsuit to be fair, it does. Yeah, so 86 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: what but as so when you heard this as someone 87 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 2: you've covered this issue, I mean both as from from 88 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: the west side current and then when you were when 89 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 2: you were on the inside working for a city council person. 90 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: The fact that money hasn't been accounted for and it's 91 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 2: difficult to track and statistics are hard to come by, 92 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: and we don't know how effective certain programs are. 93 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 3: We've been singing this song forever. 94 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 4: We have been, we have been, and it feels like 95 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 4: the residents are the ones who are singing it the 96 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 4: most right, Like we see that homelessness crisis continue to 97 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 4: grow every year as well as spending. I interviewed the 98 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 4: executive director yesterday from La Alliance and I asked him, like, 99 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 4: what's your takeaway, and he basically highlighted that year after 100 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 4: year we doubled down on programs. We you know, we 101 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 4: give more for water distribution, food, those things are necessary, 102 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 4: but but we're we don't see results of it. And 103 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 4: you and I and other private businesses, we asked for KPIs, 104 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 4: we asked for data, We look at what's wrong so 105 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 4: that we can fix it, KPI, Audie key performance indicators, 106 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 4: what's working and what's not, and audits like this are 107 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 4: done for those specific reasons to find what's. 108 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 2: Working for But I mean, I've talked, I've talked with 109 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: the mayor about this, I've talked with city council with 110 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: supervisors about this. I've talked with the head of LASSA 111 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: about this, and they all seem to agree that, yeah, 112 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 2: this is this is a problem. This is a problem 113 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: without taking any accountability for it. I mean, so we 114 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: have all this information now, a fractured infective system, poor oversight, 115 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 2: lack of coordination, financial mismanagement leave billions on the table, 116 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: vulnerable to phrased fraud, waste and abuse, inaccurate and inconsistent 117 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: data tracking, a complete absence of accountability. So that last 118 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: one seems like almost the most glaring. There is no accountability. 119 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 4: Year after year we give lots of more money. We 120 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 4: started at sixty million, they're now at eight hundred and 121 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 4: seventy five million for their annual budget. 122 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 5: Right, the question is. 123 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 4: I think you and I as journalists, we keep asking 124 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 4: year after year why we're spending more money, Why is 125 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 4: nothing working? And it feels like the city county should 126 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 4: be doing the same thing. 127 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 2: The city and county will say it is working because 128 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 2: they point to reductions and encampments that a number of. 129 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 3: People housed in the past. 130 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 2: Lavish Adams Kellum the head of last they've acknowledged these 131 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 2: sort of structural defects and pledged to do better, but 132 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: it doesn't quite seem to happen. 133 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 4: We should also point out, just to be factual, that 134 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 4: there was a deduction last year one percent, and they're 135 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 4: they're running victory laps with a one percent increase. But 136 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 4: if you look at the numbers as well too, there's 137 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 4: also an increase in deaths on our streets too, So 138 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 4: who you know that's never mentioned in the reports. And 139 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 4: to your point, the county supervisors talk about, oh, we 140 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,679 Speaker 4: need an audit, we need to do this with LASA, 141 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 4: but nothing is ever done. Year after year they talk 142 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 4: about it. Meanwhile, seven people a day die on our streets. 143 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: I know it'sbelievable, but this is what this And we're 144 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: talking with Jamie Page from Westside Current dot com about 145 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 2: the problems and that as there like in capital letters, 146 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: that an audit of homeless spending in the Los Angeles 147 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 2: Homeless Service Authority has has revealed. Are you able to 148 00:08:58,000 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: stay with us during the break because we're really just 149 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 2: getting started on this and it's an issue that so 150 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: many people are concerned with, and it affects so many people. 151 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 3: I'd love to talk with you more about this. Sure, 152 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: all right. Thanks. 153 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 6: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM 154 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 6: six forty. 155 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: We've been talking with Jamie Page from Westside Current about 156 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: this audit ordered by a federal judge into the city 157 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 2: and County and lasa's homelessness spending and how billions of 158 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: dollars is essentially unaccounted for. 159 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 3: So, Jamie, what I've been reading since this came out. 160 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 2: I think it was yesterday or the day before, is 161 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: that officials from the city and the county and from 162 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 2: LASA are essentially agreeing with it, saying, yeah, this is 163 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,359 Speaker 2: a problem, Yeah, we need to do it better, which. 164 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 3: Is strange to me in terms of the reaction. 165 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 2: Instead of saying, you know what they're going to do, 166 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: they're just saying, yeah, you're right, this is a problem. 167 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 4: But I don't have an answer for you that either, 168 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 4: but to say it's strange as well. I also asked 169 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,239 Speaker 4: the executive director of LA Alliance yesterday with these answers, 170 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 4: what do you expect You're the ones who sued the city, 171 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 4: And he basically said that we can't allow for these 172 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 4: to be the answers anymore, that we have to hold 173 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 4: our elected officials accountable and say, well, that's not acceptable. 174 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 4: And I feel like as journalists we do we you know, 175 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 4: we asked these questions and we put that information, and 176 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 4: voters have a say in this. 177 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 2: I just yes, in terms of electing a mayor, in 178 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: terms of electing city council people, in terms of electing supervisors, 179 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 2: they don't have a say. And who's going to run 180 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 2: LASSA at hundreds of thousands of dollars a year salary? 181 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 4: It's a point the mayor, the person who heads it. 182 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 4: So there is some say. 183 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: In that, I mean, so are we so give? 184 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 4: Like? 185 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 2: So give from you? You really have taken a deep 186 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 2: dive into this issue. So give us like a plane 187 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 2: spoken example of one of the problems that this audit 188 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 2: reveals when it comes to helping the homeless, like, for. 189 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 4: Example, I'll give you that, yeah, go ahead, you. 190 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 2: Know what I'm saying, Like, for example, they can't track 191 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 2: enough shelter beds. They don't know whether someone who's been 192 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 2: paid has actually performed a service or what are we 193 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 2: talking about. 194 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 4: Part of the settlement and part of this audit was 195 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 4: supposed to show that the city and the county were 196 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 4: meeting their agreements with the LA Alliance in the original settlement. 197 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 4: Those agreements were this amount of beds were supposed to 198 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 4: be provided by this year, and then the next year, 199 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 4: and then the next year. These beds for the homeless 200 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 4: weren't being provided the same with the There're supposed to 201 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 4: be a certain amount of mental health beds online by 202 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 4: a certain date. I don't have those specific dates, but 203 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 4: I do know that this is part of the settlement. 204 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 4: None of that was fulfilled. That's why this audit was 205 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 4: ordered by Judge Carter, because he was frustrated. I want 206 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 4: to say this too. I was in court the day 207 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 4: that the A and M, the professional auditors who come 208 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 4: in and do this for a living, they said to 209 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 4: the judge, the county isn't cooperating with us. We can't 210 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 4: even begin this audit because we can't get receipts from them. 211 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 4: The judge got frustrated, ordered the county to do this. 212 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 4: The County. Basically I'm paraphrasing, but it's in a story 213 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 4: I wrote said, we don't have to follow the rules 214 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 4: of what the court is saying. 215 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 3: Oh so, yeah, where we heard that before? 216 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 2: So I guess so as a concerned Angelino who of course, 217 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 2: and this this isn't just the City of Los Angeles 218 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: to the county. I mean other counties have don't have 219 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 2: the problem nearly on this scale. And we never hear 220 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 2: about this kind of issue in Orange County, rivers Heade County, 221 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: Ventura County, even in you know, New York. 222 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 3: We don't hear about these these similar issues. 223 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: It it just reinforces the message to the public is 224 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 2: that nobody's in charge. 225 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 3: Yet everybody's in charge. 226 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 2: And now City council Woman Raman and Monica Rodriguez and 227 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:31,079 Speaker 2: La County Supervisor Lindsay Horrvaff, they're now saying we want 228 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: to withdraw from LASA. We want to create brand new 229 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: bureaucracies within the city and within the county to administer 230 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: homeless money more effectively, which ironically, it was exactly the 231 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: reason that LASA was created in the first place thirty 232 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 2: years ago, to theoretically be more effective. 233 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 3: So it's just a whole It's just a whole, big 234 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: uncertain future. 235 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 4: And they've been seeing this for years too. This isn't 236 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 4: this isn't new information to them. They've ordered their own audits. 237 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 4: We've seen two other audits come out with not as 238 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 4: much information as this one, but enough to have acted 239 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 4: on it. The last one came out in November and 240 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 4: showed tens of millions of dollars spent on beds that 241 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 4: weren't being used. 242 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: So gradually coming, I'm gradually coming to the reluctant conclusion 243 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 2: that this problem is too big to solve in our lifetime. 244 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: I hate to say that, because I know that a 245 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 2: lot of smart, hard work and compassionate, dedicated people have 246 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: devoted their careers to this. 247 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 3: Yet here we are. 248 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 7: I would say. 249 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 4: Though, that the head attorney, Elizabeth Mitchell's for LA Alliance, 250 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 4: he said exactly not to say that you're wrong, but 251 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 4: the opposite, to say, this is actually a doable We 252 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 4: can get out of this. We just have to have 253 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 4: folk cooperation and accountability from all the parties who. 254 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 2: Are involved, right, which has never happened. Yes, so it's 255 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 2: great for her to say that. It's like, yes, I 256 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 2: could bat a thousand if a picture through through it 257 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 2: fifty miles an hour down the middle of the plate, 258 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: like every time I was at bat, you know. And 259 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 2: this is what's frustrating to me, and we talked earlier 260 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 2: about this in terms of leadership, is that there's no 261 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 2: one person or entity, whether it's the mayor, whether it's 262 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 2: a supervisor, whether it's the head of LASA, whether it's 263 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 2: an academic, whether it's Governor Newsom, who of course has 264 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 2: his own, separate, parallel agenda. Nobody is leading the way 265 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 2: out of the wilderness saying follow me, I have the plan. 266 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: This is going to solve everything. Maybe that's unrealistic to expect. 267 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 2: That's why I say, it's just, I mean, it's too big, 268 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: it's too entrenched, there's too many special interests, there's too 269 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 2: many you know, hands in the pot, so to speak, 270 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: whatever your favorite expression is, and that we almost have 271 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: to like scrap the entire system, reinvent it and start 272 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: over at a huge cost in terms of time and 273 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: human lives. 274 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 4: But it could be cost saving too. Well. You know, 275 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 4: the state itself had an audit and it was found 276 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 4: that twenty four billion dollars of money that was supposed 277 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 4: to be spent on homelessness also is on accounted for? 278 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 3: I mean, do we need to have Elon come focus 279 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 3: on this. 280 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 4: I'm not going to answer that, but. 281 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 3: Is the problem yes, so cal Doge Junior. 282 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 2: I mean, it's you know, it's it's obviously not a 283 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 2: laughing matter, and I don't mean to make light of it, 284 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 2: and I know you don't either. It's just it's so frustrating, right, 285 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 2: And if you're a homeowner, if you're a resident, if 286 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 2: you're a business owner, if you work on behalf of 287 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 2: homeless organizations, if you're on the streets and you're bruggling 288 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 2: and you need help, it's just it's it's so frustrating 289 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 2: and disappointing. 290 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 3: And a year from now, I guarantee you, me and 291 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 3: you could have this. 292 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 2: I'm going to be having this same discussion about how 293 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: there's a proposal to withdraw county funding and there's a 294 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 2: proposal to create a new city department. And the head 295 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 2: of Loss agrees that the quote siloed system, which is 296 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 2: one of her favorite explanations, makes it more difficult to 297 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: track money and accountability across various organizations. So we've just 298 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 2: let this problem get so big it's like one step forward, 299 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 2: two steps backwards. 300 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I mean, I hope this is a wake 301 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,479 Speaker 4: up call for a lot of people that we really 302 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 4: have to pay attention as tax payers and voters, and 303 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 4: that time. 304 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 2: We keep approving more money, we keep approving an increase 305 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 2: in the sales tax and increase in property tax. You know, 306 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 2: it's like we're we're doing our part, but is government 307 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 2: doing its part? 308 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 3: No? 309 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 4: And the county supervisor yesterday, Lindsay Horvez, actually said that 310 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 4: we see this audit, we see the misgivings, but now 311 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 4: that we have major a in place, we're going to 312 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 4: make sure this money is spent the right way. 313 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 7: Oh sure, that was her reaction, and they are well intentioned, 314 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 7: But you know, a year from now, when we look 315 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 7: back at that, it's going to be all, well, here's 316 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 7: a list of. 317 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: Ten excuses why that didn't happen. Jamie tell us about 318 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 2: Westside Current dot com, Valley Current dot Com and how 319 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 2: they contribute to and illustrate the importance of local journalism, 320 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 2: grassroots journalism. 321 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 4: Thanks for asking. We're hyper local on the west Side. 322 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 4: We cover the West Side, so from Westchester up to 323 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 4: Malibu and Inland and to Brentwood, and we focus on 324 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 4: hyperlocal any kind of information that's important from our community. 325 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 4: But these kind of stories also we also do a 326 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 4: lot of watchdogs because they affect our community as well 327 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 4: as other communities as well too. So we really really 328 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 4: try to focus on stories that make a difference in our. 329 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 2: Meaningful uh and supported by by donor by donations, we are. 330 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 4: We are donor supported, which is an incredibly difficult UH 331 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 4: business we want to keep alive. Yeah, this is a 332 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:26,919 Speaker 4: model to keep alive these days. But we do have 333 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 4: some generous people and our and our readers who are 334 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 4: helping us keep the lights on. As you will, all 335 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 4: these stories take time. We pay reporters to do the 336 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 4: research as well to go to court, and so we 337 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:43,159 Speaker 4: are donor supported and appreciate those who contribute to our journalism. 338 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: Well, if you'd like to do that, would you just 339 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 2: direct people to Westside Current dot com. 340 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 4: Westside Current dot com. We have a donate us button 341 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 4: on the right side and in all of our stories, 342 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 4: just this contribute to the west Side Current. 343 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 2: All right, Jamie Page, thanks so much for giving us 344 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 2: all of this insight. I know you guys will stay 345 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 2: on it. I know as a reporter. I know how 346 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,919 Speaker 2: difficult it is. This subject matter is very difficult to 347 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 2: report on because of the unwillingness of officials to share information, 348 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 2: which is sort of the point of the audit and 349 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 2: the point of these lawsuits. So thanks to you and 350 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 2: your colleagues for continuing to do what you do. I'm 351 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 2: Phil Schuman in for John co Belt. We are with 352 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 2: you until four o'clock. 353 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 6: You're listening to John cobelts on demand from KFI AM 354 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 6: six forty. 355 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 3: We are live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Phil Shuman. 356 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 2: May recognize that name or maybe that voice from a 357 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 2: few years of covering the news on television here in 358 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 2: southern California on Channel four, on Channel eleven and now 359 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 2: here on KFI. Happy to have the opportunity to sit 360 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: in John Cobelt's chair. Believe me, it's not a responsibility 361 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 2: we take lightly. So the word for this segment is whiplash, 362 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: one of those words that those of us who write 363 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 2: news stories love to use in the context of the 364 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 2: whiplash created by President Trump's on again, off again tariffs 365 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 2: and uncertainly about the economy. If you have any money 366 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 2: invested in the stock market, you know, it was up 367 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:18,199 Speaker 2: and down this week, a bit of a roller coaster, 368 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 2: another favorite term of newswriters. So to talk about this 369 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 2: where we're going with the tariffs is Alexis Christophoress, who's 370 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 2: an ABC News business correspondent. 371 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 3: Alexis, thanks for coming on with us. 372 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 8: Good to be with you, Phil. 373 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 3: So, what is the latest. 374 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,400 Speaker 2: The tariffs were announced, then they were postponed. 375 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 3: Where do things stand, Well, it looks. 376 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 8: Like we have a reprieve here for about thirty days. 377 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 8: The President is not going to put tariffs on a 378 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 8: number of goods coming from Mexico and Canada as long 379 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 8: as they are in agreement with the US Mexico Canada deal, 380 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 8: which he's during his first administration. If you remember, there 381 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 8: are still some items that are going to be tariffed, 382 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 8: but the majority of items, including that produce that we've 383 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 8: been talking a lot about, avocados, tomatoes and things, those 384 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 8: are not going to be taxed until possibly April second, 385 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 8: when Trump is saying, look, if things haven't changed and 386 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 8: we're not happy with what Mexico and Canada are doing 387 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 8: with regards to the border and fentanyl crossing the border, 388 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 8: we're going to put these terriffs in place. 389 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 2: So what does it mean today for me as a consumer, 390 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,479 Speaker 2: whether I'm going to the supermarket, whether I'm shopping for 391 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 2: a car or for a washing machine. 392 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 8: So it means that you're not going to see these 393 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 8: higher prices right now because the teriffs are on hold. 394 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 8: I mean, the automakers were the first to get the reprieve. 395 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 8: They actually went to the president in a letter. They 396 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 8: wrote a letter the big US automakers and said, please, 397 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 8: don't don't do these tariffs right now. We're not prepared 398 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 8: for this and it will really dent our industry. So 399 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 8: he gave them some more time time to sort of 400 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 8: get their ducks in a row and perhaps, you know, 401 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 8: shift their supply chains if at all possible. It's tough 402 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 8: to do though, because Canada, Mexico and the US are 403 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 8: so intertwined, especially when it comes to autos. But in 404 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,399 Speaker 8: terms of consumers spending right now, or prices at the supermarket, 405 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 8: prices at the gas station, things should remain the way 406 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 8: they are for the next few weeks until we find 407 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 8: out whether or not the President has had another change 408 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 8: of heart and maybe kicks the can down the road 409 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 8: a little further. 410 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 3: So, as someone who covers the economy. 411 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 2: As a business correspondent, I assume that's you know, much 412 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 2: of what your focus is on. You know, this this 413 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,360 Speaker 2: issue was such an issue during the election, the economy. 414 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 2: The economy, it's obviously a generic term that has so 415 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 2: many different implications. But I mean, what's the general feeling 416 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 2: going forward, like things are going to be cheaper or 417 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 2: more expensive down the road. I mean, if the tariffs 418 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 2: do come into effect, obviously it's going to be passed 419 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 2: on to the consumer. So how does that help the economy, 420 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 2: which is what President Trump seems to be tak us 421 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 2: so much credit for. 422 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 8: Right Well, I mean his long term goal, what he's 423 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 8: saying is he wants manufacturing and jobs to come back 424 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 8: to the US. He wants many companies that go outside 425 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 8: the US for parts and labor to bring that back. 426 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 3: Into the US. 427 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 8: The issue is, look, that's not cheap, but it doesn't 428 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 8: happen overnight, and it could be a lag situation right 429 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 8: where it could be five even ten years down the road. 430 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 4: So in the. 431 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 2: Short construct an auto plant lanel overnight exactly. 432 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 8: So there's going to be and he has said this 433 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 8: that there's going to be pain in the short term 434 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 8: for that long term goal. I've talked to a number 435 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 8: of economists who say that if the tariffs are put 436 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 8: in place full force and that does create inflation, we 437 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 8: could see a big pullback in consumer spending. And also 438 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 8: businesses think about it. If you're a business, are you 439 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 8: really going to expand your business in an environment like that? 440 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 8: Will you hire more people? Are you going to lay 441 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 8: off people because demand for your service or your product 442 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 8: has gone down? So some economists maybe a little bit 443 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 8: too early to start talking about this, but they're saying 444 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 8: we could possibly see a recession later this year or 445 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 8: early next. 446 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 2: So from the public's point of view, it just seems 447 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,959 Speaker 2: like we hear that in the intro that term roller coaster. 448 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 2: I mean, if you're fortunate enough to have money invested 449 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: in the stock market, think most people are understand you 450 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: have to take a long term approach and you can't 451 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 2: react to day to day ups and downs. If you're 452 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 2: not fortunate enough to do that and you're worried about 453 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: just paying the rent or affording groceries, especially in southern 454 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 2: California with thousands of people have been displaced from the fires, 455 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 2: and you have the president and junior President Elon sort 456 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 2: of as disruptors. It just seems like it's creating a 457 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: very uncertain, sort of nervous feeling that we just really 458 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 2: were like teetering on the edge of a cliff here. 459 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 3: We're not quite sure whether we're going to fall off 460 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 3: it or hang on. 461 00:25:58,200 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 5: Yeah. 462 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,919 Speaker 8: I think that's all a great discrept right there. And 463 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 8: I think the takeaway is what does that do to 464 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 8: the consumer's psyche? You know, I mean think about it. 465 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 8: If you if you were in the market to buy 466 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 8: a home or to buy a car, those are big purchases, 467 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 8: right if you are uncertain about the economy, even if 468 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 8: you have a job, maybe you're fearful, Am I going 469 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 8: to have a job in six months from now? What's 470 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 8: going to happen to prices? Are they going to be 471 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 8: going up? And while I'd be able to afford just 472 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 8: the everyday basics, so you might actually hold off on 473 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 8: making those bigger purchases. And if enough people decide not 474 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 8: to buy the washing machine or not to buy the 475 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 8: car or the home, that starts to really drag the 476 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,479 Speaker 8: economy down. And that's the greater fear here, that that 477 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 8: you know, the economy would fall, would slow down so 478 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 8: much that we would tip into a recession. 479 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, on that happy note, I'm gonna I'm gonna 480 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 2: have to say thank you until the next time. 481 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,239 Speaker 3: I mean, there's just so much uncertain out there. 482 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,919 Speaker 2: Alexis Christophoress, ABC News Business Correspondent, Thanks so much for that, 483 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 2: for that reporting and for that update. I mean, it's 484 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 2: tough because President Trump says one thing today and then 485 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 2: tomorrow he'll back off it, so it's tough to know. 486 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 8: I'll leave you with this one twitch thing. The job market. 487 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 8: Job market looks pretty solid. We got a jobs report 488 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,880 Speaker 8: out today that look decent. We'll see if all those 489 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 8: federal job cuts, those federal worker job cuts in the 490 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 8: coming months have a negative impact. 491 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's got to got to figure that all those 492 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 2: people are going to be in the job market looking 493 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 2: for employment if those cuts remain, you know, go through 494 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 2: exactly exactly, well, they're not going to be They're not 495 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 2: going to be contacting ABC News, I'm sure, which had 496 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 2: just had another round of cuts. It's tough time in 497 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 2: the news business, but we appreciate you for what you do. 498 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 2: Alexis Christoph forres ABC News Business Correspondent. We'll check in 499 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 2: with you again, all right, I'm Phil Schuman with you 500 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 2: until four o'clock coming up at the top of the hour. 501 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 2: You worried Michael Monks a bit in our news segment 502 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 2: talking about high speed rail, something that I've covered a 503 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,439 Speaker 2: lot of in my days at Fox eleven. It's just 504 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 2: outra just the way this situation that we're in right now. 505 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 2: We're going to get into that a little bit. If 506 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 2: you have something to say, click that microphone icon on 507 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio app the KF EIGHTM six forty. You can 508 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 2: record a comment and we'd love to play some of 509 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 2: those on the air. 510 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 3: You know what I'm thinking. I'd like to hear what 511 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 3: you're thinking. 512 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 6: Meantime, let's you're listening to John Cobels on demand from 513 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 6: KFI AM six forty. 514 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 2: I'm a big tech fan from the point of trying 515 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 2: to understand it. More tech supposed to help us, right, 516 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 2: supposed to make our lives easier. A lot of times 517 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 2: it makes our lives more complicated. I'm here in the 518 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 2: studio at KFI one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, 519 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: TV screens, five TV monitor, computer monitors, an iPad, all 520 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 2: kinds of microphones and keyboards, and if you had me 521 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 2: change the channel from Fox News to CNN. 522 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 3: No idea how to do it, no idea how to 523 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 3: do it. 524 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 2: That's just because there's certain remotes, there's certain systems here, 525 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 2: and whether that's true here, it's turn your house. It's like, hey, 526 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 2: I'm just trying to find the Lakers game. I don't 527 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 2: want to sign up for seventy four apps, right, I 528 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 2: just want to watch the Lakers game, or the Dodgers 529 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 2: game or a movie. So Rich does a really good 530 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 2: job of trying to keep tech like simple and figuring 531 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 2: out like what is actually useful and makes your life better. 532 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 3: And thank you for that. 533 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 2: All right on the KFI Am sixty on the iHeartRadio app, 534 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 2: I ask some of you to click on that microphone 535 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 2: and let me know what you think about the things 536 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 2: we've been talking about here. 537 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 3: Let let's listen to one to one listener. 538 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 9: Philimino economists, just an old man out of the Inland Empire, 539 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 9: sixty nine years old, been around. The only way we're 540 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 9: gonna get prices to come down, which people are saying 541 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,959 Speaker 9: they want to happen instead of inflation, is to actually 542 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 9: have a recession where there's deflation. And that could happen 543 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 9: because the stock market as well. Over priced housing is overpriced, 544 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 9: and we still have fairly high inflation. So anyway, prices 545 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 9: are going to come down less we have a recession, 546 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 9: and then might happen. 547 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 2: Interesting and who wants to live through that? Though, you 548 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 2: know it'd be better if things continue to boom. But 549 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 2: at the same time, yeah, you mentioned prices are I 550 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 2: mean housing prices alone here in south of California, even 551 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,959 Speaker 2: if if we have a recession, I mean, are they 552 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:21,719 Speaker 2: gonna come down significantly? Whether it's houses or or rental 553 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 2: units that it's gonna make like a huge impact in 554 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 2: people's lives. I mean, if you know, the three bedroom, 555 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 2: two baths charter ranch house and van Eyes, which now 556 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 2: costs a million dollars, maybe comes down to you know, 557 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 2: nine seventy five, does that mean my kids can afford 558 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 2: to buy it? 559 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 3: I don't. 560 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 2: I don't think so. Way back when I think I 561 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 2: was actually an econ major in college. So these discussions 562 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 2: are very interesting to me. But like so often is 563 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 2: the case, it's a lot of it's just hypothetical because 564 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: we just really can't predict the future. All right, So 565 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 2: let's listen, let's listen to another talk back. 566 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 10: Yeah, Hey, enjoying your show, and I'm gonna tune in 567 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 10: on the weekend and catch it too. So anyway, my 568 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 10: question is, is anybody following how all these all this 569 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 10: money is gonna get into the hands of the fire victims. 570 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 10: Is it gonna go to NGOs and are they gonna 571 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 10: gobble it up like they have then or I'm just 572 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 10: curious if you or somebody could do a little research 573 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 10: into that for your listeners. 574 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 2: That is an excellent question. I know a lot of 575 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 2: it is being administrated by the California Community Foundation, uh, 576 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 2: and a lot of it is going to be tracked 577 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 2: through them, and. 578 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 3: But yeah, that is that's a good point. I'm writing 579 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 3: it down. 580 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 2: I know our friends like Jamie Page, who just talked 581 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 2: with Valley Current, uh, the La Times, which every day 582 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 2: does a phenomenal job, and I'll news organizations, that's that's 583 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 2: a story that we definitely have to keep an eye on. 584 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 2: I don't have the complete answer to that right now, 585 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 2: I just do I know that through through that incredible 586 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 2: fire Aid concert, the conduit for a lot of that 587 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: information for that a lot of those funds were was 588 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 2: the California Community Foundation. But thank you for that point, 589 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 2: for making that point, and that's something we all need 590 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 2: to keep an eye on. 591 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 3: What else we have Elmer. 592 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 8: Hey, As far as Hackman dying a week after his wife, 593 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 8: he had Alzheimer's, right, so it's possible he. 594 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 4: Didn't really know what the heck was going on. 595 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 8: All right, bye, love your show. 596 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that is possible. I know if you were, 597 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 2: if you weren't with us. Earlier this afternoon they had 598 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 2: an update from Santa Fe, New Mexico, with the sheriffs, 599 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 2: with the medical examiner, and what they basically determined is 600 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 2: that the wife died perhaps on February eleventh, and they say, 601 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 2: perhaps because that they're using like videos, cam surveillance from 602 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 2: the community, cell phone email communications, that she died of hantavirus, 603 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: which is a rare lung infection that you get from 604 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 2: the droppings of rodents. And then he died perhaps a 605 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 2: week later, based on when his pacemaker stopped transmitting data. 606 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 2: So you wonder was he in the house for a 607 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 2: week unable to do anything take care of himself at 608 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 2: the age of ninety five, apparently with you know, heart disease, dementia, 609 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 2: other issues. 610 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 3: But then he was found like near the door. 611 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 2: With his coat on so a very very bizarre story, 612 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 2: a sad story. He was ninety five, she was sixty five, 613 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 2: she had pills near her, Their dog was dead. But 614 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 2: if you as you heard us earlier, we talked with 615 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 2: a reporter who monitored that news conference live from Santa Fe. 616 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 2: There may not be a lot of additional information coming 617 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:10,439 Speaker 2: out just because the two of them have died and 618 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 2: they were apparently very private. There's no video cameras on 619 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,320 Speaker 2: the property or security cameras that might have documented something, 620 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 2: and so. 621 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 3: This may be. 622 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 2: You know, the latest, uh, the latest and the end 623 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,480 Speaker 2: of the story. Do we have one more elmer, one 624 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 2: more go for it. 625 00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:29,720 Speaker 5: I don't know why you think there is a solution 626 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 5: to a problem that can't be solved. Basically, the problem 627 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 5: isn't homelessness. It's the problem is drugs, and until you 628 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 5: arrest people for doing drugs on the street, you're gonna 629 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 5: have homeless problem forever. There's no there's just throwing throwing 630 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 5: money into the fire. So the solution is drugs, not 631 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,280 Speaker 5: get more beds for a bunch of drug addicts. 632 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 2: Well, I understand your point, although I do think it's 633 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 2: a little bit simplistic. Obviously, a huge percentage. I've heard 634 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 2: statistics that go anywhere from twenty five to fifty percent 635 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:13,760 Speaker 2: of the homeless are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. 636 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 2: So arresting them sounds like it might be an attractive 637 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 2: option to some. 638 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:22,680 Speaker 3: It gets them off the street. But then what do 639 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 3: you do with them? 640 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,720 Speaker 2: You bring them to county jail, you kick them loose, 641 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 2: send them to rehab. I mean that that is obviously 642 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 2: a huge part of the problem, but I think that's 643 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 2: a bit of an over simplistic situation, not to downplay 644 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 2: the fact that if there weren't people with drug and 645 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: alcohol abuse, we wouldn't have nearly as many homeless. But then, 646 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 2: you know what leads to the drug and alcohol abuse? 647 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,800 Speaker 2: What about you know, financial circumstances. I mean, you know, 648 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:56,799 Speaker 2: it's it's so complicated and yet so maddening and frustrating 649 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 2: that that's why I say it's a problem that it 650 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 2: may ultimately prove, sadly, may ultimately prove to be too 651 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 2: big to be to be solvable. 652 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 3: All Right, I'm. 653 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,839 Speaker 2: Phil shimming with it till four o'clock after the top 654 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 2: of the hour. One of these subjects that just is maddening. 655 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 2: You want to talk about doge and you want to 656 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 2: talk about fraud, waste abuse, you want to talk about 657 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:22,439 Speaker 2: cutting money from the budget. I mean this California high 658 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 2: Speed Rail. We've talked about it before, We're going to 659 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 2: keep talking about it. Michael Monks has been doing a 660 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 2: lot of carverage on it. He's going to join us. 661 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 2: And if you think you're like pulling your hair out 662 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 2: over the homelessness issue, this is another one that we're 663 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 2: going to get into again. That's after the top of 664 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 2: the hour, But first let's check in once again with 665 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,840 Speaker 2: Deborah Mark, who's keeping an eye on things in the 666 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 2: KFI twenty four hour news. 667 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: From Hey, you've been listening to the John Cobalt Show podcast. 668 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 1: You can always hear the show live on KFI Am 669 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, 670 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: and of course, anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.