The main candidates for governor of California participated in a meeting organized by CBS News and San Francisco Examiner, where They answered questions from voters about some of the state’s most pressing issues, including housing, public safety, climate change, education and healthcare access.
The event, a question and answer session with citizens and moderators, It brought together Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Antonio Villaraigosa, as well as Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
One of the central issues was the high cost of living in California. Katie Porter proposed, as in her debates, eliminating the state income tax for those earning less than $100,000 annually, in addition to offering child care and free college tuition. “Our policies must make life more affordable for all Californians,” he said.
For his part, Matt Mahan assured that he will seek to “unite Californians around results,” boasting that during his administration in San José crime and homeless rates decreased, while housing construction increased.
In terms of housing, Antonio Villaraigosa defended the creation of a more agile permit system to accelerate construction. Xavier Becerra agreed on the need to “unblock the process” and simplify regulations to increase the housing supply. “It’s not rocket science,” he declared.
Republican Steve Hilton rejected imposing sanctions on cities that do not meet housing goals and defended developing new residential areas outside large urban centers. Chad Bianco, meanwhile, attributed the housing and homelessness crisis to “years of Democratic policies.”
Climate change sparks debate
Climate change also generated strong differences. Chad Bianco questioned the human influence on global warming by stating that he does not believe that people can “control the climate,” despite the scientific consensus on the subject. Steve Hilton recognized the existence of climate change, although he criticized the environmental policies promoted by Democrats.
Tom Steyer argued that California must accelerate the transition to renewable energy. “Clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels,” he said. Besides, criticized Becerra for accepting a contribution from Chevron during the campaign.
Regarding artificial intelligence and data centers, Katie Porter pointed out that technology companies must cover the environmental costs derived from their operations. “Those costs should come out of their profits, not out of the pockets of California families,” he said.
Education and abortion make a difference
In education, The candidates debated low academic results despite high state spending. Antonio Villaraigosa assured that he promoted successful reforms during his time as mayor of Los Angeles, while Xavier Becerra asked to strengthen early education and demand greater accountability.
Tom Steyer proposed increasing teacher salaries by closing tax loopholes for large corporations. Steve Hilton, for his part, proposed reforming the teacher pension system and facilitating access for working-class students to public universities.
Another notable moment occurred when the candidates were questioned about whether they would allow the extradition of accused California doctors in states with almost total bans on abortion, such as Louisiana. Hilton and Bianco responded that they would, while the Democratic candidates rejected that possibility, aligning themselves with Governor Gavin Newsom’s policies.
During the closing of the meeting, The participants also answered which rival they would support if they do not advance to the now not recent election. Matt Mahan said he would consider backing Villaraigosa because “mayors make things happen,” while Porter said he could vote for any of the “stage Democrats.”
Keep reading:
· Nine candidates for governor of California, face to face in debate
· Antonio Villaraigosa’s options in the electoral campaign
· Two Republicans and one Democrat lead poll for California governor
