window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"news_12102304": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12102304",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12102304",
"found": true
},
"title": "093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01",
"publishDate": 1790871535,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12102300,
"modified": 1790871563,
"caption": "From left, gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, during CNN’s California Gubernatorial Debate at CNN’s studio in Burbank on Sept. 30, 2026. The debate was moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. ",
"credit": "Grace Widyatmadja/CNN",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/093026-Becerra-Hilton-Debate-CNN-CM-01.jpg",
"width": 1999,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12098431": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12098431",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12098431",
"found": true
},
"title": "260828-SOUTH BAY DATA CENTERS-MD-07-KQED",
"publishDate": 1788542212,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790816266,
"caption": "Buildings in the Alviso neighborhood of San José that Google plans to modify to operate in a capacity similar to a data center on Sept. 3, 2026.",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101459": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101459",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101459",
"found": true
},
"title": "_DSC0888_qed",
"publishDate": 1790369540,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101434,
"modified": 1790369605,
"caption": "Prop 37 aims to spur home construction and help middle-income Californians afford mortgages.",
"credit": "Stephanie Lister/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DSC0888_qed.jpg",
"width": 1997,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12095043": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12095043",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12095043",
"found": true
},
"title": "260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed",
"publishDate": 1786571678,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790706943,
"caption": "Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani picks a peach at his family farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. His fruit is famous - sold to fans across the country - but climate change and the suburbanization of the Santa Clara Valley have made the business “no longer economically viable.” ",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-06-BL_qed.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11886518": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11886518",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11886518",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11886431,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783-1024x576.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783-160x94.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 94
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 601
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783-1020x599.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 599
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/08/GettyImages-1234716783-800x470.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 470
}
},
"publishDate": 1630020082,
"modified": 1630024003,
"caption": "A ballot for the upcoming recall election seeking to remove California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The election will be held on Sept. 14, 2021, although most registered voters have already received their ballots and can submit them now. Forty-six candidates, including nine Democrats, are running.",
"description": null,
"title": "US-POLITICS-ELECTIONS-GOVERNOR-CALIFORNIA-NEWSOM",
"credit": "Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101751": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101751",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101751",
"found": true
},
"title": "PointReyesLighthouseGetty",
"publishDate": 1790638788,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101714,
"modified": 1790638845,
"caption": "People visit Point Reyes Lighthouse during heavy fog at Point Reyes National Seashore of Inverness in California, on Jan. 6, 2025.",
"credit": "Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PointReyesLighthouseGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101406": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101406",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101406",
"found": true
},
"title": "KarenBass",
"publishDate": 1790361442,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101308,
"modified": 1790361576,
"caption": "Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks at Vermont/Santa Monica Metro Center on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. Bass used Los Angeles' public financing system when running for election.",
"credit": "Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images",
"altTag": "A woman speaks at a podium.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-2000x1125.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-2000x1125.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 90,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-1536x864.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 864,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-2048x1152.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-2000x1125.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1125,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/KarenBass.jpg",
"width": 2500,
"height": 1406
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12037906": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12037906",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12037906",
"found": true
},
"title": "Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose on March 24, 2025.",
"publishDate": 1745862782,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1771464563,
"caption": "Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025.",
"credit": "Gina Castro/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT-6-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101826": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101826",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101826",
"found": true
},
"title": "Election 2028 Newsom",
"publishDate": 1790703259,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101807,
"modified": 1790703395,
"caption": "California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally for democratic candidates Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Monroe, North Carolina.",
"credit": "Nell Redmond/AP Photo",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GavinNewsomAP.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12073509": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12073509",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12073509",
"found": true
},
"title": "Panel Recommends Major Tax Law Changes",
"publishDate": 1771018747,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12073445,
"modified": 1771018775,
"caption": "Federal tax forms being distributed at the offices of the Internal Revenue Service in Chicago, Illinois. ",
"credit": "Scott Olson",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed-1536x1027.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1027,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/taxes041511_qed.jpg",
"width": 1993,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12019415": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12019415",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12019415",
"found": true
},
"title": "California Capitol One",
"publishDate": 1734727150,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12019378,
"modified": 1734727193,
"caption": "The California State Capitol in Sacramento.",
"credit": "Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-800x420.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 420,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-1020x535.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 535,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-160x84.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 84,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-1536x806.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 806,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-2048x1075.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1075,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-1920x1008.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1008,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-182664622-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1344
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12084722": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12084722",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12084722",
"found": true
},
"title": "The Concord Immigration Court in Concord on May 7, 2026.",
"publishDate": 1779393699,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12084687,
"modified": 1780098439,
"caption": "The Concord Immigration Court in Concord on May 7, 2026.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_news_12102300": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12102300",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12102300",
"name": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12101714": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101714",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101714",
"name": "Carly Severn, Peter Hartlaub and Olivia Allen-Price",
"isLoading": false
},
"ohubertallen": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "102",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "102",
"found": true
},
"name": "Olivia Allen-Price",
"firstName": "Olivia",
"lastName": "Allen-Price",
"slug": "ohubertallen",
"email": "oallenprice@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Senior Editor",
"bio": "Olivia Allen-Price is senior editor and host of the award-winning Bay Curious podcast. Prior to joining KQED in 2013, Olivia worked at The Baltimore Sun and The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va. She holds degrees in journalism and political science from Elon University. Her work has earned awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Hearst Foundation and Hearken. She loves to talk about running and curly hair.\r\n\r\nFollow: \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/oallenprice\">@oallenprice\u003c/a>\r\nEmail: \u003ca href=\"mailto:oallenprice@kqed.org\">oallenprice@kqed.org\u003c/a>",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/07f7803c1f6be56f3be58ef276dfa64dce898502e0554408ef4858451a8294f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "oallenprice",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Olivia Allen-Price | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/07f7803c1f6be56f3be58ef276dfa64dce898502e0554408ef4858451a8294f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/07f7803c1f6be56f3be58ef276dfa64dce898502e0554408ef4858451a8294f7?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ohubertallen"
},
"gmarzorati": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "227",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "227",
"found": true
},
"name": "Guy Marzorati",
"firstName": "Guy",
"lastName": "Marzorati",
"slug": "gmarzorati",
"email": "gmarzorati@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Correspondent",
"bio": "Guy Marzorati is a correspondent on KQED's California Politics and Government Desk, based in San Jose. A graduate of Santa Clara University, Guy joined KQED in 2013. He reports on state and local politics and produces KQED's digital voter guide.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "guymarzorati",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "elections",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Guy Marzorati | KQED",
"description": "Correspondent",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e7038b8dbfd55b104369b76b1cd0b9de?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmarzorati"
},
"katrinaschwartz": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "234",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "234",
"found": true
},
"name": "Katrina Schwartz",
"firstName": "Katrina",
"lastName": "Schwartz",
"slug": "katrinaschwartz",
"email": "kschwartz@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Producer",
"bio": "Katrina Schwartz is a journalist based in San Francisco. She's worked at KPCC public radio in LA and has reported on air and online for KQED since 2010. She covered how teaching and learning is changing for MindShift between 2012 and 2020. She is the co-host of the MindShift podcast and now produces KQED's Bay Curious podcast.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "kschwart",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Katrina Schwartz | KQED",
"description": "Producer",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edb4ee79070447a018538c9aae6eeecf28786515b8a0c30e43b6b7dce5aa44c8?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/katrinaschwartz"
},
"rachael-myrow": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "251",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "251",
"found": true
},
"name": "Rachael Myrow",
"firstName": "Rachael",
"lastName": "Myrow",
"slug": "rachael-myrow",
"email": "rmyrow@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Senior Editor of KQED's Silicon Valley News Desk",
"bio": "• I write and edit stories about how Silicon Valley power and policies shape everyday life in California. I’m also passionate about making Bay Area history and culture more accessible to a broad public. • I’ve been a journalist for most of my life, starting in high school with The Franklin Press in Los Angeles, where I grew up. While earning my first degree in English at UC Berkeley, I got my start in public radio at KALX-FM. After completing a second degree in journalism at Cal, I landed my first professional job at Marketplace, then moved on to KPCC (now LAist), and then KQED, where I hosted The California Report for more than seven years. • My reporting has appeared on NPR, The World, WBUR’s \u003ci>Here & Now\u003c/i>, and the BBC. I also guest host for KQED’s \u003ci>Forum\u003c/i>, as well as the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. • I speak periodically on media, democracy and technology issues, and do voiceover work for documentaries and educational video projects. • Outside of the studio, you'll find me hiking Bay Area trails and whipping up Insta-ready meals in my kitchen. • I do not accept gifts, money, or favors from anyone connected to my reporting, I don't pay people for information, and I do not support or donate to political causes. • I strive to treat the people I report on with fairness, honesty, and respect. I also recognize there are often multiple sides to a story and work to verify information through multiple sources and documentation. If I get something wrong, I correct it.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ed8a3c5f26025e4a805ba634cda8cd764906b97438a6d9ce216b044e340da4e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "rachaelmyrow",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelmyrow/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"edit_others_posts",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Rachael Myrow | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor of KQED's Silicon Valley News Desk",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ed8a3c5f26025e4a805ba634cda8cd764906b97438a6d9ce216b044e340da4e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ed8a3c5f26025e4a805ba634cda8cd764906b97438a6d9ce216b044e340da4e?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/rachael-myrow"
},
"tychehendricks": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "259",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "259",
"found": true
},
"name": "Tyche Hendricks",
"firstName": "Tyche",
"lastName": "Hendricks",
"slug": "tychehendricks",
"email": "thendricks@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Senior Editor, Immigration",
"bio": "\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tyche Hendricks is KQED’s senior editor for immigration, leading coverage of the policy and politics that affect California’s immigrant communities. Her work for KQED’s radio and online audiences is also carried on NPR and other national outlets. She has been recognized with awards from the Radio and Television News Directors Association, the Society for Professional Journalists; the Education Writers Association; the Best of the West and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. Before joining KQED in 2010, Tyche spent more than a dozen years as a newspaper reporter, notably at the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. At different times she has covered criminal justice, government and politics and urban planning. Tyche has taught in the MFA Creative Writing program at the University of San Francisco and at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she was co-director of a national immigration symposium for professional journalists. She is the author of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Wind Doesn't Need a Passport: Stories from the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (University of California Press). \u003c/span>",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8ee458e2731c2d43df86882ce17267e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "tychehendricks",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Tyche Hendricks | KQED",
"description": "KQED Senior Editor, Immigration",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8ee458e2731c2d43df86882ce17267e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8ee458e2731c2d43df86882ce17267e?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/tychehendricks"
},
"ecruzguevarra": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8654",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8654",
"found": true
},
"name": "Ericka Cruz Guevarra",
"firstName": "Ericka",
"lastName": "Cruz Guevarra",
"slug": "ecruzguevarra",
"email": "ecruzguevarra@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Producer, The Bay Podcast",
"bio": "Ericka Cruz Guevarra is host of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/thebay\">\u003cem>The Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/a> podcast at KQED. Before host, she was the show’s producer. Her work in that capacity includes a three-part reported series on policing in Vallejo, which won a 2020 excellence in journalism award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Ericka has worked as a breaking news reporter at Oregon Public Broadcasting, helped produce the Code Switch podcast, and was KQED’s inaugural Raul Ramirez Diversity Fund intern. She’s also an alumna of NPR’s Next Generation Radio program. Send her an email if you have strong feelings about whether Fairfield and Suisun City are the Bay. Ericka is represented by SAG-AFTRA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/accefc1de4bafc7e234b69bcb9b6f6536c130fd84709bc3069ef11a78787e1bb?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "NotoriousECG",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor",
"manage_categories"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Ericka Cruz Guevarra | KQED",
"description": "Producer, The Bay Podcast",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/accefc1de4bafc7e234b69bcb9b6f6536c130fd84709bc3069ef11a78787e1bb?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/accefc1de4bafc7e234b69bcb9b6f6536c130fd84709bc3069ef11a78787e1bb?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ecruzguevarra"
},
"fjhabvala": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8659",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8659",
"found": true
},
"name": "Farida Jhabvala Romero",
"firstName": "Farida",
"lastName": "Jhabvala Romero",
"slug": "fjhabvala",
"email": "fjhabvala@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Farida Jhabvala Romero is a Labor Correspondent for KQED. She previously covered immigration. Farida was \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccnma.org/2022-most-influential-latina-journalists\">named\u003c/a> one of the 10 Most Influential Latina Journalists in California in 2022 by the California Chicano News Media Association. Her work has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (Northern California), as well as a national and regional Edward M. Murrow Award for the collaborative reporting projects “Dangerous Air” and “Graying California.” Before joining KQED, Farida worked as a producer at Radio Bilingüe, a national public radio network. Farida earned her master’s degree in journalism from Stanford University.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "FaridaJhabvala",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/faridajhabvala/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Farida Jhabvala Romero | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9f022d4e2609741874222a1e9d41f48fea74011aa7c615eef91d9a50c944ebe?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/fjhabvala"
},
"amontecillo": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11649",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11649",
"found": true
},
"name": "Alan Montecillo",
"firstName": "Alan",
"lastName": "Montecillo",
"slug": "amontecillo",
"email": "amontecillo@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Alan Montecillo is the senior editor of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/thebay\">The Bay\u003c/a>, \u003c/em> KQED's local news podcast. Before moving to the Bay Area, he worked as a senior talk show producer for WILL in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and at Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland, Oregon. He has won journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California, the Public Media Journalists Association, The Signal Awards, and has also received a regional Edward R. Murrow award. Alan is a Filipino American from Hong Kong and a graduate of Reed College.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/268f53a2066899ea9efdd8a5900218b17c822d9862cbc9326cccec53ef41d349?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "alanmontecillo",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor",
"manage_categories"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Alan Montecillo | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/268f53a2066899ea9efdd8a5900218b17c822d9862cbc9326cccec53ef41d349?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/268f53a2066899ea9efdd8a5900218b17c822d9862cbc9326cccec53ef41d349?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/amontecillo"
},
"abandlamudi": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11672",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11672",
"found": true
},
"name": "Adhiti Bandlamudi",
"firstName": "Adhiti",
"lastName": "Bandlamudi",
"slug": "abandlamudi",
"email": "abandlamudi@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Housing Reporter",
"bio": "Adhiti Bandlamudi reports for KQED's Housing desk. She focuses on how housing gets built across the Bay Area. Before joining KQED in 2020, she reported for WUNC in Durham, North Carolina, WABE in Atlanta, Georgia and Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2017, she was awarded a Kroc Fellowship at NPR where she reported on everything from sprinkles to the Golden State Killer's arrest. When she's not reporting, she's baking new recipes in her kitchen or watching movies with friends and family. She's originally from Georgia and has strong opinions about Great British Bake Off.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/868129c8b257bb99a3500e2c86a65400?s=600&d=mm&r=g",
"twitter": "oddity_adhiti",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Adhiti Bandlamudi | KQED",
"description": "KQED Housing Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/868129c8b257bb99a3500e2c86a65400?s=600&d=mm&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/868129c8b257bb99a3500e2c86a65400?s=600&d=mm&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/abandlamudi"
},
"ibloom": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11805",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11805",
"found": true
},
"name": "Izzy Bloom",
"firstName": "Izzy",
"lastName": "Bloom",
"slug": "ibloom",
"email": "ibloom@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Reporter & Producer",
"bio": "Izzy is a reporter and producer on KQED's California Politics & Government Desk. She joined the desk in 2024 to produce Political Breakdown, covering local and national elections and attending the RNC and DNC in Milwaukee and Chicago. \r\n\r\nBefore that, Izzy was a producer on The California Report and reported long-form stories for The California Report Magazine. She was a finalist for the Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition and was awarded for her reporting on indigenous land back by the Society of Professional Journalists. Izzy received her master's in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cc4d272ca430783ee1a8efac470a6b1e0fdd082c3beb61da019801d0ff751c8c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Izzy Bloom | KQED",
"description": "KQED Reporter & Producer",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cc4d272ca430783ee1a8efac470a6b1e0fdd082c3beb61da019801d0ff751c8c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cc4d272ca430783ee1a8efac470a6b1e0fdd082c3beb61da019801d0ff751c8c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ibloom"
},
"pbartolone": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11879",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11879",
"found": true
},
"name": "Pauline Bartolone",
"firstName": "Pauline",
"lastName": "Bartolone",
"slug": "pbartolone",
"email": "pbartolone@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Pauline Bartolone has been a journalist for two decades, specializing in longform audio storytelling. Before editing and producing for podcasts like Bay Curious, she was a health care journalist for public radio and print outlets such as CalMatters and Kaiser Health News. Her reporting has won several regional Edward R. Murrow awards, national recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists and a first-place prize from the Association of Health Care Journalists.\r\n\r\nPauline’s work has aired frequently on National Public Radio, and bylines have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, CNN.com, Washingtonpost.com, USA Today and Scientific American.\r\n\r\nPauline has lived in Northern California for 20 years. Her other passions are crafts (now done in collaboration with her daughter) and the Brazilian martial art of capoeira.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/95001c30374b0d3878007af9cf1e120a?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "pbartolone",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "podcasts",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Pauline Bartolone | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/95001c30374b0d3878007af9cf1e120a?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/95001c30374b0d3878007af9cf1e120a?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/pbartolone"
},
"gglueck": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11946",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11946",
"found": true
},
"name": "Gabriela Glueck",
"firstName": "Gabriela",
"lastName": "Glueck",
"slug": "gglueck",
"email": "gglueck@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ec62b7e3f7727ce1070cc7046dde80271d1e63cf2178d6194f68bb8d1440f841?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Gabriela Glueck | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ec62b7e3f7727ce1070cc7046dde80271d1e63cf2178d6194f68bb8d1440f841?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ec62b7e3f7727ce1070cc7046dde80271d1e63cf2178d6194f68bb8d1440f841?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gglueck"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_category_california": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31795",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31795",
"score": 10.853
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31812,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "California",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 4
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?category=california",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 4
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"news_12102300": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12102300",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12102300",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790872242000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"title": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character",
"publishDate": 1790872242,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians watching Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate would be forgiven for thinking the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/\">candidates for governor\u003c/a> are President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump was the central topic in the debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra repeatedly tying Hilton to Trump’s policies on immigration, taxes, housing, the environment and Big Tech. Hilton also tried to tie Becerra to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats at large, whom Hilton blames for business and housing regulations that contribute to high costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra mentioned the president, who is widely unpopular in California, more than a dozen times during the hourlong debate on CNN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to end up with Trump results if you follow Steve Hilton’s plans,” Becerra said when asked about Hilton’s proposal to eliminate income taxes for middle-class Californians. He pointed out that Hilton’s plan to drop income taxes on the first $150,000 in earnings also includes a tax cut for the state’s wealthiest earners, comparing it to federal tax cuts enacted by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similarly, when Hilton said he would wait to assess whether California needs to more aggressively regulate artificial intelligence companies, Becerra linked his response to Trump’s inaction, saying “if you listen closely, you can hear Donald Trump in that response.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra also said he would impose limits on AI data centers in communities that oppose them. Hilton noted that Becerra’s campaign has received donations from the biggest artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic and OpenAI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump endorsed Hilton during the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-governor-primary-hilton-advances/\">contested primary election\u003c/a>, but the former Fox News host has since tried to distance himself from both the president and the Republican Party, running ads telling voters they can dislike Trump and still support him. Last week, in an acknowledgement that opposition to Trump is dragging down Republicans’ approval rating, Hilton’s campaign released a poll claiming he was “unscathed from (the) Republican collapse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Hilton’s proposal to expand oil drilling in California, Becerra brought up Trump’s effort to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">expand drilling\u003c/a> off the state’s coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12102105 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On homelessness, Hilton noted Becerra once graded Newsom an “A for effort” on the issue despite homelessness increasing during his terms, while Becerra countered that Trump \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">has blocked federal funding\u003c/a> for local homelessness agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a predictable strategy for Becerra, who enjoys a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/\">double-digit lead\u003c/a> over Hilton in the heavily Democratic-leaning state where voters also disapprove of Trump by wide margins. The Democratic candidate and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary has laid low since getting the most votes in the crowded all-party primary election in June, making few public appearances and agreeing only to one debate. Hilton criticized Becerra for repeatedly mentioning national politics, arguing the Democrat isn’t offering Californians any concrete solutions to the nation-topping cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All you ever say is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’” Hilton said. “And that’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates traded insults throughout the night. Hilton cited reports that Becerra’s colleagues in President Joe Biden’s cabinet had “described (Becerra) as an idiot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in several testy exchanges over immigration, Becerra, the son of Mexican immigrants, tied Hilton to Trump’s aggressive nationwide immigration raids and mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me,” Becerra said. Hilton, a British immigrant and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-governor-hilton-profile/\">former adviser\u003c/a> to British Prime Minister David Cameron, bristled at the comment, calling it “disgraceful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hilton \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/video/6367836110112\">praised the deportation campaign\u003c/a> last January as “perfect” during an appearance on Fox News. He has previously described himself as “pro-immigration.” On Wednesday night, he dodged questions on whether he would undo the state’s sanctuary law limiting police cooperation with immigration agents and direct California officers to assist in Trump’s campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, he said, he would prefer to “turn down the temperature” on that debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates argued over the best way to increase housing construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton wants to build 10 new cities and allow more new construction on undeveloped land to avoid battles between the state and residents and local governments that are resistant to new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have got so much space that we could be building in,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra said to address the housing crisis, he would reduce administrative and bureaucratic hurdles to getting construction permits, boost down payment assistance programs and stop Wall Street investors from competing with would-be homeowners. He pointed to the lawsuit he filed as state attorney general against the city of Huntington Beach to force it to approve new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No locality should have the right to try to stop all of our people in California from having the housing they need,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They found common ground on how to keep the film industry in California amid competition from other states and countries. Los Angeles County has lost about 50,000 film and TV jobs since 2022. But while both candidates support expanding the state’s film tax credit to lower the cost of producing in California, they still each got in a dig over who to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who’s been in charge when all those jobs have gone?” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Donald Trump,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Democrats,” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-general-election-gubernatorial-debate-cnn/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In their only debate, Xavier Becerra repeatedly linked Steve Hilton to President Donald Trump — while Hilton accused him of dodging California’s real problems.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790872242,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 29,
"wordCount": 1003
},
"headData": {
"title": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character | KQED",
"description": "In their only debate, Xavier Becerra repeatedly linked Steve Hilton to President Donald Trump — while Hilton accused him of dodging California’s real problems.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "In Becerra and Hilton’s Only Scheduled Debate, Trump Was the Main Character",
"datePublished": "2026-10-01T09:30:42-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-01T09:30:42-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12102300",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12102300/in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians watching Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate would be forgiven for thinking the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/\">candidates for governor\u003c/a> are President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump was the central topic in the debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra repeatedly tying Hilton to Trump’s policies on immigration, taxes, housing, the environment and Big Tech. Hilton also tried to tie Becerra to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats at large, whom Hilton blames for business and housing regulations that contribute to high costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra mentioned the president, who is widely unpopular in California, more than a dozen times during the hourlong debate on CNN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to end up with Trump results if you follow Steve Hilton’s plans,” Becerra said when asked about Hilton’s proposal to eliminate income taxes for middle-class Californians. He pointed out that Hilton’s plan to drop income taxes on the first $150,000 in earnings also includes a tax cut for the state’s wealthiest earners, comparing it to federal tax cuts enacted by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Similarly, when Hilton said he would wait to assess whether California needs to more aggressively regulate artificial intelligence companies, Becerra linked his response to Trump’s inaction, saying “if you listen closely, you can hear Donald Trump in that response.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra also said he would impose limits on AI data centers in communities that oppose them. Hilton noted that Becerra’s campaign has received donations from the biggest artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic and OpenAI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump endorsed Hilton during the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-governor-primary-hilton-advances/\">contested primary election\u003c/a>, but the former Fox News host has since tried to distance himself from both the president and the Republican Party, running ads telling voters they can dislike Trump and still support him. Last week, in an acknowledgement that opposition to Trump is dragging down Republicans’ approval rating, Hilton’s campaign released a poll claiming he was “unscathed from (the) Republican collapse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Hilton’s proposal to expand oil drilling in California, Becerra brought up Trump’s effort to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094648/californians-vow-to-fight-federal-takeover-of-coastline-for-oil-drilling\">expand drilling\u003c/a> off the state’s coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12102105",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-07-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On homelessness, Hilton noted Becerra once graded Newsom an “A for effort” on the issue despite homelessness increasing during his terms, while Becerra countered that Trump \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/lahsa-hud-funding/\">has blocked federal funding\u003c/a> for local homelessness agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a predictable strategy for Becerra, who enjoys a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-september-2026/\">double-digit lead\u003c/a> over Hilton in the heavily Democratic-leaning state where voters also disapprove of Trump by wide margins. The Democratic candidate and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary has laid low since getting the most votes in the crowded all-party primary election in June, making few public appearances and agreeing only to one debate. Hilton criticized Becerra for repeatedly mentioning national politics, arguing the Democrat isn’t offering Californians any concrete solutions to the nation-topping cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All you ever say is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’” Hilton said. “And that’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates traded insults throughout the night. Hilton cited reports that Becerra’s colleagues in President Joe Biden’s cabinet had “described (Becerra) as an idiot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in several testy exchanges over immigration, Becerra, the son of Mexican immigrants, tied Hilton to Trump’s aggressive nationwide immigration raids and mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me,” Becerra said. Hilton, a British immigrant and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-governor-hilton-profile/\">former adviser\u003c/a> to British Prime Minister David Cameron, bristled at the comment, calling it “disgraceful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12098221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12098221\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260902-SteveHiltonPB-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hilton \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/video/6367836110112\">praised the deportation campaign\u003c/a> last January as “perfect” during an appearance on Fox News. He has previously described himself as “pro-immigration.” On Wednesday night, he dodged questions on whether he would undo the state’s sanctuary law limiting police cooperation with immigration agents and direct California officers to assist in Trump’s campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, he said, he would prefer to “turn down the temperature” on that debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The candidates argued over the best way to increase housing construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton wants to build 10 new cities and allow more new construction on undeveloped land to avoid battles between the state and residents and local governments that are resistant to new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have got so much space that we could be building in,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra said to address the housing crisis, he would reduce administrative and bureaucratic hurdles to getting construction permits, boost down payment assistance programs and stop Wall Street investors from competing with would-be homeowners. He pointed to the lawsuit he filed as state attorney general against the city of Huntington Beach to force it to approve new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No locality should have the right to try to stop all of our people in California from having the housing they need,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They found common ground on how to keep the film industry in California amid competition from other states and countries. Los Angeles County has lost about 50,000 film and TV jobs since 2022. But while both candidates support expanding the state’s film tax credit to lower the cost of producing in California, they still each got in a dig over who to blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who’s been in charge when all those jobs have gone?” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Donald Trump,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Democrats,” Hilton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-general-election-gubernatorial-debate-cnn/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12102300/in-becerra-and-hiltons-only-scheduled-debate-trump-was-the-main-character",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12102300"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_20251",
"news_3976",
"news_26088",
"news_36336",
"news_36335",
"news_17968",
"news_35821",
"news_20378"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12102304",
"label": "source_news_12102300"
},
"news_12102105": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12102105",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12102105",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790863200000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know",
"title": "Tech Is Spending Big on California Races. This Bay Area Group Wants You to Know",
"publishDate": 1790863200,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Tech Is Spending Big on California Races. This Bay Area Group Wants You to Know | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>As voters grow increasingly concerned about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915506/how-data-center-backlash-is-reshaping-politics\">artificial intelligence and data centers\u003c/a>, a progressive Bay Area nonprofit is spending $1 million to spotlight the influence of Big Tech in California’s legislative elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077445/how-ai-and-tech-are-changing-the-campaign-finance-game\">becoming a bigger force\u003c/a> in down-ballot races. So far this year, two tech-backed super PACs have already spent more than $24 million boosting mostly moderate Democrats across the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland-based TechEquity Action, meanwhile, is rolling out its million-dollar ad campaign this week targeting four districts where it expects tech to spend heavily during the final weeks before the general election. They are the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Orange County’s Assembly District 68 and Los Angeles County’s Senate Districts 24 and 26.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to make sure that the public understands the role that these tech billionaires and companies are playing in not just elections, but in the lawmaking process, starting with trying to influence who gets put into the Legislature in the first place,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2292\" height=\"2021\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10393727\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg 2292w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-400x352.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-800x705.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-1440x1269.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2292px) 100vw, 2292px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Draper speaks at the Inaugural Palo Alto International Film Festival on Sept. 30, 2011 in Palo Alto, California. (Max Morse/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The money will buy mailers, ads on streaming services and partnerships with social media influencers targeting voters in those districts. TechEquity Action also lobbies in Sacramento for policies that aim to ensure the benefits of tech and AI growth are shared broadly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We … have seen very up close how much attention these companies and these billionaires are paying to influence laws in California,” Bracy said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California, the larger of the two tech-backed super PACs that have poured money into state races this year, is financed by billionaire \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen\u003c/a> and billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. It has spent about $14.5 million so far this election cycle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Leads, which has significant funding from Meta and Google, has spent nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California declined to comment on TechEquity Action’s ad campaign; California Leads did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California, meanwhile, also launched an ad buy of more than $1 million this week for three of the districts targeted by TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Grow California’s mission is to reset the state legislature as a counterforce to the status quo,” Shaudi Fulp, the strategist directing Grow California, said in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An ad funded by TechEquity Action for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Assembly District 12\u003c/a>, the only Northern California race the group is spending in, calls out tech and AI billionaires as the “newest corporate special interests” with an agenda to “replace California jobs with AI, block laws that keep kids safe online and raise electricity and water prices with data centers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bracy said California is where the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law\">AI guardrails\u003c/a> are most likely to take shape, and her group worries that Big Tech is trying to buy influence over those decisions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re going to invest whatever they need to invest in order to prevent these guardrails from being established so that they can exploit children, exploit workers, [and] create extremely risky technology that has the potential for existential harms,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jackie Elward, a progressive labor-backed candidate running to succeed Assemblymember Damon Connolly in District 12, applauds the group for taking on tech billionaires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee holds a sign before the start of a rally led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, during the campaign kickoff for the California Billionaire Tax Act at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Feb. 18, 2026. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Good on them to sound the alarm because our constituents need to know,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the primary, Grow California spent $750,000 opposing Elward and $300,000 supporting Eric Lucan, a Marin County supervisor also running for the seat, according to independent expenditure reports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen an extraordinary amount of outside money spending in this race, including significant spending during the primary, when they smeared me,” Elward said. “I think transparency about who is trying to shape the outcome of legislative races is incredibly important.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lucan condemned the outside spending in the race on both sides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our democracy and our district deserves better,” Lucan said. “Outside spending, negative campaigning, it really has no place, and it’s something I will never engage in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>TechEquity Action declined to state who is funding its ad campaign. The group said it is not required to file campaign finance reports because the ads don’t explicitly endorse or oppose candidates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating an allegation made by a resident of District 12 that TechEquity Action violated state law by not correctly identifying itself on its mailers. The FPPC has not made any determinations yet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bruce Raful, a real estate appraiser in San Rafael who donated to Lucan’s campaign, said he filed the complaint after receiving mailers from TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the things that always gets my goat is dark money,” Raful said. “People ought to be willing to stand up and call it out for what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward said neither she nor her campaign has spoken to anyone from TechEquity Action, but she urges the group to disclose its funders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People need to know who they are too, I mean, fairly,” Elward said. “No matter who is spending money in this race or on whose behalf, voters should have the information.”\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As voters grow increasingly concerned about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915506/how-data-center-backlash-is-reshaping-politics\">artificial intelligence and data centers\u003c/a>, a progressive Bay Area nonprofit is spending $1 million to spotlight the influence of Big Tech in California’s legislative elections. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As voters grow increasingly concerned about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915506/how-data-center-backlash-is-reshaping-politics\">artificial intelligence and data centers\u003c/a>, a progressive Bay Area nonprofit is spending $1 million to spotlight the influence of Big Tech in California’s legislative elections. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tech interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077445/how-ai-and-tech-are-changing-the-campaign-finance-game\">becoming a bigger force\u003c/a> in down-ballot races. So far this year, two tech-backed super PACs have already spent more than $24 million boosting mostly moderate Democrats across the state. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Tech interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077445/how-ai-and-tech-are-changing-the-campaign-finance-game\">becoming a bigger force\u003c/a> in down-ballot races. So far this year, two tech-backed super PACs have already spent more than $24 million boosting mostly moderate Democrats across the state. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland-based TechEquity Action, meanwhile, is rolling out its million-dollar ad campaign this week targeting four districts where it expects tech to spend heavily during the final weeks before the general election. They are the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Orange County’s Assembly District 68 and Los Angeles County’s Senate Districts 24 and 26.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Oakland-based TechEquity Action, meanwhile, is rolling out its million-dollar ad campaign this week targeting four districts where it expects tech to spend heavily during the final weeks before the general election. They are the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Orange County’s Assembly District 68 and Los Angeles County’s Senate Districts 24 and 26.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want to make sure that the public understands the role that these tech billionaires and companies are playing in not just elections, but in the lawmaking process, starting with trying to influence who gets put into the Legislature in the first place,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We want to make sure that the public understands the role that these tech billionaires and companies are playing in not just elections, but in the lawmaking process, starting with trying to influence who gets put into the Legislature in the first place,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 10393727,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg 2292w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-400x352.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-800x705.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-1440x1269.jpg 1440w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10393727\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg 2292w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-400x352.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-800x705.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-1440x1269.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Draper speaks at the Inaugural Palo Alto International Film Festival on Sept. 30, 2011 in Palo Alto, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Max Morse/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10393727\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Draper speaks at the Inaugural Palo Alto International Film Festival on Sept. 30, 2011 in Palo Alto, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Max Morse/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The money will buy mailers, ads on streaming services and partnerships with social media influencers targeting voters in those districts. TechEquity Action also lobbies in Sacramento for policies that aim to ensure the benefits of tech and AI growth are shared broadly.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The money will buy mailers, ads on streaming services and partnerships with social media influencers targeting voters in those districts. TechEquity Action also lobbies in Sacramento for policies that aim to ensure the benefits of tech and AI growth are shared broadly.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We … have seen very up close how much attention these companies and these billionaires are paying to influence laws in California,” Bracy said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We … have seen very up close how much attention these companies and these billionaires are paying to influence laws in California,” Bracy said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Grow California, the larger of the two tech-backed super PACs that have poured money into state races this year, is financed by billionaire \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen\u003c/a> and billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. It has spent about $14.5 million so far this election cycle.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Grow California, the larger of the two tech-backed super PACs that have poured money into state races this year, is financed by billionaire \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen\u003c/a> and billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. It has spent about $14.5 million so far this election cycle.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Leads, which has significant funding from Meta and Google, has spent nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California Leads, which has significant funding from Meta and Google, has spent nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"label": "2026 California Voter Guide",
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/09/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Midterm-Election-1200x1200@2x.png",
"heroImageLink": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide",
"manualLinks": [
{
"url": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide",
"title": "Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 election"
}
],
"query": "",
"postIds": [],
"labelWasCleared": false,
"maxPosts": 3,
"showImages": true,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Grow California declined to comment on TechEquity Action’s ad campaign; California Leads did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Grow California declined to comment on TechEquity Action’s ad campaign; California Leads did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Grow California, meanwhile, also launched an ad buy of more than $1 million this week for three of the districts targeted by TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Grow California, meanwhile, also launched an ad buy of more than $1 million this week for three of the districts targeted by TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Grow California’s mission is to reset the state legislature as a counterforce to the status quo,” Shaudi Fulp, the strategist directing Grow California, said in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Grow California’s mission is to reset the state legislature as a counterforce to the status quo,” Shaudi Fulp, the strategist directing Grow California, said in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An ad funded by TechEquity Action for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Assembly District 12\u003c/a>, the only Northern California race the group is spending in, calls out tech and AI billionaires as the “newest corporate special interests” with an agenda to “replace California jobs with AI, block laws that keep kids safe online and raise electricity and water prices with data centers.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>An ad funded by TechEquity Action for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Assembly District 12\u003c/a>, the only Northern California race the group is spending in, calls out tech and AI billionaires as the “newest corporate special interests” with an agenda to “replace California jobs with AI, block laws that keep kids safe online and raise electricity and water prices with data centers.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bracy said California is where the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law\">AI guardrails\u003c/a> are most likely to take shape, and her group worries that Big Tech is trying to buy influence over those decisions.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Bracy said California is where the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law\">AI guardrails\u003c/a> are most likely to take shape, and her group worries that Big Tech is trying to buy influence over those decisions.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re going to invest whatever they need to invest in order to prevent these guardrails from being established so that they can exploit children, exploit workers, [and] create extremely risky technology that has the potential for existential harms,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“They’re going to invest whatever they need to invest in order to prevent these guardrails from being established so that they can exploit children, exploit workers, [and] create extremely risky technology that has the potential for existential harms,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jackie Elward, a progressive labor-backed candidate running to succeed Assemblymember Damon Connolly in District 12, applauds the group for taking on tech billionaires.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Jackie Elward, a progressive labor-backed candidate running to succeed Assemblymember Damon Connolly in District 12, applauds the group for taking on tech billionaires.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12099882,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-1536x1024.png 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee holds a sign before the start of a rally led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, during the campaign kickoff for the California Billionaire Tax Act at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Feb. 18, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee holds a sign before the start of a rally led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, during the campaign kickoff for the California Billionaire Tax Act at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Feb. 18, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Good on them to sound the alarm because our constituents need to know,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Good on them to sound the alarm because our constituents need to know,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the primary, Grow California spent $750,000 opposing Elward and $300,000 supporting Eric Lucan, a Marin County supervisor also running for the seat, according to independent expenditure reports.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the primary, Grow California spent $750,000 opposing Elward and $300,000 supporting Eric Lucan, a Marin County supervisor also running for the seat, according to independent expenditure reports.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen an extraordinary amount of outside money spending in this race, including significant spending during the primary, when they smeared me,” Elward said. “I think transparency about who is trying to shape the outcome of legislative races is incredibly important.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen an extraordinary amount of outside money spending in this race, including significant spending during the primary, when they smeared me,” Elward said. “I think transparency about who is trying to shape the outcome of legislative races is incredibly important.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lucan condemned the outside spending in the race on both sides. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Lucan condemned the outside spending in the race on both sides. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"label": "From the 2026 Voter Guide",
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/09/Aside-Propositions-2026-Midterm-Election-1200x1200@2x.png",
"heroImageLink": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california",
"manualLinks": [
{
"url": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california",
"title": "Learn about the California Propositions"
}
],
"query": "",
"postIds": [],
"labelWasCleared": false,
"maxPosts": 3,
"showImages": true,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our democracy and our district deserves better,” Lucan said. “Outside spending, negative campaigning, it really has no place, and it’s something I will never engage in.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Our democracy and our district deserves better,” Lucan said. “Outside spending, negative campaigning, it really has no place, and it’s something I will never engage in.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>TechEquity Action declined to state who is funding its ad campaign. The group said it is not required to file campaign finance reports because the ads don’t explicitly endorse or oppose candidates. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>TechEquity Action declined to state who is funding its ad campaign. The group said it is not required to file campaign finance reports because the ads don’t explicitly endorse or oppose candidates. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating an allegation made by a resident of District 12 that TechEquity Action violated state law by not correctly identifying itself on its mailers. The FPPC has not made any determinations yet.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating an allegation made by a resident of District 12 that TechEquity Action violated state law by not correctly identifying itself on its mailers. The FPPC has not made any determinations yet.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bruce Raful, a real estate appraiser in San Rafael who donated to Lucan’s campaign, said he filed the complaint after receiving mailers from TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Bruce Raful, a real estate appraiser in San Rafael who donated to Lucan’s campaign, said he filed the complaint after receiving mailers from TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the things that always gets my goat is dark money,” Raful said. “People ought to be willing to stand up and call it out for what it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“One of the things that always gets my goat is dark money,” Raful said. “People ought to be willing to stand up and call it out for what it is.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward said neither she nor her campaign has spoken to anyone from TechEquity Action, but she urges the group to disclose its funders. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Elward said neither she nor her campaign has spoken to anyone from TechEquity Action, but she urges the group to disclose its funders. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People need to know who they are too, I mean, fairly,” Elward said. “No matter who is spending money in this race or on whose behalf, voters should have the information.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“People need to know who they are too, I mean, fairly,” Elward said. “No matter who is spending money in this race or on whose behalf, voters should have the information.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "A Bay Area nonprofit launched a $1 million ad campaign that it says aims to expose Big Tech spending in down-ballot legislative races.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790871071,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 26,
"wordCount": 923
},
"headData": {
"title": "Tech Is Spending Big on California Races. This Bay Area Group Wants You to Know | KQED",
"description": "A Bay Area nonprofit launched a $1 million ad campaign that it says aims to expose Big Tech spending in down-ballot legislative races.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Tech Is Spending Big on California Races. This Bay Area Group Wants You to Know",
"datePublished": "2026-10-01T07:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-01T09:11:11-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12102105",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As voters grow increasingly concerned about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915506/how-data-center-backlash-is-reshaping-politics\">artificial intelligence and data centers\u003c/a>, a progressive Bay Area nonprofit is spending $1 million to spotlight the influence of Big Tech in California’s legislative elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tech interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077445/how-ai-and-tech-are-changing-the-campaign-finance-game\">becoming a bigger force\u003c/a> in down-ballot races. So far this year, two tech-backed super PACs have already spent more than $24 million boosting mostly moderate Democrats across the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland-based TechEquity Action, meanwhile, is rolling out its million-dollar ad campaign this week targeting four districts where it expects tech to spend heavily during the final weeks before the general election. They are the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Orange County’s Assembly District 68 and Los Angeles County’s Senate Districts 24 and 26.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to make sure that the public understands the role that these tech billionaires and companies are playing in not just elections, but in the lawmaking process, starting with trying to influence who gets put into the Legislature in the first place,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2292\" height=\"2021\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10393727\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985.jpg 2292w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-400x352.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-800x705.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/12/RS8168_127726920-e1420007401985-1440x1269.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2292px) 100vw, 2292px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Draper speaks at the Inaugural Palo Alto International Film Festival on Sept. 30, 2011 in Palo Alto, California. (Max Morse/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The money will buy mailers, ads on streaming services and partnerships with social media influencers targeting voters in those districts. TechEquity Action also lobbies in Sacramento for policies that aim to ensure the benefits of tech and AI growth are shared broadly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We … have seen very up close how much attention these companies and these billionaires are paying to influence laws in California,” Bracy said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California, the larger of the two tech-backed super PACs that have poured money into state races this year, is financed by billionaire \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen\u003c/a> and billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. It has spent about $14.5 million so far this election cycle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Leads, which has significant funding from Meta and Google, has spent nearly $10 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California declined to comment on TechEquity Action’s ad campaign; California Leads did not respond to a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Grow California, meanwhile, also launched an ad buy of more than $1 million this week for three of the districts targeted by TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Grow California’s mission is to reset the state legislature as a counterforce to the status quo,” Shaudi Fulp, the strategist directing Grow California, said in a statement to KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An ad funded by TechEquity Action for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Assembly District 12\u003c/a>, the only Northern California race the group is spending in, calls out tech and AI billionaires as the “newest corporate special interests” with an agenda to “replace California jobs with AI, block laws that keep kids safe online and raise electricity and water prices with data centers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bracy said California is where the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100624/newsom-orders-california-agencies-to-develop-new-ai-safety-plans-after-rejecting-tougher-law\">AI guardrails\u003c/a> are most likely to take shape, and her group worries that Big Tech is trying to buy influence over those decisions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re going to invest whatever they need to invest in order to prevent these guardrails from being established so that they can exploit children, exploit workers, [and] create extremely risky technology that has the potential for existential harms,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jackie Elward, a progressive labor-backed candidate running to succeed Assemblymember Damon Connolly in District 12, applauds the group for taking on tech billionaires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2261837536-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee holds a sign before the start of a rally led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, during the campaign kickoff for the California Billionaire Tax Act at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Feb. 18, 2026. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Good on them to sound the alarm because our constituents need to know,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the primary, Grow California spent $750,000 opposing Elward and $300,000 supporting Eric Lucan, a Marin County supervisor also running for the seat, according to independent expenditure reports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen an extraordinary amount of outside money spending in this race, including significant spending during the primary, when they smeared me,” Elward said. “I think transparency about who is trying to shape the outcome of legislative races is incredibly important.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lucan condemned the outside spending in the race on both sides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our democracy and our district deserves better,” Lucan said. “Outside spending, negative campaigning, it really has no place, and it’s something I will never engage in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>TechEquity Action declined to state who is funding its ad campaign. The group said it is not required to file campaign finance reports because the ads don’t explicitly endorse or oppose candidates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating an allegation made by a resident of District 12 that TechEquity Action violated state law by not correctly identifying itself on its mailers. The FPPC has not made any determinations yet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bruce Raful, a real estate appraiser in San Rafael who donated to Lucan’s campaign, said he filed the complaint after receiving mailers from TechEquity Action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the things that always gets my goat is dark money,” Raful said. “People ought to be willing to stand up and call it out for what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward said neither she nor her campaign has spoken to anyone from TechEquity Action, but she urges the group to disclose its funders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People need to know who they are too, I mean, fairly,” Elward said. “No matter who is spending money in this race or on whose behalf, voters should have the information.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know",
"authors": [
"11805"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13",
"news_248"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_18538",
"news_20251",
"news_176",
"news_36336",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_17968",
"news_34586",
"news_1631"
],
"featImg": "news_12098431",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12101434": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101434",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101434",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790848800000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "prop-37-creates-middle-income-homebuying-program",
"title": "Prop 37: Creates Middle-Income Homebuying Program",
"publishDate": 1790848800,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prop 37: Creates Middle-Income Homebuying Program | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>For would-be homebuyers in California, there are a seemingly endless number of hurdles to jump over. But perhaps the biggest one for most people is saving for the down payment. When homes cost as much as they do in California, coming up with that initial chunk of cash hurts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s pretty standard to put down 20% of the cost of a home for a down payment. And if you can’t, you may be required to get mortgage insurance, which is just one more extra fee. The median cost of a single-family home in California is $980,000. That means you’ll need $200,000 for a down payment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And of course most homes here in the Bay Area where we’re recording cost way, way more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s this issue that the proponents of Proposition 37 set out to tackle. Here’s how the measure reads on your ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Proposition37 creates a loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Today, we continue on with PropFest, breaking down each of the 14 initiatives on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You heard that right, 14. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Direct democracy, baby. Here we go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, we’re going through Proposition 37, a $25 billion bond to fund a program to help moderate income Californians buy homes. Here to walk us through it is KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Adhiti. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Hey Olivia, I’m ready to talk bonds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s do it. Let’s start big picture on this one. What’s the context for Prop 37 and why is it on our ballot?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, California has one of the lowest rates of homeownership compared to other states. The national average is 66 percent, but California’s is 10 percent lower. It’s like 56 percent. That’s largely because the homes here are so expensive. More than half of Californians don’t own a home until they’re in their late 40s. And for a lot of people, the down payment is the sticking point. They could make a mortgage, but they don’t have enough savings to get into the game. And what could Prop 37 do to help that situation? So it directs the California Housing Finance Agency, also called Cal HFA, to create a middle-class home buyer down payment assistance program funded with up to $25 billion in revenue bonds, which means the bond would be paid back by mortgage payments home buyers make, not by taxpayers who aren’t buying homes. There’s an interesting catch here though. This program only applies to newly constructed homes. So on the whole, this bond is trying to do two things, help middle-class home buyers buy homes and also jumpstart the housing construction industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so unlike Prop 1, the other housing bond on this year’s ballot, which we talked about the other day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I’m familiar with it, yes. Yes, \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which funds all sorts of programs. This one is specifically targeting that middle income group of people who often don’t qualify for other programs from the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Correct, and we should be clear, the way that this bond defines middle class is a bit tricky. So it’s defined as making 200% of area median income. Another way of thinking about that is that it’s roughly double of what a typical family in the area makes. Now, because it’s tied to what local incomes are in a particular place, qualifying for this program is going to vary greatly depending on where you are living in California. The California Budget Center has a really nice breakdown of what this would mean on a county level for a family of one, two, three, four. So let’s take a family four. This would mean that in San Francisco, for example, the family could make up to $342,000 and still qualify. If the family lived in San Mateo, that number would be a little bit higher. In Solano County, on the other hand, that number would be about $100,000 lower. So again, qualifying for this program really depends on where you live in the state. And this proposition really focuses on connecting new homeowners to new housing by helping people come up with the money for a down payment, which is really interesting to watch if this passes because it can only be used for newly constructed homes, which also means that it’s gonna take time for people to use this program to buy a home because the homes have to be built.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And really it will be more useful for potential home buyers in certain places where new homes can be built.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Exactly. It’s really going to depend on the cities and the counties that are willing to build more homes, that have space to build, more homes that have public political pressure to build more homes. So it’ll be interesting to watch. Walk me through how this would actually work from the homebuyers’ perspective. Okay, so here are the mechanics of it. So buyers would have to put down at least 3% of the down payment themselves. The bond would basically allow the state to cover 17% of home price. So 17 plus three, we got 20% down, which is the standard amount needed to avoid paying mortgage insurance. Now, the bond would require that home buyers pay back that 17% down payment assistance with interest, which means they’d be paying that back along with their monthly mortgage payments. What’s required of homebuyers who want to take part in this program? Unlike other down payment assistance programs, it doesn’t require the applicant to be a first-time or first-generation homebuyer. And it also doesn’t have any rules that would mean the homebuyer owes the state any equity gained on the house. Homebuyers have to qualify for a mortgage, meet the income requirements, occupy the home as their primary residence, make monthly payments, and they would have to fully repay their loans. What’s all this going to cost taxpayers? This would not cost taxpayers anything because the interest payments homebuyers would make to the state would cover the interest on the bond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’ve got to hit pause for a minute, but when we return, more on Prop 37, including who’s behind it and what supporters and opponents say. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Welcome back to PropFest. We’re talking about Proposition 37. Arati, this measure was placed on the ballot by a group, not the state legislature. Who’s behind it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Bob Hertzberg, he is the former state Senate majority leader. He’s now retired from the legislature, but he still gets involved with causes he cares about. He started thinking about this bill back in 2008, right after the financial crash. He saw that we immediately stopped building homes, and there weren’t a lot of incentives for developers to build middle class housing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bob Hertzberg: \u003c/strong>You know, so many things we do in government either help the super wealthy and powerful or the people that are otherwise in trouble in so many ways, and it’s the right thing to do, but the middle class feels like they’re out of the loop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In addition to Hertzberg, who else is supporting this measure? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of broad support for this proposition. The Democratic Party, various construction and realtor groups have also shown support, as well as Javier Becerra, who’s running for governor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hmm. And what about opponents? What do they have to say, and who are they? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So there are no official opponents to this bill, but there are some arguments for why it may not have its intended effect. So first off, there’s a real question right now as to whether home ownership in a state like California is still the most advantageous path. The premium to buy a house, like all those extra fees and things like insurance and interest, they can outweigh the historical benefit of buying a home and owning one. Second, while this proposition states an intent to keep the interest rate on the down payment loans low, it doesn’t guarantee it. Critics argue that because home buyers would be paying their mortgage and paying back the down payment assistance loan, it’s a second mortgage. And investors could see that as more risky and in turn that could lead to higher interest rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also, some people say that this could actually exacerbate racial disparities in home ownership because there are barriers to participating. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the median amount in Californians’ checking and savings accounts was just over $18,000 in 2025. This means that a 3% down payment could still almost or entirely wipe out the savings of what an average family has. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Third, California already has several down payment assistance programs. There are estate ones, there are ones run by counties, by local banks. Does it really need another one, especially one that’s so focused on newly built homes? And also, while we’re on the topic of newly built homes, right now, home building is pretty slow going with borrowing costs, labor costs, materials, all being really expensive. So while this bond is trying to provide incentives, there’s no guarantee that developers will bite and actually build the homes. Reform California has come out against it. Carl DeMaio is a Republican assembly member from San Diego, and he says it’s a lot of money to be borrowing right now. And he’s also worried that this bond isn’t really for home buyers, but for developers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>This bond program basically becomes a subsidy for rich developers who give campaign contributions back to politicians. It really only helps a few people when it comes to housing, the lucky few that might win the lottery. This is not the approach for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like for Prop 37?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Supporters of the proposition have raised $12.7 million as of this taping. The opposition hasn’t spent any money on this measure. All right.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Aditi Bandlamudi, thank you for breaking Prop 37 down for us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 37 gives the state permission to borrow up to $25 billion to create a down-payment assistance program for middle-income people. It would be repaid by people who receive those loans. A vote no means you do not want the state to borrow up to 25 billion dollars to create this program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for PropFest today. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 38, another bond, this time for immunology and immunotherapy research, and Proposition 39 about voter ID.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re dropping episodes every weekday from now until October 9th on the Bay and Bay Curious podcast feeds. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Ethan Tovan Lindsey, Maha Sanad, and the whole KQED family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org slash prop fest. Some members of the KQEd podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining KQed member. Learn more at donate.kqed.org. I’m Olivia Ellen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. We’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Episode Transcript:",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>For would-be homebuyers in California, there are a seemingly endless number of hurdles to jump over. But perhaps the biggest one for most people is saving for the down payment. When homes cost as much as they do in California, coming up with that initial chunk of cash hurts.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>For would-be homebuyers in California, there are a seemingly endless number of hurdles to jump over. But perhaps the biggest one for most people is saving for the down payment. When homes cost as much as they do in California, coming up with that initial chunk of cash hurts.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s pretty standard to put down 20% of the cost of a home for a down payment. And if you can’t, you may be required to get mortgage insurance, which is just one more extra fee. The median cost of a single-family home in California is $980,000. That means you’ll need $200,000 for a down payment.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s pretty standard to put down 20% of the cost of a home for a down payment. And if you can’t, you may be required to get mortgage insurance, which is just one more extra fee. The median cost of a single-family home in California is $980,000. That means you’ll need $200,000 for a down payment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And of course most homes here in the Bay Area where we’re recording cost way, way more.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And of course most homes here in the Bay Area where we’re recording cost way, way more.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s this issue that the proponents of Proposition 37 set out to tackle. Here’s how the measure reads on your ballot. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s this issue that the proponents of Proposition 37 set out to tackle. Here’s how the measure reads on your ballot. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Proposition37 creates a loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Proposition37 creates a loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Today, we continue on with PropFest, breaking down each of the 14 initiatives on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Today, we continue on with PropFest, breaking down each of the 14 initiatives on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You heard that right, 14. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You heard that right, 14. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Direct democracy, baby. Here we go. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Direct democracy, baby. Here we go. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, we’re going through Proposition 37, a $25 billion bond to fund a program to help moderate income Californians buy homes. Here to walk us through it is KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Adhiti. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Today, we’re going through Proposition 37, a $25 billion bond to fund a program to help moderate income Californians buy homes. Here to walk us through it is KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Adhiti. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Hey Olivia, I’m ready to talk bonds. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Hey Olivia, I’m ready to talk bonds. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s do it. Let’s start big picture on this one. What’s the context for Prop 37 and why is it on our ballot?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s do it. Let’s start big picture on this one. What’s the context for Prop 37 and why is it on our ballot?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, California has one of the lowest rates of homeownership compared to other states. The national average is 66 percent, but California’s is 10 percent lower. It’s like 56 percent. That’s largely because the homes here are so expensive. More than half of Californians don’t own a home until they’re in their late 40s. And for a lot of people, the down payment is the sticking point. They could make a mortgage, but they don’t have enough savings to get into the game. And what could Prop 37 do to help that situation? So it directs the California Housing Finance Agency, also called Cal HFA, to create a middle-class home buyer down payment assistance program funded with up to $25 billion in revenue bonds, which means the bond would be paid back by mortgage payments home buyers make, not by taxpayers who aren’t buying homes. There’s an interesting catch here though. This program only applies to newly constructed homes. So on the whole, this bond is trying to do two things, help middle-class home buyers buy homes and also jumpstart the housing construction industry. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, California has one of the lowest rates of homeownership compared to other states. The national average is 66 percent, but California’s is 10 percent lower. It’s like 56 percent. That’s largely because the homes here are so expensive. More than half of Californians don’t own a home until they’re in their late 40s. And for a lot of people, the down payment is the sticking point. They could make a mortgage, but they don’t have enough savings to get into the game. And what could Prop 37 do to help that situation? So it directs the California Housing Finance Agency, also called Cal HFA, to create a middle-class home buyer down payment assistance program funded with up to $25 billion in revenue bonds, which means the bond would be paid back by mortgage payments home buyers make, not by taxpayers who aren’t buying homes. There’s an interesting catch here though. This program only applies to newly constructed homes. So on the whole, this bond is trying to do two things, help middle-class home buyers buy homes and also jumpstart the housing construction industry. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so unlike Prop 1, the other housing bond on this year’s ballot, which we talked about the other day. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so unlike Prop 1, the other housing bond on this year’s ballot, which we talked about the other day. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I’m familiar with it, yes. Yes, \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I’m familiar with it, yes. Yes, \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which funds all sorts of programs. This one is specifically targeting that middle income group of people who often don’t qualify for other programs from the state.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which funds all sorts of programs. This one is specifically targeting that middle income group of people who often don’t qualify for other programs from the state.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Correct, and we should be clear, the way that this bond defines middle class is a bit tricky. So it’s defined as making 200% of area median income. Another way of thinking about that is that it’s roughly double of what a typical family in the area makes. Now, because it’s tied to what local incomes are in a particular place, qualifying for this program is going to vary greatly depending on where you are living in California. The California Budget Center has a really nice breakdown of what this would mean on a county level for a family of one, two, three, four. So let’s take a family four. This would mean that in San Francisco, for example, the family could make up to $342,000 and still qualify. If the family lived in San Mateo, that number would be a little bit higher. In Solano County, on the other hand, that number would be about $100,000 lower. So again, qualifying for this program really depends on where you live in the state. And this proposition really focuses on connecting new homeowners to new housing by helping people come up with the money for a down payment, which is really interesting to watch if this passes because it can only be used for newly constructed homes, which also means that it’s gonna take time for people to use this program to buy a home because the homes have to be built.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Correct, and we should be clear, the way that this bond defines middle class is a bit tricky. So it’s defined as making 200% of area median income. Another way of thinking about that is that it’s roughly double of what a typical family in the area makes. Now, because it’s tied to what local incomes are in a particular place, qualifying for this program is going to vary greatly depending on where you are living in California. The California Budget Center has a really nice breakdown of what this would mean on a county level for a family of one, two, three, four. So let’s take a family four. This would mean that in San Francisco, for example, the family could make up to $342,000 and still qualify. If the family lived in San Mateo, that number would be a little bit higher. In Solano County, on the other hand, that number would be about $100,000 lower. So again, qualifying for this program really depends on where you live in the state. And this proposition really focuses on connecting new homeowners to new housing by helping people come up with the money for a down payment, which is really interesting to watch if this passes because it can only be used for newly constructed homes, which also means that it’s gonna take time for people to use this program to buy a home because the homes have to be built.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And really it will be more useful for potential home buyers in certain places where new homes can be built.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And really it will be more useful for potential home buyers in certain places where new homes can be built.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Exactly. It’s really going to depend on the cities and the counties that are willing to build more homes, that have space to build, more homes that have public political pressure to build more homes. So it’ll be interesting to watch. Walk me through how this would actually work from the homebuyers’ perspective. Okay, so here are the mechanics of it. So buyers would have to put down at least 3% of the down payment themselves. The bond would basically allow the state to cover 17% of home price. So 17 plus three, we got 20% down, which is the standard amount needed to avoid paying mortgage insurance. Now, the bond would require that home buyers pay back that 17% down payment assistance with interest, which means they’d be paying that back along with their monthly mortgage payments. What’s required of homebuyers who want to take part in this program? Unlike other down payment assistance programs, it doesn’t require the applicant to be a first-time or first-generation homebuyer. And it also doesn’t have any rules that would mean the homebuyer owes the state any equity gained on the house. Homebuyers have to qualify for a mortgage, meet the income requirements, occupy the home as their primary residence, make monthly payments, and they would have to fully repay their loans. What’s all this going to cost taxpayers? This would not cost taxpayers anything because the interest payments homebuyers would make to the state would cover the interest on the bond.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Exactly. It’s really going to depend on the cities and the counties that are willing to build more homes, that have space to build, more homes that have public political pressure to build more homes. So it’ll be interesting to watch. Walk me through how this would actually work from the homebuyers’ perspective. Okay, so here are the mechanics of it. So buyers would have to put down at least 3% of the down payment themselves. The bond would basically allow the state to cover 17% of home price. So 17 plus three, we got 20% down, which is the standard amount needed to avoid paying mortgage insurance. Now, the bond would require that home buyers pay back that 17% down payment assistance with interest, which means they’d be paying that back along with their monthly mortgage payments. What’s required of homebuyers who want to take part in this program? Unlike other down payment assistance programs, it doesn’t require the applicant to be a first-time or first-generation homebuyer. And it also doesn’t have any rules that would mean the homebuyer owes the state any equity gained on the house. Homebuyers have to qualify for a mortgage, meet the income requirements, occupy the home as their primary residence, make monthly payments, and they would have to fully repay their loans. What’s all this going to cost taxpayers? This would not cost taxpayers anything because the interest payments homebuyers would make to the state would cover the interest on the bond.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’ve got to hit pause for a minute, but when we return, more on Prop 37, including who’s behind it and what supporters and opponents say. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’ve got to hit pause for a minute, but when we return, more on Prop 37, including who’s behind it and what supporters and opponents say. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Welcome back to PropFest. We’re talking about Proposition 37. Arati, this measure was placed on the ballot by a group, not the state legislature. Who’s behind it?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Welcome back to PropFest. We’re talking about Proposition 37. Arati, this measure was placed on the ballot by a group, not the state legislature. Who’s behind it?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Bob Hertzberg, he is the former state Senate majority leader. He’s now retired from the legislature, but he still gets involved with causes he cares about. He started thinking about this bill back in 2008, right after the financial crash. He saw that we immediately stopped building homes, and there weren’t a lot of incentives for developers to build middle class housing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Bob Hertzberg, he is the former state Senate majority leader. He’s now retired from the legislature, but he still gets involved with causes he cares about. He started thinking about this bill back in 2008, right after the financial crash. He saw that we immediately stopped building homes, and there weren’t a lot of incentives for developers to build middle class housing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bob Hertzberg: \u003c/strong>You know, so many things we do in government either help the super wealthy and powerful or the people that are otherwise in trouble in so many ways, and it’s the right thing to do, but the middle class feels like they’re out of the loop.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bob Hertzberg: \u003c/strong>You know, so many things we do in government either help the super wealthy and powerful or the people that are otherwise in trouble in so many ways, and it’s the right thing to do, but the middle class feels like they’re out of the loop.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In addition to Hertzberg, who else is supporting this measure? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In addition to Hertzberg, who else is supporting this measure? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of broad support for this proposition. The Democratic Party, various construction and realtor groups have also shown support, as well as Javier Becerra, who’s running for governor. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of broad support for this proposition. The Democratic Party, various construction and realtor groups have also shown support, as well as Javier Becerra, who’s running for governor. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hmm. And what about opponents? What do they have to say, and who are they? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hmm. And what about opponents? What do they have to say, and who are they? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So there are no official opponents to this bill, but there are some arguments for why it may not have its intended effect. So first off, there’s a real question right now as to whether home ownership in a state like California is still the most advantageous path. The premium to buy a house, like all those extra fees and things like insurance and interest, they can outweigh the historical benefit of buying a home and owning one. Second, while this proposition states an intent to keep the interest rate on the down payment loans low, it doesn’t guarantee it. Critics argue that because home buyers would be paying their mortgage and paying back the down payment assistance loan, it’s a second mortgage. And investors could see that as more risky and in turn that could lead to higher interest rates. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So there are no official opponents to this bill, but there are some arguments for why it may not have its intended effect. So first off, there’s a real question right now as to whether home ownership in a state like California is still the most advantageous path. The premium to buy a house, like all those extra fees and things like insurance and interest, they can outweigh the historical benefit of buying a home and owning one. Second, while this proposition states an intent to keep the interest rate on the down payment loans low, it doesn’t guarantee it. Critics argue that because home buyers would be paying their mortgage and paying back the down payment assistance loan, it’s a second mortgage. And investors could see that as more risky and in turn that could lead to higher interest rates. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also, some people say that this could actually exacerbate racial disparities in home ownership because there are barriers to participating. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the median amount in Californians’ checking and savings accounts was just over $18,000 in 2025. This means that a 3% down payment could still almost or entirely wipe out the savings of what an average family has. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Also, some people say that this could actually exacerbate racial disparities in home ownership because there are barriers to participating. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the median amount in Californians’ checking and savings accounts was just over $18,000 in 2025. This means that a 3% down payment could still almost or entirely wipe out the savings of what an average family has. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Third, California already has several down payment assistance programs. There are estate ones, there are ones run by counties, by local banks. Does it really need another one, especially one that’s so focused on newly built homes? And also, while we’re on the topic of newly built homes, right now, home building is pretty slow going with borrowing costs, labor costs, materials, all being really expensive. So while this bond is trying to provide incentives, there’s no guarantee that developers will bite and actually build the homes. Reform California has come out against it. Carl DeMaio is a Republican assembly member from San Diego, and he says it’s a lot of money to be borrowing right now. And he’s also worried that this bond isn’t really for home buyers, but for developers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Third, California already has several down payment assistance programs. There are estate ones, there are ones run by counties, by local banks. Does it really need another one, especially one that’s so focused on newly built homes? And also, while we’re on the topic of newly built homes, right now, home building is pretty slow going with borrowing costs, labor costs, materials, all being really expensive. So while this bond is trying to provide incentives, there’s no guarantee that developers will bite and actually build the homes. Reform California has come out against it. Carl DeMaio is a Republican assembly member from San Diego, and he says it’s a lot of money to be borrowing right now. And he’s also worried that this bond isn’t really for home buyers, but for developers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>This bond program basically becomes a subsidy for rich developers who give campaign contributions back to politicians. It really only helps a few people when it comes to housing, the lucky few that might win the lottery. This is not the approach for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>This bond program basically becomes a subsidy for rich developers who give campaign contributions back to politicians. It really only helps a few people when it comes to housing, the lucky few that might win the lottery. This is not the approach for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like for Prop 37?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like for Prop 37?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Supporters of the proposition have raised $12.7 million as of this taping. The opposition hasn’t spent any money on this measure. All right.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Supporters of the proposition have raised $12.7 million as of this taping. The opposition hasn’t spent any money on this measure. All right.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Aditi Bandlamudi, thank you for breaking Prop 37 down for us. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Aditi Bandlamudi, thank you for breaking Prop 37 down for us. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 37 gives the state permission to borrow up to $25 billion to create a down-payment assistance program for middle-income people. It would be repaid by people who receive those loans. A vote no means you do not want the state to borrow up to 25 billion dollars to create this program.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 37 gives the state permission to borrow up to $25 billion to create a down-payment assistance program for middle-income people. It would be repaid by people who receive those loans. A vote no means you do not want the state to borrow up to 25 billion dollars to create this program.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for PropFest today. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 38, another bond, this time for immunology and immunotherapy research, and Proposition 39 about voter ID.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for PropFest today. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 38, another bond, this time for immunology and immunotherapy research, and Proposition 39 about voter ID.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re dropping episodes every weekday from now until October 9th on the Bay and Bay Curious podcast feeds. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re dropping episodes every weekday from now until October 9th on the Bay and Bay Curious podcast feeds. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss out.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Ethan Tovan Lindsey, Maha Sanad, and the whole KQED family. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Ethan Tovan Lindsey, Maha Sanad, and the whole KQED family. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org slash prop fest. Some members of the KQEd podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California local.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org slash prop fest. Some members of the KQEd podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California local.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining KQed member. Learn more at donate.kqed.org. I’m Olivia Ellen Price. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining KQed member. Learn more at donate.kqed.org. I’m Olivia Ellen Price. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. We’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. We’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Prop 37 authorizes the state to borrow money for a home buying program for middle-income Californians.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790721793,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 45,
"wordCount": 2201
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prop 37: Creates Middle-Income Homebuying Program | KQED",
"description": "Prop 37 authorizes the state to borrow money for a home buying program for middle-income Californians.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Prop 37: Creates Middle-Income Homebuying Program",
"datePublished": "2026-10-01T03:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-29T15:43:13-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "Prop Fest 2026",
"sourceUrl": "http://kqed.org/propfest",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC6322228604.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101434/prop-37-creates-middle-income-homebuying-program",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>For would-be homebuyers in California, there are a seemingly endless number of hurdles to jump over. But perhaps the biggest one for most people is saving for the down payment. When homes cost as much as they do in California, coming up with that initial chunk of cash hurts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s pretty standard to put down 20% of the cost of a home for a down payment. And if you can’t, you may be required to get mortgage insurance, which is just one more extra fee. The median cost of a single-family home in California is $980,000. That means you’ll need $200,000 for a down payment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And of course most homes here in the Bay Area where we’re recording cost way, way more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It’s this issue that the proponents of Proposition 37 set out to tackle. Here’s how the measure reads on your ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Proposition37 creates a loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Today, we continue on with PropFest, breaking down each of the 14 initiatives on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You heard that right, 14. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Direct democracy, baby. Here we go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, we’re going through Proposition 37, a $25 billion bond to fund a program to help moderate income Californians buy homes. Here to walk us through it is KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Adhiti. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Hey Olivia, I’m ready to talk bonds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s do it. Let’s start big picture on this one. What’s the context for Prop 37 and why is it on our ballot?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, California has one of the lowest rates of homeownership compared to other states. The national average is 66 percent, but California’s is 10 percent lower. It’s like 56 percent. That’s largely because the homes here are so expensive. More than half of Californians don’t own a home until they’re in their late 40s. And for a lot of people, the down payment is the sticking point. They could make a mortgage, but they don’t have enough savings to get into the game. And what could Prop 37 do to help that situation? So it directs the California Housing Finance Agency, also called Cal HFA, to create a middle-class home buyer down payment assistance program funded with up to $25 billion in revenue bonds, which means the bond would be paid back by mortgage payments home buyers make, not by taxpayers who aren’t buying homes. There’s an interesting catch here though. This program only applies to newly constructed homes. So on the whole, this bond is trying to do two things, help middle-class home buyers buy homes and also jumpstart the housing construction industry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so unlike Prop 1, the other housing bond on this year’s ballot, which we talked about the other day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I’m familiar with it, yes. Yes, \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which funds all sorts of programs. This one is specifically targeting that middle income group of people who often don’t qualify for other programs from the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Correct, and we should be clear, the way that this bond defines middle class is a bit tricky. So it’s defined as making 200% of area median income. Another way of thinking about that is that it’s roughly double of what a typical family in the area makes. Now, because it’s tied to what local incomes are in a particular place, qualifying for this program is going to vary greatly depending on where you are living in California. The California Budget Center has a really nice breakdown of what this would mean on a county level for a family of one, two, three, four. So let’s take a family four. This would mean that in San Francisco, for example, the family could make up to $342,000 and still qualify. If the family lived in San Mateo, that number would be a little bit higher. In Solano County, on the other hand, that number would be about $100,000 lower. So again, qualifying for this program really depends on where you live in the state. And this proposition really focuses on connecting new homeowners to new housing by helping people come up with the money for a down payment, which is really interesting to watch if this passes because it can only be used for newly constructed homes, which also means that it’s gonna take time for people to use this program to buy a home because the homes have to be built.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And really it will be more useful for potential home buyers in certain places where new homes can be built.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Exactly. It’s really going to depend on the cities and the counties that are willing to build more homes, that have space to build, more homes that have public political pressure to build more homes. So it’ll be interesting to watch. Walk me through how this would actually work from the homebuyers’ perspective. Okay, so here are the mechanics of it. So buyers would have to put down at least 3% of the down payment themselves. The bond would basically allow the state to cover 17% of home price. So 17 plus three, we got 20% down, which is the standard amount needed to avoid paying mortgage insurance. Now, the bond would require that home buyers pay back that 17% down payment assistance with interest, which means they’d be paying that back along with their monthly mortgage payments. What’s required of homebuyers who want to take part in this program? Unlike other down payment assistance programs, it doesn’t require the applicant to be a first-time or first-generation homebuyer. And it also doesn’t have any rules that would mean the homebuyer owes the state any equity gained on the house. Homebuyers have to qualify for a mortgage, meet the income requirements, occupy the home as their primary residence, make monthly payments, and they would have to fully repay their loans. What’s all this going to cost taxpayers? This would not cost taxpayers anything because the interest payments homebuyers would make to the state would cover the interest on the bond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’ve got to hit pause for a minute, but when we return, more on Prop 37, including who’s behind it and what supporters and opponents say. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Welcome back to PropFest. We’re talking about Proposition 37. Arati, this measure was placed on the ballot by a group, not the state legislature. Who’s behind it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Bob Hertzberg, he is the former state Senate majority leader. He’s now retired from the legislature, but he still gets involved with causes he cares about. He started thinking about this bill back in 2008, right after the financial crash. He saw that we immediately stopped building homes, and there weren’t a lot of incentives for developers to build middle class housing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bob Hertzberg: \u003c/strong>You know, so many things we do in government either help the super wealthy and powerful or the people that are otherwise in trouble in so many ways, and it’s the right thing to do, but the middle class feels like they’re out of the loop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In addition to Hertzberg, who else is supporting this measure? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s a lot of broad support for this proposition. The Democratic Party, various construction and realtor groups have also shown support, as well as Javier Becerra, who’s running for governor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hmm. And what about opponents? What do they have to say, and who are they? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So there are no official opponents to this bill, but there are some arguments for why it may not have its intended effect. So first off, there’s a real question right now as to whether home ownership in a state like California is still the most advantageous path. The premium to buy a house, like all those extra fees and things like insurance and interest, they can outweigh the historical benefit of buying a home and owning one. Second, while this proposition states an intent to keep the interest rate on the down payment loans low, it doesn’t guarantee it. Critics argue that because home buyers would be paying their mortgage and paying back the down payment assistance loan, it’s a second mortgage. And investors could see that as more risky and in turn that could lead to higher interest rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also, some people say that this could actually exacerbate racial disparities in home ownership because there are barriers to participating. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the median amount in Californians’ checking and savings accounts was just over $18,000 in 2025. This means that a 3% down payment could still almost or entirely wipe out the savings of what an average family has. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Third, California already has several down payment assistance programs. There are estate ones, there are ones run by counties, by local banks. Does it really need another one, especially one that’s so focused on newly built homes? And also, while we’re on the topic of newly built homes, right now, home building is pretty slow going with borrowing costs, labor costs, materials, all being really expensive. So while this bond is trying to provide incentives, there’s no guarantee that developers will bite and actually build the homes. Reform California has come out against it. Carl DeMaio is a Republican assembly member from San Diego, and he says it’s a lot of money to be borrowing right now. And he’s also worried that this bond isn’t really for home buyers, but for developers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>This bond program basically becomes a subsidy for rich developers who give campaign contributions back to politicians. It really only helps a few people when it comes to housing, the lucky few that might win the lottery. This is not the approach for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like for Prop 37?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Supporters of the proposition have raised $12.7 million as of this taping. The opposition hasn’t spent any money on this measure. All right.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Aditi Bandlamudi, thank you for breaking Prop 37 down for us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 37 gives the state permission to borrow up to $25 billion to create a down-payment assistance program for middle-income people. It would be repaid by people who receive those loans. A vote no means you do not want the state to borrow up to 25 billion dollars to create this program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for PropFest today. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 38, another bond, this time for immunology and immunotherapy research, and Proposition 39 about voter ID.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re dropping episodes every weekday from now until October 9th on the Bay and Bay Curious podcast feeds. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Ethan Tovan Lindsey, Maha Sanad, and the whole KQED family. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org slash prop fest. Some members of the KQEd podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining KQed member. Learn more at donate.kqed.org. I’m Olivia Ellen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. We’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101434/prop-37-creates-middle-income-homebuying-program",
"authors": [
"234",
"11672",
"102"
],
"programs": [
"news_28779",
"news_33523",
"news_34552"
],
"series": [
"news_17986"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_28645",
"news_22598"
],
"featImg": "news_12101459",
"label": "source_news_12101434"
},
"news_12101847": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101847",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101847",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790776800000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "why-one-of-the-last-stone-fruit-growers-in-the-valley-of-hearts-delight-is-downsizing",
"title": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart's Delight Is Downsizing",
"publishDate": 1790776800,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart’s Delight Is Downsizing | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1502\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"12101636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg 1502w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-1154x1536.jpg 1154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1502px) 100vw, 1502px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095049\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/gallery",
"attrs": {
"linkTo": "none",
"images": [],
"ids": [],
"shortCodeTransforms": [],
"imageCrop": true,
"randomOrder": false,
"fixedHeight": true,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"allowResize": false,
"aspectRatio": "auto"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12101636,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": ""
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095049,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": ""
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095047,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_11676561"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2018/06/RS31535_Photo-Jun-21-11-31-19-AM-qut-800x600.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095044,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/gallery",
"attrs": {
"linkTo": "none",
"images": [],
"ids": [],
"shortCodeTransforms": [],
"imageCrop": true,
"randomOrder": false,
"fixedHeight": true,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"allowResize": false,
"aspectRatio": "auto"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095045,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": ""
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095046,
"sizeSlug": "large",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": ""
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
]
}
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095048,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Warming winters, an old soil fungus and the relentless suburban spread of Silicon Valley have finally caught up with one of the last fruit farmers in the Valley of Heart's Delight. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790807695,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 34,
"wordCount": 1792
},
"headData": {
"title": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart's Delight Is Downsizing | KQED",
"description": "Warming winters, an old soil fungus and the relentless suburban spread of Silicon Valley have finally caught up with one of the last fruit farmers in the Valley of Heart's Delight. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Why One of the Last Stone Fruit Growers in the Valley of Heart's Delight Is Downsizing",
"datePublished": "2026-09-30T07:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-30T15:34:55-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/cc1cc127-99e0-4943-86f8-b4d501254e13/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101847",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101847/why-one-of-the-last-stone-fruit-growers-in-the-valley-of-hearts-delight-is-downsizing",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may already know the story of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. Before Silicon Valley took root in the Santa Clara Valley, immigrants from all over the world planted close to 100,000 acres of fruit trees and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957868/from-fruit-picker-to-political-trailblazer-the-92-year-old-madrina-of-east-san-jose\">picked, processed and shipped\u003c/a> the apricots, peaches, plums and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly all of that is gone now, paved over and replaced with suburbs and office parks. Just a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">handful of fruit farmers remain\u003c/a>, and they’re aging out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Mariani, one of that last handful, is 80 years old. He told KQED he’s tired of losing money year after year and struggling to make payroll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It doesn’t work anymore. It’s no longer economically viable to have this farm,” Mariani said, sitting in a gazebo to one side of the farm store. Somewhere nearby, chickens interrupted him periodically to proclaim for all the world to hear they just laid another egg. We gazed out across the parking lot to neat rows of fruit trees and flowering bushes designed to draw in hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1502\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"12101636\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED.jpg 1502w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260928-Last-Stone-Fruit-Growers-RM-KQED-1154x1536.jpg 1154w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1502px) 100vw, 1502px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stone fruit on sale at the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on July 16, 2021. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095049\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095049\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quiet moment in the farm store at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Bay Area customers come from far and wide during the summer, when stone fruit is in season. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani knows a lot about fruit farming, and he wants to write a book about it while he still can. He is not giving up on fruit farming altogether, but the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11676561/to-survive-as-a-fruit-farmer-in-silicon-valley-you-need-to-grow-tastier-fruit\">family farm\u003c/a> in Morgan Hill, the one with the little farm store and the summer fruit-picking events that fill the rows with laughing, running children, has one more growing season before he hands the property to a real estate developer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As first reported by the \u003ca href=\"https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">\u003cem>Morgan Hill Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Mariani has signed an option agreement with a Southern California firm marketing a 376-home subdivision on the 58-acre property. A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected this fall, followed by a public review period. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s organized opposition. State housing law puts a heavy finger on the scale, generally forcing local governments to approve qualifying developments. But Green Foothills, one of several environmental groups opposing the project, argues that Santa Clara County officials can still say no here, because the law makes an exception when a site lacks adequate water or wastewater facilities, and the developer would have to drill new wells and build a new on-site wastewater system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani is not “hanging up his shears” just yet, as a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/andys-orchard-silicon-valley.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> article\u003c/a> implied. He still intends to farm 20 acres of land he leases now nearby. But he said he understands that word of his soft-retirement has set off a panic among his super fans here in the Bay Area and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in August, during the height of stone fruit season, Mary Balmana drove all the way down from San Francisco — a two-hour drive, each way — to stock up on cherries, apricots and peaches, like the August Flame peach and the Cal Red.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-19-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A peach ripens on a tree at Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Tree-ripened fruit is more delicate and finicky to grow than most varieties sold today. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t have to peel them because it’s so luscious,” she said. “It’s tender, sweet beyond belief, and it just speaks for itself. I don’t have to do anything to it. It tastes like the peaches that I grew up with that we used to pick from a neighbor’s farm, you know, when we would go visit.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Balmana spotted Mariani in the store, she asked to have a photo taken with him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In many ways, Mariani’s family history mirrors the last century of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/about-us/\">His father came to the Santa Clara Valley\u003c/a> from a little island off the coast of Croatia in 1931. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was hardly the first to grow apricots in Cupertino. Spanish mission fathers planted trees in the region as early as the mid-1700s, and after the Gold Rush and the railroads in the 19th century, the Santa Clara Valley became a world-famous producer of dried and canned stone fruits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s ancient history, submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean, left a legacy of fertile soil for farming. Add to that the cool nights of the Santa Clara Valley, especially in winter, and you have a region second to none for stone fruit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was great for decades and decades,” said Mariani, who took over the family farming operation with his brother after their father retired. “But then, like in the 1980s, the United States started importing Turkish apricots, and they were coming in very cheap, because of cheap labor in Turkey.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers realized they had to diversify beyond the once famous Blenheim apricot, an heirloom variety that boasts flesh perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Blenheim’s popularity was also at risk because, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/11/08/164696316/tracking-the-elusive-chocolate-persimmon\">many heirloom fruits\u003c/a>, the soft, small apricot is too delicate for mass shipping. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an industry that, in a bid for growth, shifted to cold storage and steroidal, uniform fruits picked green and hard, the Marianis decided to go in a different direction. They specialized in fruit consumers, including professional chefs, who would pay more for them as they grew rarer and harder to find. That included heirloom fruit, like the Blenheim, and new varieties, like Baby Crawford peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The brothers also decided to steer clear of competing with industrial agriculture by focusing on flavor, even though it leads to a highly perishable product that must be consumed in a matter of days, not weeks or months. “The last few days that the fruit is on the tree is when it increases tremendously in flavor, sugar content, and juiciness,” Mariani said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As other farmers packed up and left the Santa Clara Valley, Mariani leaned into new ways to make money: selling to chefs at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.laweekly.com/fruit-detective-david-karp-and-andy-mariani-now-at-the-santa-monica-farmers-market/\">Santa Monica Farmers Market\u003c/a> down south, educational \u003ca href=\"https://andysorchard.com/event-calendar/\">fruit picking tours and tastings\u003c/a>, as well as selling pies and other goodies at the farm’s retail store. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of people can farm at 80; fewer at 90,” said David Karp, a pomologist at UC Riverside’s botany department and Mariani’s business partner. The two recently traveled together to visit Mariani’s relatives in Croatia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani drives through his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Karp confirms that climate change and urbanization are gradually forcing the Valley of Heart’s Delight into the history books, even though Mariani will continue farming for the time being. Karp noted they stopped selling summer fruit at the Santa Monica Farmers Market a month early this year, in July instead of August. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He has no doubt that whatever crops emerge next summer, the fruit will sell out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot more demand for Andy’s fruit than there is fruit,” Karp said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though fresh fruit fans have proven willing to pay more, rising costs still make it challenging to run an operation like Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095045\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-16-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A worker picks peaches at Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. Even though foodies are willing to pay more for Mariani’s fruit, he notes that it costs more to grow that kind of fruit, too. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12095046\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We pay more than minimum wage because our people are skilled,” Mariani said. “We have workers that have worked for us for over 40 years, and so they know the orchard as well as I do, and because of that skill level, we pay ‘em well. And they’re in Silicon Valley, too. They need to get more money because it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943634/bay-area-land-is-so-expensive-how-do-urban-farms-survive%20https://morganhilltimes.com/study-underway-for-376-home-project-on-andys-orchard-property/\">expensive place to live\u003c/a>. They get free rent, actually, but on the other hand, it’s still expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s only getting more so with each Silicon Valley boom. Where once the Marianis were one farming family among many, they have grown more and more isolated as the decades passed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re basically surrounded by urban development now. We’re just a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that hasn’t been put in yet,” he said, waving his hand to gesture at the neat rows of fruit trees in front of the farm store. Between this property and the nearest freeway exit, most of the land is paved over with housing developments, retail malls and office buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001249/what-are-heat-islands-and-where-are-they-in-the-bay-area\">Paved land is also hotter land\u003c/a>, which is growing hotter thanks to climate change. In addition to the growing threat from oak root fungus and ravenous squirrels, Mariani said crops are shrinking because the winters and the nights aren’t as cool as they used to be. This year, he said, was the orchard’s worst on record. Cherries came in at about 5% of a normal harvest, and his signature Baby Crawford peach crop failed almost completely.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260812-StoneFruitGrowers-20-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit orchardist Andy Mariani at his farm, Andy’s Orchard, in Morgan Hill on Aug. 12, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It comes to the point where you wonder what you’re doing, even though you love what you are doing. I think it’s time for me to downscale, and continue doing where my passion is, right?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Modern society seems to define progress as escaping physical work, even when that work leads to something very special,” he wrote in a recent newsletter. “Our once picturesque agricultural landscape that defined the valley was not simply replaced by what we call progress. Within that landscape there was also a culture, a special way of life. Unfortunately, as evidenced over several decades now, that way of life became increasingly difficult to financially sustain as the region transformed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proud of his life’s work and that of his ancestors, Mariani bristles at the idea of keeping the orchard going just for show, standing around, as he put it, “with my bib overalls and this and that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’d become a caricature of myself,” Mariani said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mariani added there are plans to develop a year-round indoor farmers market in Morgan Hill, a project he’s keen to participate in. In the meantime, for his super fans, there’s one more growing season in store for Andy’s Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101847/why-one-of-the-last-stone-fruit-growers-in-the-valley-of-hearts-delight-is-downsizing",
"authors": [
"251"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_4092",
"news_18538",
"news_36670",
"news_18163",
"news_18269",
"news_2538",
"news_18188",
"news_5719",
"news_34586",
"news_21285"
],
"featImg": "news_12095043",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12100623": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100623",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100623",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790762700000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "proposition-5-would-change-the-state-recall-election-process",
"title": "Prop 5: Changes to the State Recall Election Process",
"publishDate": 1790762700,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prop 5: Changes to the State Recall Election Process | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] You may remember that in 2021, California voters were asked whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:08] But there was also a second question on the ballot. Who should replace him if he was recalled?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:15] Obviously, the recall failed, but if it was successful, Newsom would have technically been replaced by Republican Larry Elder, who won about 48% of the vote in that second question.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:29] And that’s how the process works for state-wide recall elections right now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:33] But proposition five could change that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] I’m Olivia Allen Price, host of Bay Curious.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:40] And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between The Bay and BayCurious. And we’re back again with another episode to help you get up to speed on all the statewide propositions on the ballot this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:54] Today, we’re breaking down proposition five. Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:01:00] Prop 5 – Changes recall election process for statewide officers\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Here to break it down for us is KQED’s politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, how’s it going?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Good. So this proposition that we’re talking about today pertains to recall reform. Before we dive in here, how exactly do recalls for people in statewide office currently work in California?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:31] Yeah, so the rules for recall in California are different for state office and local office. For local office, it’s probably somewhat of a familiar process for people. There’s a question on the ballot, should this person be removed from office? If they are removed, then how the next person gets chosen can result in a variety of ways. So if you remember the Oakland mayor recall, there was a special election after that. There was the district attorney recalls in Alameda and SF. The replacements there were appointed. State recalls work a little bit differently where voters are asked two questions on the ballot. One is, should this statewide official be removed? And then the second question is, if they are removed, who should replace them? And there’s a list of candidates that voters get to choose from. And what proposition five would do is eliminate that second question, that question about the successor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:30] And as you just mentioned, and just to clarify for voters, Prop 5 specifically pertains to recalls for statewide office, right? Not local office. So what kinds of elected positions are we talking about here?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:45] That’s right, so this would only apply to statewide offices like governor, like attorney general and like state legislative offices, so assembly and Senate. And basically what it would do is make state recall elections more like local recall elections where there’s only one question on the ballot and it’s asking whether or not this elected official should be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:06] And just for some background here, Guy, how often have recall campaigns been actually put before California voters in the past when it comes to these statewide offices? Like have sitting politicians actually even been recalled before?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:23] Yes. So since voters in California approved this recall process more than a hundred years ago, goes all the way back to 1911, there have been 11 recall elections against statewide officials. Of those six recalls have been successful. Five recall elections have been unsuccessful. The most famous successful recall election was in 2003, when Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, was recalled by voters. And Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won the successor election and became governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:55] The recall campaign against Governor Gray-Davis is gathering steam with the launch of the\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:59] Governor Gray Davis is hurting our state and our people. First question you’re asked, do you believe it should be recalled? Then the second question is, should it be recalled, who would you like to see replace it? And it’s an open primary, one ballot. And whoever gets the most vote, if a majority say yes on recall, immediately becomes the governor of California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:23] And the proponents of this measure sort of point to that election as a reason to make these kind of changes that Prop 5 is proposing, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:04:36] Yeah, you know, I think supporters say it’s fundamentally unfair that someone can win a successor election on a recall ballot and not get a majority vote, which can happen if there’s a if there is a recall against a state official and a majority of voters elect to recall that official, the top replacement candidate doesn’t need to get a majority vote. They just need to finish first and suddenly they take that office. So supporters of Proposition 5 say… This is basically a loophole. This is a workaround where someone could potentially become governor of California without ever getting a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:13] So I get that that second question won’t be there on the ballot if Prop 5 is passed, but let’s say that the person does get recalled. What happens next in this Prop 5 universe? Like are they outed immediately or who takes their place at least temporarily?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:32] If you’re recalling a state legislator, so a state senator or a state assembly member, what will happen is there could be a special election called after the fact, where a new state legislate is picked. In the case of statewide offices, like attorney general, like secretary of state, a new secretary of State, a new attorney general will be appointed. In the cases of the governor, basically the lieutenant governor would take over And then there would be. An election to replace or to pick the next governor. So if it happens early in the governor’s term, there would be a special election taking place at the next statewide election where our voters would get to choose and vote on a new governor. If it happens late in that governor’s turn, the lieutenant governor would simply just fill the seat until the regularly scheduled election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on PopFest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:49] And let’s get into the politics of this a little bit, Guy. Who else is sort of pushing for Prop 5 to be passed?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] Yeah, so this is really turned into kind of a partisan divide on Proposition 5, where we see the California Democratic Party in support, almost entirely Democrats in the legislature voted to put this on the ballot. And one of the top supporters of Proposition five is Shirley Weber, who’s California the secretary of state, the top election official.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:17] This was a way in which people could game the system, looking for a time when we had low voter turnout. Then we’d have all these folks on the ballot and then you’d pick somebody and they’d have 30% or 20% of whatever it was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:27] She said her office started working on these potential reforms to introduce them after the unsuccessful recall of Newsom in 2021. And here’s Weber talking about their proposal at a state Senate hearing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:40] The whole election about, should this person be recalled? So that the discussion is on the merit of the recall itself, not on is there a better replacement, but should this be person be recall? Has there been enough?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] Proponents here are really arguing that the state should avoid what happened in the last two recall elections for governor. What we’ve seen in the past is, when there’s a recall facing someone like Gray Davis, or in 2021, we saw this, a recall-facing Gavin Newsom, there’s also this second campaign that plays out in parallel about, okay, well, who should the replacement candidate be? Who should the top replacement candidate? This would eliminate that second part, and supporters say, well yes, this will really allow the conversation and the debate to focus on whether or not this person facing a recall actually deserves to be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:29] Who is opposed to this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:31] The opposition has come from Republicans, California’s Republican Party, Republicans in the state legislature, who have really argued against making this change the state’s recall rules.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:08:43] This is insane. We should be able to continue the process for recalls where if someone is being recalled from office, we first vote on the ballot. And secondly, we say, if they’re recalled, here’s who we want to take over representation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:57] Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is running an effort to support and oppose a few different measures, including oppose Proposition 5. And the argument you really hear from opponents of Prop 5 is that the recall system is working as it is.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:09:12] Please don’t weaken the recall provision in the state constitution. It’s one of the only things we have to hold politicians accountable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] There doesn’t need to be any changes to it. It has existed in the state for over 100 years. They say the idea of having a governor be removed by the will of the people, by the voters, only to have a lieutenant governor come in and take their place is not really the change that voters who are pushing a recall are looking for in the first place. We see in modern day in California, the governor and lieutenant governor are almost always Democratic. And so if there’s a recall election against the governor, voters are seeking change. Number one, having just the next Democrat in line take that office might not really reflect to the will of what brought the voters to a recall. And secondly, the lieutenant governor would then serve as governor without ever having been elected. So if the argument for Proposition 5 is that a successor could take office with less than 50% of the vote, well Under Prop 5, the lieutenant governor would take office and they didn’t get any of the vote for governor. So opponents of Prop 5 see this as real flaws with the measure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:25] And is anyone throwing lots of money into Prop 5 on either side? And any sense guy of how likely this is to pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] You know, we haven’t seen any campaign spending with Proposition 5 on either side. In mid-September, the Public Policy Institute of California released polling on the statewide measures and it showed just 35% of voters supporting Proposition five with 59% opposed. In what really looks like another example of California voters appearing hesitant to make really any changes to the state system of direct democracy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Well, Guy, thank you so much, as always, for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:06] Of course, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Transcript",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] You may remember that in 2021, California voters were asked whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom from office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] You may remember that in 2021, California voters were asked whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom from office.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:08] But there was also a second question on the ballot. Who should replace him if he was recalled?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:08] But there was also a second question on the ballot. Who should replace him if he was recalled?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:15] Obviously, the recall failed, but if it was successful, Newsom would have technically been replaced by Republican Larry Elder, who won about 48% of the vote in that second question.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:15] Obviously, the recall failed, but if it was successful, Newsom would have technically been replaced by Republican Larry Elder, who won about 48% of the vote in that second question.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:29] And that’s how the process works for state-wide recall elections right now.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:29] And that’s how the process works for state-wide recall elections right now.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:33] But proposition five could change that.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:33] But proposition five could change that.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] I’m Olivia Allen Price, host of Bay Curious.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] I’m Olivia Allen Price, host of Bay Curious.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:40] And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:40] And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between The Bay and BayCurious. And we’re back again with another episode to help you get up to speed on all the statewide propositions on the ballot this November.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between The Bay and BayCurious. And we’re back again with another episode to help you get up to speed on all the statewide propositions on the ballot this November.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:54] Today, we’re breaking down proposition five. Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:54] Today, we’re breaking down proposition five. Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:01:00] Prop 5 – Changes recall election process for statewide officers\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:01:00] Prop 5 – Changes recall election process for statewide officers\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Here to break it down for us is KQED’s politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey Guy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Here to break it down for us is KQED’s politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey Guy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, how’s it going?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, how’s it going?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Good. So this proposition that we’re talking about today pertains to recall reform. Before we dive in here, how exactly do recalls for people in statewide office currently work in California?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Good. So this proposition that we’re talking about today pertains to recall reform. Before we dive in here, how exactly do recalls for people in statewide office currently work in California?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:31] Yeah, so the rules for recall in California are different for state office and local office. For local office, it’s probably somewhat of a familiar process for people. There’s a question on the ballot, should this person be removed from office? If they are removed, then how the next person gets chosen can result in a variety of ways. So if you remember the Oakland mayor recall, there was a special election after that. There was the district attorney recalls in Alameda and SF. The replacements there were appointed. State recalls work a little bit differently where voters are asked two questions on the ballot. One is, should this statewide official be removed? And then the second question is, if they are removed, who should replace them? And there’s a list of candidates that voters get to choose from. And what proposition five would do is eliminate that second question, that question about the successor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:31] Yeah, so the rules for recall in California are different for state office and local office. For local office, it’s probably somewhat of a familiar process for people. There’s a question on the ballot, should this person be removed from office? If they are removed, then how the next person gets chosen can result in a variety of ways. So if you remember the Oakland mayor recall, there was a special election after that. There was the district attorney recalls in Alameda and SF. The replacements there were appointed. State recalls work a little bit differently where voters are asked two questions on the ballot. One is, should this statewide official be removed? And then the second question is, if they are removed, who should replace them? And there’s a list of candidates that voters get to choose from. And what proposition five would do is eliminate that second question, that question about the successor.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:30] And as you just mentioned, and just to clarify for voters, Prop 5 specifically pertains to recalls for statewide office, right? Not local office. So what kinds of elected positions are we talking about here?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:30] And as you just mentioned, and just to clarify for voters, Prop 5 specifically pertains to recalls for statewide office, right? Not local office. So what kinds of elected positions are we talking about here?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:45] That’s right, so this would only apply to statewide offices like governor, like attorney general and like state legislative offices, so assembly and Senate. And basically what it would do is make state recall elections more like local recall elections where there’s only one question on the ballot and it’s asking whether or not this elected official should be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:45] That’s right, so this would only apply to statewide offices like governor, like attorney general and like state legislative offices, so assembly and Senate. And basically what it would do is make state recall elections more like local recall elections where there’s only one question on the ballot and it’s asking whether or not this elected official should be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:06] And just for some background here, Guy, how often have recall campaigns been actually put before California voters in the past when it comes to these statewide offices? Like have sitting politicians actually even been recalled before?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:06] And just for some background here, Guy, how often have recall campaigns been actually put before California voters in the past when it comes to these statewide offices? Like have sitting politicians actually even been recalled before?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:23] Yes. So since voters in California approved this recall process more than a hundred years ago, goes all the way back to 1911, there have been 11 recall elections against statewide officials. Of those six recalls have been successful. Five recall elections have been unsuccessful. The most famous successful recall election was in 2003, when Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, was recalled by voters. And Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won the successor election and became governor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:23] Yes. So since voters in California approved this recall process more than a hundred years ago, goes all the way back to 1911, there have been 11 recall elections against statewide officials. Of those six recalls have been successful. Five recall elections have been unsuccessful. The most famous successful recall election was in 2003, when Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, was recalled by voters. And Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won the successor election and became governor.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:55] The recall campaign against Governor Gray-Davis is gathering steam with the launch of the\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:55] The recall campaign against Governor Gray-Davis is gathering steam with the launch of the\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:59] Governor Gray Davis is hurting our state and our people. First question you’re asked, do you believe it should be recalled? Then the second question is, should it be recalled, who would you like to see replace it? And it’s an open primary, one ballot. And whoever gets the most vote, if a majority say yes on recall, immediately becomes the governor of California.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:59] Governor Gray Davis is hurting our state and our people. First question you’re asked, do you believe it should be recalled? Then the second question is, should it be recalled, who would you like to see replace it? And it’s an open primary, one ballot. And whoever gets the most vote, if a majority say yes on recall, immediately becomes the governor of California.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:23] And the proponents of this measure sort of point to that election as a reason to make these kind of changes that Prop 5 is proposing, right?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:23] And the proponents of this measure sort of point to that election as a reason to make these kind of changes that Prop 5 is proposing, right?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:04:36] Yeah, you know, I think supporters say it’s fundamentally unfair that someone can win a successor election on a recall ballot and not get a majority vote, which can happen if there’s a if there is a recall against a state official and a majority of voters elect to recall that official, the top replacement candidate doesn’t need to get a majority vote. They just need to finish first and suddenly they take that office. So supporters of Proposition 5 say… This is basically a loophole. This is a workaround where someone could potentially become governor of California without ever getting a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:04:36] Yeah, you know, I think supporters say it’s fundamentally unfair that someone can win a successor election on a recall ballot and not get a majority vote, which can happen if there’s a if there is a recall against a state official and a majority of voters elect to recall that official, the top replacement candidate doesn’t need to get a majority vote. They just need to finish first and suddenly they take that office. So supporters of Proposition 5 say… This is basically a loophole. This is a workaround where someone could potentially become governor of California without ever getting a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:13] So I get that that second question won’t be there on the ballot if Prop 5 is passed, but let’s say that the person does get recalled. What happens next in this Prop 5 universe? Like are they outed immediately or who takes their place at least temporarily?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:13] So I get that that second question won’t be there on the ballot if Prop 5 is passed, but let’s say that the person does get recalled. What happens next in this Prop 5 universe? Like are they outed immediately or who takes their place at least temporarily?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:32] If you’re recalling a state legislator, so a state senator or a state assembly member, what will happen is there could be a special election called after the fact, where a new state legislate is picked. In the case of statewide offices, like attorney general, like secretary of state, a new secretary of State, a new attorney general will be appointed. In the cases of the governor, basically the lieutenant governor would take over And then there would be. An election to replace or to pick the next governor. So if it happens early in the governor’s term, there would be a special election taking place at the next statewide election where our voters would get to choose and vote on a new governor. If it happens late in that governor’s turn, the lieutenant governor would simply just fill the seat until the regularly scheduled election for governor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:32] If you’re recalling a state legislator, so a state senator or a state assembly member, what will happen is there could be a special election called after the fact, where a new state legislate is picked. In the case of statewide offices, like attorney general, like secretary of state, a new secretary of State, a new attorney general will be appointed. In the cases of the governor, basically the lieutenant governor would take over And then there would be. An election to replace or to pick the next governor. So if it happens early in the governor’s term, there would be a special election taking place at the next statewide election where our voters would get to choose and vote on a new governor. If it happens late in that governor’s turn, the lieutenant governor would simply just fill the seat until the regularly scheduled election for governor.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on PopFest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on PopFest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:49] And let’s get into the politics of this a little bit, Guy. Who else is sort of pushing for Prop 5 to be passed?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:49] And let’s get into the politics of this a little bit, Guy. Who else is sort of pushing for Prop 5 to be passed?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] Yeah, so this is really turned into kind of a partisan divide on Proposition 5, where we see the California Democratic Party in support, almost entirely Democrats in the legislature voted to put this on the ballot. And one of the top supporters of Proposition five is Shirley Weber, who’s California the secretary of state, the top election official.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] Yeah, so this is really turned into kind of a partisan divide on Proposition 5, where we see the California Democratic Party in support, almost entirely Democrats in the legislature voted to put this on the ballot. And one of the top supporters of Proposition five is Shirley Weber, who’s California the secretary of state, the top election official.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:17] This was a way in which people could game the system, looking for a time when we had low voter turnout. Then we’d have all these folks on the ballot and then you’d pick somebody and they’d have 30% or 20% of whatever it was.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:17] This was a way in which people could game the system, looking for a time when we had low voter turnout. Then we’d have all these folks on the ballot and then you’d pick somebody and they’d have 30% or 20% of whatever it was.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:27] She said her office started working on these potential reforms to introduce them after the unsuccessful recall of Newsom in 2021. And here’s Weber talking about their proposal at a state Senate hearing.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:27] She said her office started working on these potential reforms to introduce them after the unsuccessful recall of Newsom in 2021. And here’s Weber talking about their proposal at a state Senate hearing.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:40] The whole election about, should this person be recalled? So that the discussion is on the merit of the recall itself, not on is there a better replacement, but should this be person be recall? Has there been enough?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:40] The whole election about, should this person be recalled? So that the discussion is on the merit of the recall itself, not on is there a better replacement, but should this be person be recall? Has there been enough?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] Proponents here are really arguing that the state should avoid what happened in the last two recall elections for governor. What we’ve seen in the past is, when there’s a recall facing someone like Gray Davis, or in 2021, we saw this, a recall-facing Gavin Newsom, there’s also this second campaign that plays out in parallel about, okay, well, who should the replacement candidate be? Who should the top replacement candidate? This would eliminate that second part, and supporters say, well yes, this will really allow the conversation and the debate to focus on whether or not this person facing a recall actually deserves to be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] Proponents here are really arguing that the state should avoid what happened in the last two recall elections for governor. What we’ve seen in the past is, when there’s a recall facing someone like Gray Davis, or in 2021, we saw this, a recall-facing Gavin Newsom, there’s also this second campaign that plays out in parallel about, okay, well, who should the replacement candidate be? Who should the top replacement candidate? This would eliminate that second part, and supporters say, well yes, this will really allow the conversation and the debate to focus on whether or not this person facing a recall actually deserves to be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:29] Who is opposed to this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:29] Who is opposed to this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:31] The opposition has come from Republicans, California’s Republican Party, Republicans in the state legislature, who have really argued against making this change the state’s recall rules.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:31] The opposition has come from Republicans, California’s Republican Party, Republicans in the state legislature, who have really argued against making this change the state’s recall rules.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:08:43] This is insane. We should be able to continue the process for recalls where if someone is being recalled from office, we first vote on the ballot. And secondly, we say, if they’re recalled, here’s who we want to take over representation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:08:43] This is insane. We should be able to continue the process for recalls where if someone is being recalled from office, we first vote on the ballot. And secondly, we say, if they’re recalled, here’s who we want to take over representation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:57] Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is running an effort to support and oppose a few different measures, including oppose Proposition 5. And the argument you really hear from opponents of Prop 5 is that the recall system is working as it is.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:57] Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is running an effort to support and oppose a few different measures, including oppose Proposition 5. And the argument you really hear from opponents of Prop 5 is that the recall system is working as it is.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:09:12] Please don’t weaken the recall provision in the state constitution. It’s one of the only things we have to hold politicians accountable.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:09:12] Please don’t weaken the recall provision in the state constitution. It’s one of the only things we have to hold politicians accountable.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] There doesn’t need to be any changes to it. It has existed in the state for over 100 years. They say the idea of having a governor be removed by the will of the people, by the voters, only to have a lieutenant governor come in and take their place is not really the change that voters who are pushing a recall are looking for in the first place. We see in modern day in California, the governor and lieutenant governor are almost always Democratic. And so if there’s a recall election against the governor, voters are seeking change. Number one, having just the next Democrat in line take that office might not really reflect to the will of what brought the voters to a recall. And secondly, the lieutenant governor would then serve as governor without ever having been elected. So if the argument for Proposition 5 is that a successor could take office with less than 50% of the vote, well Under Prop 5, the lieutenant governor would take office and they didn’t get any of the vote for governor. So opponents of Prop 5 see this as real flaws with the measure.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] There doesn’t need to be any changes to it. It has existed in the state for over 100 years. They say the idea of having a governor be removed by the will of the people, by the voters, only to have a lieutenant governor come in and take their place is not really the change that voters who are pushing a recall are looking for in the first place. We see in modern day in California, the governor and lieutenant governor are almost always Democratic. And so if there’s a recall election against the governor, voters are seeking change. Number one, having just the next Democrat in line take that office might not really reflect to the will of what brought the voters to a recall. And secondly, the lieutenant governor would then serve as governor without ever having been elected. So if the argument for Proposition 5 is that a successor could take office with less than 50% of the vote, well Under Prop 5, the lieutenant governor would take office and they didn’t get any of the vote for governor. So opponents of Prop 5 see this as real flaws with the measure.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:25] And is anyone throwing lots of money into Prop 5 on either side? And any sense guy of how likely this is to pass?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:25] And is anyone throwing lots of money into Prop 5 on either side? And any sense guy of how likely this is to pass?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] You know, we haven’t seen any campaign spending with Proposition 5 on either side. In mid-September, the Public Policy Institute of California released polling on the statewide measures and it showed just 35% of voters supporting Proposition five with 59% opposed. In what really looks like another example of California voters appearing hesitant to make really any changes to the state system of direct democracy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] You know, we haven’t seen any campaign spending with Proposition 5 on either side. In mid-September, the Public Policy Institute of California released polling on the statewide measures and it showed just 35% of voters supporting Proposition five with 59% opposed. In what really looks like another example of California voters appearing hesitant to make really any changes to the state system of direct democracy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Well, Guy, thank you so much, as always, for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Well, Guy, thank you so much, as always, for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:06] Of course, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:06] Of course, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "In 2021, California voters were asked whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. But there was also a second question: Who should replace him?",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790364038,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 44,
"wordCount": 2212
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prop 5: Changes to the State Recall Election Process | KQED",
"description": "In 2021, California voters were asked whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. But there was also a second question: Who should replace him?",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialDescription": "In 2021, California voters were asked whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. But there was also a second question: Who should replace him?",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Prop 5: Changes to the State Recall Election Process",
"datePublished": "2026-09-30T03:05:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-25T12:20:38-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "Prop Fest 2026",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC5333631416.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100623/proposition-5-would-change-the-state-recall-election-process",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] You may remember that in 2021, California voters were asked whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:08] But there was also a second question on the ballot. Who should replace him if he was recalled?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:15] Obviously, the recall failed, but if it was successful, Newsom would have technically been replaced by Republican Larry Elder, who won about 48% of the vote in that second question.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:29] And that’s how the process works for state-wide recall elections right now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:33] But proposition five could change that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] I’m Olivia Allen Price, host of Bay Curious.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:40] And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between The Bay and BayCurious. And we’re back again with another episode to help you get up to speed on all the statewide propositions on the ballot this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:54] Today, we’re breaking down proposition five. Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:01:00] Prop 5 – Changes recall election process for statewide officers\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Here to break it down for us is KQED’s politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, how’s it going?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Good. So this proposition that we’re talking about today pertains to recall reform. Before we dive in here, how exactly do recalls for people in statewide office currently work in California?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:31] Yeah, so the rules for recall in California are different for state office and local office. For local office, it’s probably somewhat of a familiar process for people. There’s a question on the ballot, should this person be removed from office? If they are removed, then how the next person gets chosen can result in a variety of ways. So if you remember the Oakland mayor recall, there was a special election after that. There was the district attorney recalls in Alameda and SF. The replacements there were appointed. State recalls work a little bit differently where voters are asked two questions on the ballot. One is, should this statewide official be removed? And then the second question is, if they are removed, who should replace them? And there’s a list of candidates that voters get to choose from. And what proposition five would do is eliminate that second question, that question about the successor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:30] And as you just mentioned, and just to clarify for voters, Prop 5 specifically pertains to recalls for statewide office, right? Not local office. So what kinds of elected positions are we talking about here?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:45] That’s right, so this would only apply to statewide offices like governor, like attorney general and like state legislative offices, so assembly and Senate. And basically what it would do is make state recall elections more like local recall elections where there’s only one question on the ballot and it’s asking whether or not this elected official should be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:06] And just for some background here, Guy, how often have recall campaigns been actually put before California voters in the past when it comes to these statewide offices? Like have sitting politicians actually even been recalled before?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:23] Yes. So since voters in California approved this recall process more than a hundred years ago, goes all the way back to 1911, there have been 11 recall elections against statewide officials. Of those six recalls have been successful. Five recall elections have been unsuccessful. The most famous successful recall election was in 2003, when Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, was recalled by voters. And Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won the successor election and became governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:55] The recall campaign against Governor Gray-Davis is gathering steam with the launch of the\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:03:59] Governor Gray Davis is hurting our state and our people. First question you’re asked, do you believe it should be recalled? Then the second question is, should it be recalled, who would you like to see replace it? And it’s an open primary, one ballot. And whoever gets the most vote, if a majority say yes on recall, immediately becomes the governor of California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:23] And the proponents of this measure sort of point to that election as a reason to make these kind of changes that Prop 5 is proposing, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:04:36] Yeah, you know, I think supporters say it’s fundamentally unfair that someone can win a successor election on a recall ballot and not get a majority vote, which can happen if there’s a if there is a recall against a state official and a majority of voters elect to recall that official, the top replacement candidate doesn’t need to get a majority vote. They just need to finish first and suddenly they take that office. So supporters of Proposition 5 say… This is basically a loophole. This is a workaround where someone could potentially become governor of California without ever getting a majority vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:13] So I get that that second question won’t be there on the ballot if Prop 5 is passed, but let’s say that the person does get recalled. What happens next in this Prop 5 universe? Like are they outed immediately or who takes their place at least temporarily?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:32] If you’re recalling a state legislator, so a state senator or a state assembly member, what will happen is there could be a special election called after the fact, where a new state legislate is picked. In the case of statewide offices, like attorney general, like secretary of state, a new secretary of State, a new attorney general will be appointed. In the cases of the governor, basically the lieutenant governor would take over And then there would be. An election to replace or to pick the next governor. So if it happens early in the governor’s term, there would be a special election taking place at the next statewide election where our voters would get to choose and vote on a new governor. If it happens late in that governor’s turn, the lieutenant governor would simply just fill the seat until the regularly scheduled election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on PopFest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:49] And let’s get into the politics of this a little bit, Guy. Who else is sort of pushing for Prop 5 to be passed?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] Yeah, so this is really turned into kind of a partisan divide on Proposition 5, where we see the California Democratic Party in support, almost entirely Democrats in the legislature voted to put this on the ballot. And one of the top supporters of Proposition five is Shirley Weber, who’s California the secretary of state, the top election official.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:17] This was a way in which people could game the system, looking for a time when we had low voter turnout. Then we’d have all these folks on the ballot and then you’d pick somebody and they’d have 30% or 20% of whatever it was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:27] She said her office started working on these potential reforms to introduce them after the unsuccessful recall of Newsom in 2021. And here’s Weber talking about their proposal at a state Senate hearing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Shirley Weber \u003c/strong>[00:07:40] The whole election about, should this person be recalled? So that the discussion is on the merit of the recall itself, not on is there a better replacement, but should this be person be recall? Has there been enough?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:51] Proponents here are really arguing that the state should avoid what happened in the last two recall elections for governor. What we’ve seen in the past is, when there’s a recall facing someone like Gray Davis, or in 2021, we saw this, a recall-facing Gavin Newsom, there’s also this second campaign that plays out in parallel about, okay, well, who should the replacement candidate be? Who should the top replacement candidate? This would eliminate that second part, and supporters say, well yes, this will really allow the conversation and the debate to focus on whether or not this person facing a recall actually deserves to be removed from office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:29] Who is opposed to this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:31] The opposition has come from Republicans, California’s Republican Party, Republicans in the state legislature, who have really argued against making this change the state’s recall rules.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:08:43] This is insane. We should be able to continue the process for recalls where if someone is being recalled from office, we first vote on the ballot. And secondly, we say, if they’re recalled, here’s who we want to take over representation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:57] Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is running an effort to support and oppose a few different measures, including oppose Proposition 5. And the argument you really hear from opponents of Prop 5 is that the recall system is working as it is.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:09:12] Please don’t weaken the recall provision in the state constitution. It’s one of the only things we have to hold politicians accountable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:19] There doesn’t need to be any changes to it. It has existed in the state for over 100 years. They say the idea of having a governor be removed by the will of the people, by the voters, only to have a lieutenant governor come in and take their place is not really the change that voters who are pushing a recall are looking for in the first place. We see in modern day in California, the governor and lieutenant governor are almost always Democratic. And so if there’s a recall election against the governor, voters are seeking change. Number one, having just the next Democrat in line take that office might not really reflect to the will of what brought the voters to a recall. And secondly, the lieutenant governor would then serve as governor without ever having been elected. So if the argument for Proposition 5 is that a successor could take office with less than 50% of the vote, well Under Prop 5, the lieutenant governor would take office and they didn’t get any of the vote for governor. So opponents of Prop 5 see this as real flaws with the measure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:25] And is anyone throwing lots of money into Prop 5 on either side? And any sense guy of how likely this is to pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] You know, we haven’t seen any campaign spending with Proposition 5 on either side. In mid-September, the Public Policy Institute of California released polling on the statewide measures and it showed just 35% of voters supporting Proposition five with 59% opposed. In what really looks like another example of California voters appearing hesitant to make really any changes to the state system of direct democracy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Well, Guy, thank you so much, as always, for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:06] Of course, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100623/proposition-5-would-change-the-state-recall-election-process",
"authors": [
"8654",
"227",
"11946",
"11879",
"11649"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_33520",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18426",
"news_33812",
"news_17968",
"news_28645",
"news_21509",
"news_22598"
],
"featImg": "news_11886518",
"label": "source_news_12100623"
},
"news_12101714": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101714",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101714",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790762400000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween",
"title": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween",
"publishDate": 1790762400,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The Fog (1980)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The Birds (1963)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The Lost Boys (1987)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Zodiac (2007)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Pacific Heights (1990)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Burnt Offerings (1976)",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/embed",
"attrs": {
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g",
"type": "video",
"providerNameSlug": "youtube",
"responsive": true,
"className": "wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio",
"allowResponsive": true,
"previewable": true
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Contagion (2011) ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/shortcode",
"attrs": {
"shortcode_type": "self_closing",
"shortcode_name": "baycuriousquestion"
},
"innerHTML": "\n[baycuriousquestion]\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n[baycuriousquestion]\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Episode transcript",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Eight movies top our list of the best scary films set in the Bay Area.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790641478,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": true,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 139,
"wordCount": 6901
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween | KQED",
"description": "Eight movies top our list of the best scary films set in the Bay Area.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween",
"datePublished": "2026-09-30T03:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-28T17:24:38-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "Bay Curious",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious",
"audioUrl": "https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/KQINC1604726830.mp3?key=c04fa110afb8fe7e1d2991c9c030c53b&request_event_id=6e56ecc1-8e2d-474f-8680-f92cb679987d&session_id=6e56ecc1-8e2d-474f-8680-f92cb679987d&timetoken=1790641617_E90A58D61F6A1844F886F14C0E2DD05F",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Carly Severn, Peter Hartlaub and Olivia Allen-Price",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "Yes",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/5m9c0gBgh6c'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/5m9c0gBgh6c'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/q9VqUzdEQsk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/q9VqUzdEQsk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/lCxR7dlavwg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/lCxR7dlavwg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/kPrqsdlgqCw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/kPrqsdlgqCw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/yNncHPl1UXg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/yNncHPl1UXg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/JidGAt7zXT0'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/JidGAt7zXT0'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/dmINBAFhveM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/dmINBAFhveM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/4sYSyuuLk5g'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/4sYSyuuLk5g'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "baycuriousquestion",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
}
],
"link": "/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101714"
],
"programs": [
"news_33523",
"news_34552"
],
"series": [
"news_17986"
],
"categories": [
"news_29992",
"news_223",
"news_31795",
"news_28250",
"news_8",
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_18426",
"news_18538",
"news_27626",
"news_17719",
"news_18816",
"news_701",
"news_5930",
"news_34054",
"news_34560",
"news_3286",
"news_38"
],
"featImg": "news_12101751",
"label": "source_news_12101714"
},
"news_12101308": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101308",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101308",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790762400000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "prop-4-allows-cities-to-create-public-campaign-financing-programs",
"title": "Prop 4: Allows Cities to Create Public Campaign Financing Programs",
"publishDate": 1790762400,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prop 4: Allows Cities to Create Public Campaign Financing Programs | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you want to get elected to office in California, it’s no big secret that you’ll need to raise money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And in some cases, a lot of money. State legislative campaigns can run into the million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That puts candidates who don’t come from money or have rich connections at a disadvantage, some say. And that’s the issue that creators of Proposition 4 are trying to address. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over:\u003c/strong> Proposition four, repeals prohibition against public funding of election campaigns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz Guevara. This is Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious, where we break down the propositions on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s a marathon this year with 14 initiatives. So let’s get right to it, shall we? Here to talk campaign finance with us is reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s politics desk. Welcome, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Hi, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so Prop 4 would repeal part of a proposition that was passed by voters back in 1988. What was the deal with that prop?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So,\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>in 1988, there was a feeling very similar to right now that there’s too much money in politics, especially corporate money, special interest money. On top of that, the mood in the 80s when Reagan was president was very pro-business, anti-tax, anti-spending. So in 1988, Prop 73 banned public funds for campaign expenses. Basically, that meant governments can’t allow politicians to use taxpayer money for their campaigns. And then that proposition did a second thing, which is set new limits on campaign contributions. But a few years later, a federal judge threw out that second tenant, and just the public financing ban remained. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So then how do we get from there to Prop 4? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So state Senator Tom Umberg wrote the bill that ended up becoming Prop 4. It’s similarly a response to this growing feeling that big money and corporate interests and super PACs have too much influence in politics. And that public financing helps candidates who don’t have a ton of personal wealth or access to those special interests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s look under the hood. How does this actually work if passed? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>What it does is repeal the ban from Prop 73 to allow state and local governments to set up public financing programs for election campaigns. Candidates would have to meet certain eligibility criteria and agree to spending limits. And the initiative also spells out that the funds could not be used for legal defense costs, fines, or repayment of personal loans. It also has this provision that allows the legislature to amend the rules about how public financing works, like the mechanics and eligibility requirements without needing to go back to the ballot and ask voters to approve it again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Does this mean that automatically there will be a pool of money for political candidates to pull from?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, it’s basically just allowing governments to create programs and they will have, you know, specific eligibility requirements that they’ll have to decide for themselves, like raising a certain amount of small dollar donations or not accepting PAC money or capping how many personal funds they donate to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>But I understand that there are some cities that have already been providing public funding for campaigns. Is that true? And if so, like how?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so there’s an exception in Prop 73 for charter cities, which have their own constitution and that gives the state less authority over them. A lot of the biggest cities in California are charter cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. And so they already have public financing programs. Supporters of this initiative point to the success of candidates like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Karen Bass: \u003c/strong>Thanks to L.A.’s Supermatch program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-1 by the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Or New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who accessed public finance systems and won their elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Us through how one of these programs works so we can kind of get a sense for it. Let’s take a look at San Francisco, for example.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of hurdles a candidate has to pass to qualify for the money. So a candidate for mayor in San Francisco can receive up to $1.2 million in public funds. There are minimum qualifying contributions. So you have to show you have support from actual voters. You need to be opposed by a candidate who raises or spends at least $50,000. You have to agree to a spending limit of roughly $1,500,000 and agree to limits on how much. You donate to your own campaign. And then it’s a match program in San Francisco. That’s a lot, but essentially there are many rules and you need to prove you’re a serious candidate. And the program can’t favor candidates in one party over the other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Is that how all the programs in California would look if Proposition 4 passes? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, there’s a lot of different ways a state or local government could set up a program like this. Like in Seattle, Washington, they have democracy vouchers, giving residents $100. They get to decide which candidates to distribute that money to. And that’s supposed to encourage candidates to engage with the people they hope to represent instead of appealing to special interests.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we pause for a quick break, won’t you consider becoming a member of KQED? Donate whatever works for your budget at donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. One-time gifts, ongoing donations, we are here for it all. Thanks! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back talking about proposition four, the public funding for campaigns prop with KQED’s Izzy Bloom. Izzy, who is supporting this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>This measure is supported by the California Democratic Party, California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of California, California Clean Money Campaign. Jenny Farrell, the executive director of the League for Women Voters of California said this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jenny Farrell: \u003c/strong>Public financing can make it possible for someone who is deeply connected to their community, but doesn’t have a Rolodex full of wealthy donors to run a viable campaign. Before public financing, women made up a minority of Los Angeles City Council. Once Los Angeles put public financing in place, 14 or 15 of the members were elected using matching funds, and a majority of members now are women, a majority members are people of color. And it’s the most diverse city council in the city’s history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Who is opposing this measure and why? Anti-tax groups like the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association, as well as the PAC Reform California run by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a former chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, Dan Schnurr, and they all argue that the measure is written too broadly. It leaves each government to set its own eligibility criteria and spending limits, and that makes the system vulnerable to abuse. David Kline is spokesperson for the California Taxpayers Association, and he thinks taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used for campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Kline: \u003c/strong>The whole idea on its face is bad. Tax dollars should be used to help the taxpayers, to help constituents by promoting reasonable, efficient government services. Not to give money to a candidate to then put out a hit piece mailer on an opponent, and not to flood our mailboxes with even more junk mail from campaigns every election season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Also, candidates already have to file campaign finance reports disclosing contributions and expenditures, which Kline says creates a lot of transparency around where big money is putting their influence and voters can decide for themselves whether they support that or not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like on this spending prop? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Not much spending on this initiative, just $7,500 in opposition from Reform California. As for the cost to the state, the Nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates it could cost the state a few hundred thousand dollars a year just to cover the additional hours and staffing for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer state and local government’s questions about the programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s Politics Desk, thank you for walking us through this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 4 means you want to remove the ban on public funding for election campaigns, opening the door for state or local governments to create new programs. A vote no means you wanna keep the ban in place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s all for our episode on Prop Four. Also in your podcast feed today is our show on Prop Five, which takes on statewide recalls. And we’ll be back with even more tomorrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Erica Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck,Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme and me, Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, and everyone on Team KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Some members of the KQD podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Episode Transcript:",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you want to get elected to office in California, it’s no big secret that you’ll need to raise money.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you want to get elected to office in California, it’s no big secret that you’ll need to raise money.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And in some cases, a lot of money. State legislative campaigns can run into the million.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And in some cases, a lot of money. State legislative campaigns can run into the million.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That puts candidates who don’t come from money or have rich connections at a disadvantage, some say. And that’s the issue that creators of Proposition 4 are trying to address. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That puts candidates who don’t come from money or have rich connections at a disadvantage, some say. And that’s the issue that creators of Proposition 4 are trying to address. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over:\u003c/strong> Proposition four, repeals prohibition against public funding of election campaigns. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over:\u003c/strong> Proposition four, repeals prohibition against public funding of election campaigns. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz Guevara. This is Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious, where we break down the propositions on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz Guevara. This is Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious, where we break down the propositions on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s a marathon this year with 14 initiatives. So let’s get right to it, shall we? Here to talk campaign finance with us is reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s politics desk. Welcome, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s a marathon this year with 14 initiatives. So let’s get right to it, shall we? Here to talk campaign finance with us is reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s politics desk. Welcome, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Hi, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Hi, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so Prop 4 would repeal part of a proposition that was passed by voters back in 1988. What was the deal with that prop?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so Prop 4 would repeal part of a proposition that was passed by voters back in 1988. What was the deal with that prop?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So,\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>in 1988, there was a feeling very similar to right now that there’s too much money in politics, especially corporate money, special interest money. On top of that, the mood in the 80s when Reagan was president was very pro-business, anti-tax, anti-spending. So in 1988, Prop 73 banned public funds for campaign expenses. Basically, that meant governments can’t allow politicians to use taxpayer money for their campaigns. And then that proposition did a second thing, which is set new limits on campaign contributions. But a few years later, a federal judge threw out that second tenant, and just the public financing ban remained. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So,\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>in 1988, there was a feeling very similar to right now that there’s too much money in politics, especially corporate money, special interest money. On top of that, the mood in the 80s when Reagan was president was very pro-business, anti-tax, anti-spending. So in 1988, Prop 73 banned public funds for campaign expenses. Basically, that meant governments can’t allow politicians to use taxpayer money for their campaigns. And then that proposition did a second thing, which is set new limits on campaign contributions. But a few years later, a federal judge threw out that second tenant, and just the public financing ban remained. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So then how do we get from there to Prop 4? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So then how do we get from there to Prop 4? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So state Senator Tom Umberg wrote the bill that ended up becoming Prop 4. It’s similarly a response to this growing feeling that big money and corporate interests and super PACs have too much influence in politics. And that public financing helps candidates who don’t have a ton of personal wealth or access to those special interests. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So state Senator Tom Umberg wrote the bill that ended up becoming Prop 4. It’s similarly a response to this growing feeling that big money and corporate interests and super PACs have too much influence in politics. And that public financing helps candidates who don’t have a ton of personal wealth or access to those special interests. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s look under the hood. How does this actually work if passed? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s look under the hood. How does this actually work if passed? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>What it does is repeal the ban from Prop 73 to allow state and local governments to set up public financing programs for election campaigns. Candidates would have to meet certain eligibility criteria and agree to spending limits. And the initiative also spells out that the funds could not be used for legal defense costs, fines, or repayment of personal loans. It also has this provision that allows the legislature to amend the rules about how public financing works, like the mechanics and eligibility requirements without needing to go back to the ballot and ask voters to approve it again.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>What it does is repeal the ban from Prop 73 to allow state and local governments to set up public financing programs for election campaigns. Candidates would have to meet certain eligibility criteria and agree to spending limits. And the initiative also spells out that the funds could not be used for legal defense costs, fines, or repayment of personal loans. It also has this provision that allows the legislature to amend the rules about how public financing works, like the mechanics and eligibility requirements without needing to go back to the ballot and ask voters to approve it again.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Does this mean that automatically there will be a pool of money for political candidates to pull from?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Does this mean that automatically there will be a pool of money for political candidates to pull from?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, it’s basically just allowing governments to create programs and they will have, you know, specific eligibility requirements that they’ll have to decide for themselves, like raising a certain amount of small dollar donations or not accepting PAC money or capping how many personal funds they donate to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, it’s basically just allowing governments to create programs and they will have, you know, specific eligibility requirements that they’ll have to decide for themselves, like raising a certain amount of small dollar donations or not accepting PAC money or capping how many personal funds they donate to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>But I understand that there are some cities that have already been providing public funding for campaigns. Is that true? And if so, like how?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>But I understand that there are some cities that have already been providing public funding for campaigns. Is that true? And if so, like how?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so there’s an exception in Prop 73 for charter cities, which have their own constitution and that gives the state less authority over them. A lot of the biggest cities in California are charter cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. And so they already have public financing programs. Supporters of this initiative point to the success of candidates like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so there’s an exception in Prop 73 for charter cities, which have their own constitution and that gives the state less authority over them. A lot of the biggest cities in California are charter cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. And so they already have public financing programs. Supporters of this initiative point to the success of candidates like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Karen Bass: \u003c/strong>Thanks to L.A.’s Supermatch program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-1 by the city.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Karen Bass: \u003c/strong>Thanks to L.A.’s Supermatch program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-1 by the city.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Or New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who accessed public finance systems and won their elections.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Or New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who accessed public finance systems and won their elections.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Us through how one of these programs works so we can kind of get a sense for it. Let’s take a look at San Francisco, for example.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Us through how one of these programs works so we can kind of get a sense for it. Let’s take a look at San Francisco, for example.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of hurdles a candidate has to pass to qualify for the money. So a candidate for mayor in San Francisco can receive up to $1.2 million in public funds. There are minimum qualifying contributions. So you have to show you have support from actual voters. You need to be opposed by a candidate who raises or spends at least $50,000. You have to agree to a spending limit of roughly $1,500,000 and agree to limits on how much. You donate to your own campaign. And then it’s a match program in San Francisco. That’s a lot, but essentially there are many rules and you need to prove you’re a serious candidate. And the program can’t favor candidates in one party over the other.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of hurdles a candidate has to pass to qualify for the money. So a candidate for mayor in San Francisco can receive up to $1.2 million in public funds. There are minimum qualifying contributions. So you have to show you have support from actual voters. You need to be opposed by a candidate who raises or spends at least $50,000. You have to agree to a spending limit of roughly $1,500,000 and agree to limits on how much. You donate to your own campaign. And then it’s a match program in San Francisco. That’s a lot, but essentially there are many rules and you need to prove you’re a serious candidate. And the program can’t favor candidates in one party over the other.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Is that how all the programs in California would look if Proposition 4 passes? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Is that how all the programs in California would look if Proposition 4 passes? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, there’s a lot of different ways a state or local government could set up a program like this. Like in Seattle, Washington, they have democracy vouchers, giving residents $100. They get to decide which candidates to distribute that money to. And that’s supposed to encourage candidates to engage with the people they hope to represent instead of appealing to special interests.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, there’s a lot of different ways a state or local government could set up a program like this. Like in Seattle, Washington, they have democracy vouchers, giving residents $100. They get to decide which candidates to distribute that money to. And that’s supposed to encourage candidates to engage with the people they hope to represent instead of appealing to special interests.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we pause for a quick break, won’t you consider becoming a member of KQED? Donate whatever works for your budget at donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. One-time gifts, ongoing donations, we are here for it all. Thanks! \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we pause for a quick break, won’t you consider becoming a member of KQED? Donate whatever works for your budget at donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. One-time gifts, ongoing donations, we are here for it all. Thanks! \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back talking about proposition four, the public funding for campaigns prop with KQED’s Izzy Bloom. Izzy, who is supporting this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back talking about proposition four, the public funding for campaigns prop with KQED’s Izzy Bloom. Izzy, who is supporting this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>This measure is supported by the California Democratic Party, California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of California, California Clean Money Campaign. Jenny Farrell, the executive director of the League for Women Voters of California said this.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>This measure is supported by the California Democratic Party, California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of California, California Clean Money Campaign. Jenny Farrell, the executive director of the League for Women Voters of California said this.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jenny Farrell: \u003c/strong>Public financing can make it possible for someone who is deeply connected to their community, but doesn’t have a Rolodex full of wealthy donors to run a viable campaign. Before public financing, women made up a minority of Los Angeles City Council. Once Los Angeles put public financing in place, 14 or 15 of the members were elected using matching funds, and a majority of members now are women, a majority members are people of color. And it’s the most diverse city council in the city’s history.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jenny Farrell: \u003c/strong>Public financing can make it possible for someone who is deeply connected to their community, but doesn’t have a Rolodex full of wealthy donors to run a viable campaign. Before public financing, women made up a minority of Los Angeles City Council. Once Los Angeles put public financing in place, 14 or 15 of the members were elected using matching funds, and a majority of members now are women, a majority members are people of color. And it’s the most diverse city council in the city’s history.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Who is opposing this measure and why? Anti-tax groups like the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association, as well as the PAC Reform California run by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a former chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, Dan Schnurr, and they all argue that the measure is written too broadly. It leaves each government to set its own eligibility criteria and spending limits, and that makes the system vulnerable to abuse. David Kline is spokesperson for the California Taxpayers Association, and he thinks taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used for campaigns.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Who is opposing this measure and why? Anti-tax groups like the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association, as well as the PAC Reform California run by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a former chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, Dan Schnurr, and they all argue that the measure is written too broadly. It leaves each government to set its own eligibility criteria and spending limits, and that makes the system vulnerable to abuse. David Kline is spokesperson for the California Taxpayers Association, and he thinks taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used for campaigns.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Kline: \u003c/strong>The whole idea on its face is bad. Tax dollars should be used to help the taxpayers, to help constituents by promoting reasonable, efficient government services. Not to give money to a candidate to then put out a hit piece mailer on an opponent, and not to flood our mailboxes with even more junk mail from campaigns every election season.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Kline: \u003c/strong>The whole idea on its face is bad. Tax dollars should be used to help the taxpayers, to help constituents by promoting reasonable, efficient government services. Not to give money to a candidate to then put out a hit piece mailer on an opponent, and not to flood our mailboxes with even more junk mail from campaigns every election season.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Also, candidates already have to file campaign finance reports disclosing contributions and expenditures, which Kline says creates a lot of transparency around where big money is putting their influence and voters can decide for themselves whether they support that or not. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Also, candidates already have to file campaign finance reports disclosing contributions and expenditures, which Kline says creates a lot of transparency around where big money is putting their influence and voters can decide for themselves whether they support that or not. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like on this spending prop? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like on this spending prop? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Not much spending on this initiative, just $7,500 in opposition from Reform California. As for the cost to the state, the Nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates it could cost the state a few hundred thousand dollars a year just to cover the additional hours and staffing for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer state and local government’s questions about the programs.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Not much spending on this initiative, just $7,500 in opposition from Reform California. As for the cost to the state, the Nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates it could cost the state a few hundred thousand dollars a year just to cover the additional hours and staffing for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer state and local government’s questions about the programs.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s Politics Desk, thank you for walking us through this one.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s Politics Desk, thank you for walking us through this one.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 4 means you want to remove the ban on public funding for election campaigns, opening the door for state or local governments to create new programs. A vote no means you wanna keep the ban in place.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 4 means you want to remove the ban on public funding for election campaigns, opening the door for state or local governments to create new programs. A vote no means you wanna keep the ban in place.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s all for our episode on Prop Four. Also in your podcast feed today is our show on Prop Five, which takes on statewide recalls. And we’ll be back with even more tomorrow.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s all for our episode on Prop Four. Also in your podcast feed today is our show on Prop Five, which takes on statewide recalls. And we’ll be back with even more tomorrow.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Erica Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck,Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme and me, Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Erica Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck,Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme and me, Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, and everyone on Team KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, and everyone on Team KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Some members of the KQD podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Some members of the KQD podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Proposition 4 would overturn a prior ban on publicly funded financing programs for political candidates.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790810184,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 44,
"wordCount": 1767
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prop 4: Allows Cities to Create Public Campaign Financing Programs | KQED",
"description": "Proposition 4 would overturn a prior ban on publicly funded financing programs for political candidates.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Prop 4: Allows Cities to Create Public Campaign Financing Programs",
"datePublished": "2026-09-30T03:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-30T16:16:24-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "Prop Fest 2026",
"sourceUrl": "http://kqed.org/propfest",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8193792272.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101308",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101308/prop-4-allows-cities-to-create-public-campaign-financing-programs",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you want to get elected to office in California, it’s no big secret that you’ll need to raise money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And in some cases, a lot of money. State legislative campaigns can run into the million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That puts candidates who don’t come from money or have rich connections at a disadvantage, some say. And that’s the issue that creators of Proposition 4 are trying to address. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over:\u003c/strong> Proposition four, repeals prohibition against public funding of election campaigns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Erika Cruz Guevara. This is Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious, where we break down the propositions on the statewide ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It’s a marathon this year with 14 initiatives. So let’s get right to it, shall we? Here to talk campaign finance with us is reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s politics desk. Welcome, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Hi, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Okay, so Prop 4 would repeal part of a proposition that was passed by voters back in 1988. What was the deal with that prop?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So,\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>in 1988, there was a feeling very similar to right now that there’s too much money in politics, especially corporate money, special interest money. On top of that, the mood in the 80s when Reagan was president was very pro-business, anti-tax, anti-spending. So in 1988, Prop 73 banned public funds for campaign expenses. Basically, that meant governments can’t allow politicians to use taxpayer money for their campaigns. And then that proposition did a second thing, which is set new limits on campaign contributions. But a few years later, a federal judge threw out that second tenant, and just the public financing ban remained. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So then how do we get from there to Prop 4? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>So state Senator Tom Umberg wrote the bill that ended up becoming Prop 4. It’s similarly a response to this growing feeling that big money and corporate interests and super PACs have too much influence in politics. And that public financing helps candidates who don’t have a ton of personal wealth or access to those special interests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Let’s look under the hood. How does this actually work if passed? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>What it does is repeal the ban from Prop 73 to allow state and local governments to set up public financing programs for election campaigns. Candidates would have to meet certain eligibility criteria and agree to spending limits. And the initiative also spells out that the funds could not be used for legal defense costs, fines, or repayment of personal loans. It also has this provision that allows the legislature to amend the rules about how public financing works, like the mechanics and eligibility requirements without needing to go back to the ballot and ask voters to approve it again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Does this mean that automatically there will be a pool of money for political candidates to pull from?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, it’s basically just allowing governments to create programs and they will have, you know, specific eligibility requirements that they’ll have to decide for themselves, like raising a certain amount of small dollar donations or not accepting PAC money or capping how many personal funds they donate to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>But I understand that there are some cities that have already been providing public funding for campaigns. Is that true? And if so, like how?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so there’s an exception in Prop 73 for charter cities, which have their own constitution and that gives the state less authority over them. A lot of the biggest cities in California are charter cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. And so they already have public financing programs. Supporters of this initiative point to the success of candidates like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Karen Bass: \u003c/strong>Thanks to L.A.’s Supermatch program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles residents is matched 6-1 by the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Or New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who accessed public finance systems and won their elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Us through how one of these programs works so we can kind of get a sense for it. Let’s take a look at San Francisco, for example.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of hurdles a candidate has to pass to qualify for the money. So a candidate for mayor in San Francisco can receive up to $1.2 million in public funds. There are minimum qualifying contributions. So you have to show you have support from actual voters. You need to be opposed by a candidate who raises or spends at least $50,000. You have to agree to a spending limit of roughly $1,500,000 and agree to limits on how much. You donate to your own campaign. And then it’s a match program in San Francisco. That’s a lot, but essentially there are many rules and you need to prove you’re a serious candidate. And the program can’t favor candidates in one party over the other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Is that how all the programs in California would look if Proposition 4 passes? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>No, there’s a lot of different ways a state or local government could set up a program like this. Like in Seattle, Washington, they have democracy vouchers, giving residents $100. They get to decide which candidates to distribute that money to. And that’s supposed to encourage candidates to engage with the people they hope to represent instead of appealing to special interests.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we pause for a quick break, won’t you consider becoming a member of KQED? Donate whatever works for your budget at donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. One-time gifts, ongoing donations, we are here for it all. Thanks! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back talking about proposition four, the public funding for campaigns prop with KQED’s Izzy Bloom. Izzy, who is supporting this measure and why?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>This measure is supported by the California Democratic Party, California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of California, California Clean Money Campaign. Jenny Farrell, the executive director of the League for Women Voters of California said this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jenny Farrell: \u003c/strong>Public financing can make it possible for someone who is deeply connected to their community, but doesn’t have a Rolodex full of wealthy donors to run a viable campaign. Before public financing, women made up a minority of Los Angeles City Council. Once Los Angeles put public financing in place, 14 or 15 of the members were elected using matching funds, and a majority of members now are women, a majority members are people of color. And it’s the most diverse city council in the city’s history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Who is opposing this measure and why? Anti-tax groups like the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association, as well as the PAC Reform California run by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a former chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, Dan Schnurr, and they all argue that the measure is written too broadly. It leaves each government to set its own eligibility criteria and spending limits, and that makes the system vulnerable to abuse. David Kline is spokesperson for the California Taxpayers Association, and he thinks taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used for campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Kline: \u003c/strong>The whole idea on its face is bad. Tax dollars should be used to help the taxpayers, to help constituents by promoting reasonable, efficient government services. Not to give money to a candidate to then put out a hit piece mailer on an opponent, and not to flood our mailboxes with even more junk mail from campaigns every election season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Also, candidates already have to file campaign finance reports disclosing contributions and expenditures, which Kline says creates a lot of transparency around where big money is putting their influence and voters can decide for themselves whether they support that or not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What does spending look like on this spending prop? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Not much spending on this initiative, just $7,500 in opposition from Reform California. As for the cost to the state, the Nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates it could cost the state a few hundred thousand dollars a year just to cover the additional hours and staffing for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer state and local government’s questions about the programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED’s Politics Desk, thank you for walking us through this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Izzy Bloom: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 4 means you want to remove the ban on public funding for election campaigns, opening the door for state or local governments to create new programs. A vote no means you wanna keep the ban in place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s all for our episode on Prop Four. Also in your podcast feed today is our show on Prop Five, which takes on statewide recalls. And we’ll be back with even more tomorrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>PropFest is a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It’s produced by Erica Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriella Glueck,Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme and me, Olivia Allen Price. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, and everyone on Team KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Some members of the KQD podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I’m Olivia Allen Price. And I’m Erika Cruz-Gavarra. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101308/prop-4-allows-cities-to-create-public-campaign-financing-programs",
"authors": [
"234",
"11805",
"102"
],
"programs": [
"news_33523",
"news_34552",
"news_28779"
],
"series": [
"news_17986"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_28645",
"news_22598"
],
"featImg": "news_12101406",
"label": "source_news_12101308"
},
"news_12101829": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101829",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101829",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790727194000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "santa-clara-county-sues-restaurant-owners-under-new-wage-theft-law",
"title": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law",
"publishDate": 1790727194,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12099677,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12099966"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230718-CAR-WASH-WAGE-THEFT-Getty-GM-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12037905,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The lawsuit on Tuesday against a local restaurant employer is one of the first under a state law that went into effect this year, according to county officials. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790793294,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 22,
"wordCount": 956
},
"headData": {
"title": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law | KQED",
"description": "The lawsuit on Tuesday against a local restaurant employer is one of the first under a state law that went into effect this year, according to county officials. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Santa Clara County Sues Restaurant Owners Under New Wage-Theft Law",
"datePublished": "2026-09-29T17:13:14-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-30T11:34:54-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 34551,
"slug": "labor",
"name": "Labor"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101829",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101829/santa-clara-county-sues-restaurant-owners-under-new-wage-theft-law",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>In a novel move aimed at curbing wage theft, attorneys for Santa Clara County are seeking stiff penalties from local restaurant employers who allegedly evaded for more than a decade state regulators’ orders to pay employees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28698686-complaint-liangs-village-filed/\">lawsuit\u003c/a>, which county officials said is one of the first of its kind, wields a recently passed state law that encourages local governments to help tackle a pervasive problem: business owners who owe wages but never pay, leaving thousands of workers statewide without restitution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It signals to the employer community that there are civil prosecutors out there that will track you down,” said Tony LoPresti, Santa Clara County counsel. His office filed the complaint on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, arguing that the defendants profited from unlawful practices that gave them an unfair advantage over law-abiding employers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want them to comply with the law while they are operating, and we want them to make the workers who they stole from whole,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099677\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260914-GilroyICEFolo-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti speaks during a press conference in San José on Sept. 14, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>California workers lose billions of dollars annually to paycheck violations, an amount that’s estimated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/\">be larger\u003c/a> than other types of robberies. Just one kind of wage theft, failure to pay the minimum wage, costs workers in San José, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas more than $2.3 billion annually, according to a 2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/minimum-wage-theft-rises-sharply-california\">Rutgers University \u003c/a>study. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Labor Commissioner’s Office, tasked with enforcing state labor laws, investigates worker complaints and helps recover owed wages. But winning a case, often after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11906889/california-workers-face-years-long-waits-for-justice-in-wage-theft-cases-state-data-shows\">a yearslong wait\u003c/a> due to agency backlogs and short staffing, is no guarantee of collecting payment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the Labor Commissioner’s Office and public prosecutors work together, we strengthen accountability and expand access to justice for workers,” California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said in a statement. “Enforcing judgments is a critical part of ensuring workers are paid the wages they are owed and their rights are protected.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many businesses skirt settling wage judgments by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979626/workers-lost-millions-to-californias-worst-known-wage-thief-and-hes-still-in-business\">hiding assets\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">closing operations\u003c/a> and reopening under a new name — a “shell game” that has become rampant, according to LoPresti. In Santa Clara County, hundreds of employers failed to settle $23.3 million in judgments between 2013 and 2024, according to a county analysis of Labor Commissioner data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers have responded to the problem by stiffening penalties for employers who fail to settle those debts and increasing the authority of the state — as well as public civil prosecutors — to recover unpaid wages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB261\">SB 261\u003c/a>, a bill that went into effect this year, makes noncompliant businesses liable for up to three times the amount of an outstanding wage judgment plus attorney’s fees, which LoPresti said would help cover the costs of investigating and litigating these cases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suddenly a business is running this huge financial risk in not paying its wage theft judgment,” said LoPresti, who pushed for the change as chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.calcivilprosecutors.org/about/\">Civil Prosecutors Coalition\u003c/a>, an association of city and county attorneys in California that collaborates on litigation strategies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Santa Clara County Counsel’s complaint, the owners of a Cupertino-based Taiwanese restaurant could be liable for more than $800,000 after ignoring wage-theft judgments first recorded by the state in 2013. The county said the seven impacted cooks and kitchen employees were required to work 12-hour days with minimal breaks, and irregular pay periods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, the Labor Commissioner’s Office ordered Liang’s Kitchen Cupertino to halt operations until the business addressed an initial $93,000 debt plus ongoing late fines. But the family owners instead shuttered their restaurant and reopened out of the same location under the name Liang’s Village, which became a busy establishment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Clara County has a first-in-the-nation \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958124/santa-clara-county-pushes-food-businesses-to-pay-worker-wages-or-lose-permits\">program\u003c/a> that can suspend a restaurant’s permit to operate until it settles wage violations, but it only works when the business name matches the one in Labor Commissioner records. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Liang family could not be reached for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The employers’ alleged brazen actions illustrate the kind of “shady maneuvers” some unscrupulous employers use to avoid paying workers the money they are owed, said Terri Gerstein, a former labor bureau chief at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037905\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20240324_SANTACLARASUPERIORCOURT_GC-2-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Superior Court in San José on March 24, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This kind of lawsuit is important because it shows the commitment of the county to take action on behalf of workers, sending a strong message to employers that they have to comply with the law, and that if they don’t, the county is going to do something about it,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal action comes as local governments have stepped up efforts to protect workers’ rights, and state and federal labor enforcement agencies continue to struggle with underfunding and shortstaffing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco became the nation’s first city to establish a municipal labor department to investigate workplace complaints 25 years ago. Now, dozens of cities and counties nationwide — including San Diego, Seattle, Austin and Cleveland — have similar initiatives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The push to protect workers locally from abuses has grown under the employer-friendly first and current Trump administrations, said Gerstein, who now runs New York University’s Wagner Labor Initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She pointed to New York City officials’ recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/doordash-settlement-nyc-how-pay/6550655/\">announcement\u003c/a> that DoorDash agreed to pay $131 million to settle claims that the company underpaid 260,000 delivery workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Cities and counties getting involved has made a very big difference for the workers themselves involved in these cases, for employers in these communities,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101829/santa-clara-county-sues-restaurant-owners-under-new-wage-theft-law",
"authors": [
"8659"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34551",
"news_6188",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_19904",
"news_21891",
"news_18188",
"news_21285",
"news_18208"
],
"featImg": "news_12037906",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12101807": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101807",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101807",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790716901000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-signs-bills-to-rein-in-trump-immigration-efforts",
"title": "Newsom Signs Bills to Rein In Trump Immigration Efforts",
"publishDate": 1790716901,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Signs Bills to Rein In Trump Immigration Efforts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slate of 21 bills on Tuesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097637/lawmakers-send-immigration-detention-bills-to-gov-newsom\">aimed at increasing oversight\u003c/a> of federal immigration detention and reining in what he called the “Orwellian” tactics of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The enactment of the new laws comes as immigration arrests have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">soared to new levels\u003c/a>, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide in July. California had the third-highest number of those arrests, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has recently expanded detention capacity in the state as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to achieve “mass deportation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-push-back-on-trumps-orwellian-immigration-tactics-to-protect-immigrant-communities/\">wide-ranging laws\u003c/a>, authored by Democrats from across the state, included measures to restrict law enforcement use of electroshock gloves, masks and flash-bang grenades, enable individuals to sue federal officials in state court over rights violations and require local agencies to release 911 call records originating from ICE facilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several bills focused on expanding the state’s power to enforce health and safety standards in immigration detention, restrict construction of new detention centers and tax private detention facilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk outside the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In his signing statement, Newsom noted that the underlying authority for immigration enforcement lies with the federal government. But he insisted that facilities in California are subject to the state’s standards and oversight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Trump has put his political interests above the health, safety and livelihood of American families,” Newsom said. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability, and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state. This is about stepping up where the federal government has failed our communities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a time when the number of people who died in ICE custody hit a two-decade high last year and continues to surge, legal watchdogs are raising alarms about the conditions inside the eight immigration jails in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the new laws, SB 942, authored by Central Valley Sen. Ana Caballero, creates a bill of rights for people in all forms of civil custody in California, including immigration detention. It establishes minimum standards for medical care, food, water, sanitation, religious practice, contact with family and access to legal counsel. And it gives the state attorney general new powers to enforce those standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hamid Yazdan Panah, co-director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, called it a “first of its kind” law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California in many ways is leading the nation when it comes to pushing the envelope in terms of protecting the health and safety of immigrants in detention,” he said. “For years, we’ve passed bills that have been the first of their kind in the entire country and other states have followed suit and taken inspiration from those bills. This year is no different.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta co-sponsored that bill with Immigrant Defense Advocates in conjunction with another bill that extends existing state inspections of ICE facilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Here in California, we know our diversity is our strength. There is no room in California for President Trump’s hateful mass deportation and detention agenda,” Bonta said in a statement. “We will continue to fight to provide immigrants with the rights, necessities, and respect that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Neither Core Civic nor GEO Group, the largest private prison companies operating ICE detention in California, responded to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who work with California immigrant families applauded the legislature and the governor for backing new legal protections at a time when fear is coursing through immigrant communities — even for individuals who have lawful status or have lived in the U.S. for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Todd Benson, executive director of the multi-denominational community organization Faith in Action East Bay, credited the grassroots efforts of his members and others, who met with lawmakers and wrote letters to the governor, for the passage of the bills.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve all seen examples of the brutality of ICE agents. This goes against our faith values,” he said. “We believe that all human beings have dignity and should be treated with dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said increasing ICE arrests unnecessarily separate families and traumatize California children, and inhumane conditions in detention appear to be a “deliberate effort to get people to self deport.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A bill from San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney will impose a 25% tax on the gross income of for-profit companies that operate immigration detention facilities — and put the money into a state fund to support immigration services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12027566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Matt Haney speaks during a press conference announcing legislation to increase nightlife in Downtown San Francisco to help the recovery of the neighborhood, in Union Square, San Francisco, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, called it a win for accountability. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No one should profit from tearing families apart,” Fouladi said. “Private detention corporations make hundreds of millions of dollars every year in California by separating parents from their children and locking up our neighbors in inhumane conditions. AB 1633 makes them pay for the trauma and suffering they inflict.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He urged the governor to also sign a companion bill, AB 2465, that would bar private detention contractors from receiving state grants or loans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The move to halt the use of electric shock gloves came as \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/ice-electric-shock-gloves-immigration-680c6f8a96736f46529287178c57b44b\">ICE awarded a nearly $17 million contract\u003c/a> last month to purchase 6,000 pairs. California sheriffs and other law enforcement groups \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/california-ice-electric-shock-gloves/\">opposed the ban\u003c/a>, which they consider a “less lethal” de-escalation tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener celebrated the signing of his bill to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, as well as another, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” to allow people to sue in state court over allegations that immigration agents have violated their civil rights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California State Senator Scott Weiner in Sacramento on May 15, 2017. (Bert Johnson/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that’s needed because of cases across the country where immigration agents have violently pulled people from their cars and homes, and have fatally shot both immigrants and U.S. citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ICE and Border Patrol have terrorized California communities with impunity. That ends today,” Wiener said. “When federal agents act lawlessly, they should be held accountable the same as any other lawbreaker.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener’s office said they expect a few individuals to file suit shortly under the new law, which takes effect immediately and applies to incidents going back to March 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, legal analysts expect the Trump administration to challenge a number of the new laws in court. Kevin Johnson, an emeritus professor at the UC Davis School of Law, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-gloves-shock-law-newsom-bill-91b68ae4fbd44065256fb5e6b06891ad\">told the Associated Press\u003c/a> that courts are likely to rule that the state cannot bar federal officers from wearing shock gloves or face coverings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state has very limited, if any, powers in dictating to the federal government how its officers are armed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few measures passed by the legislature were not among the 21 bills signed. They included a bill — vetoed by Newsom on Sunday night — that would have fortified a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california\">pipeline of new immigration lawyers\u003c/a> to work in rural parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also not signed were bills to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb941\">cap at 35% the markup private facilities can charge \u003c/a>detainees for commissary items, and the one to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2465\">bar private detention contractors\u003c/a> from receiving state grants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom has until midnight on Sep. 30 to act on the remaining bills on his desk, in his last year as California’s governor.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slate of 21 bills on Tuesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097637/lawmakers-send-immigration-detention-bills-to-gov-newsom\">aimed at increasing oversight\u003c/a> of federal immigration detention and reining in what he called the “Orwellian” tactics of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slate of 21 bills on Tuesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097637/lawmakers-send-immigration-detention-bills-to-gov-newsom\">aimed at increasing oversight\u003c/a> of federal immigration detention and reining in what he called the “Orwellian” tactics of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The enactment of the new laws comes as immigration arrests have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">soared to new levels\u003c/a>, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide in July. California had the third-highest number of those arrests, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has recently expanded detention capacity in the state as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to achieve “mass deportation.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The enactment of the new laws comes as immigration arrests have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">soared to new levels\u003c/a>, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide in July. California had the third-highest number of those arrests, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has recently expanded detention capacity in the state as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to achieve “mass deportation.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-push-back-on-trumps-orwellian-immigration-tactics-to-protect-immigrant-communities/\">wide-ranging laws\u003c/a>, authored by Democrats from across the state, included measures to restrict law enforcement use of electroshock gloves, masks and flash-bang grenades, enable individuals to sue federal officials in state court over rights violations and require local agencies to release 911 call records originating from ICE facilities.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-push-back-on-trumps-orwellian-immigration-tactics-to-protect-immigrant-communities/\">wide-ranging laws\u003c/a>, authored by Democrats from across the state, included measures to restrict law enforcement use of electroshock gloves, masks and flash-bang grenades, enable individuals to sue federal officials in state court over rights violations and require local agencies to release 911 call records originating from ICE facilities.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Several bills focused on expanding the state’s power to enforce health and safety standards in immigration detention, restrict construction of new detention centers and tax private detention facilities.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Several bills focused on expanding the state’s power to enforce health and safety standards in immigration detention, restrict construction of new detention centers and tax private detention facilities.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12101938,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2048x1365.jpg 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk outside the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101938\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk outside the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his signing statement, Newsom noted that the underlying authority for immigration enforcement lies with the federal government. But he insisted that facilities in California are subject to the state’s standards and oversight. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In his signing statement, Newsom noted that the underlying authority for immigration enforcement lies with the federal government. But he insisted that facilities in California are subject to the state’s standards and oversight. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Trump has put his political interests above the health, safety and livelihood of American families,” Newsom said. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability, and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state. This is about stepping up where the federal government has failed our communities.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Trump has put his political interests above the health, safety and livelihood of American families,” Newsom said. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability, and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state. This is about stepping up where the federal government has failed our communities.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a time when the number of people who died in ICE custody hit a two-decade high last year and continues to surge, legal watchdogs are raising alarms about the conditions inside the eight immigration jails in California. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>At a time when the number of people who died in ICE custody hit a two-decade high last year and continues to surge, legal watchdogs are raising alarms about the conditions inside the eight immigration jails in California. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the new laws, SB 942, authored by Central Valley Sen. Ana Caballero, creates a bill of rights for people in all forms of civil custody in California, including immigration detention. It establishes minimum standards for medical care, food, water, sanitation, religious practice, contact with family and access to legal counsel. And it gives the state attorney general new powers to enforce those standards.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One of the new laws, SB 942, authored by Central Valley Sen. Ana Caballero, creates a bill of rights for people in all forms of civil custody in California, including immigration detention. It establishes minimum standards for medical care, food, water, sanitation, religious practice, contact with family and access to legal counsel. And it gives the state attorney general new powers to enforce those standards.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hamid Yazdan Panah, co-director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, called it a “first of its kind” law.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Hamid Yazdan Panah, co-director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, called it a “first of its kind” law.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12101563"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260507-IMMIGRATIONCOURTVOLUNTEERS-07-BL-KQED.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“California in many ways is leading the nation when it comes to pushing the envelope in terms of protecting the health and safety of immigrants in detention,” he said. “For years, we’ve passed bills that have been the first of their kind in the entire country and other states have followed suit and taken inspiration from those bills. This year is no different.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“California in many ways is leading the nation when it comes to pushing the envelope in terms of protecting the health and safety of immigrants in detention,” he said. “For years, we’ve passed bills that have been the first of their kind in the entire country and other states have followed suit and taken inspiration from those bills. This year is no different.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta co-sponsored that bill with Immigrant Defense Advocates in conjunction with another bill that extends existing state inspections of ICE facilities. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta co-sponsored that bill with Immigrant Defense Advocates in conjunction with another bill that extends existing state inspections of ICE facilities. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Here in California, we know our diversity is our strength. There is no room in California for President Trump’s hateful mass deportation and detention agenda,” Bonta said in a statement. “We will continue to fight to provide immigrants with the rights, necessities, and respect that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Here in California, we know our diversity is our strength. There is no room in California for President Trump’s hateful mass deportation and detention agenda,” Bonta said in a statement. “We will continue to fight to provide immigrants with the rights, necessities, and respect that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Neither Core Civic nor GEO Group, the largest private prison companies operating ICE detention in California, responded to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Neither Core Civic nor GEO Group, the largest private prison companies operating ICE detention in California, responded to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates who work with California immigrant families applauded the legislature and the governor for backing new legal protections at a time when fear is coursing through immigrant communities — even for individuals who have lawful status or have lived in the U.S. for decades.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Advocates who work with California immigrant families applauded the legislature and the governor for backing new legal protections at a time when fear is coursing through immigrant communities — even for individuals who have lawful status or have lived in the U.S. for decades.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Todd Benson, executive director of the multi-denominational community organization Faith in Action East Bay, credited the grassroots efforts of his members and others, who met with lawmakers and wrote letters to the governor, for the passage of the bills.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Todd Benson, executive director of the multi-denominational community organization Faith in Action East Bay, credited the grassroots efforts of his members and others, who met with lawmakers and wrote letters to the governor, for the passage of the bills.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve all seen examples of the brutality of ICE agents. This goes against our faith values,” he said. “We believe that all human beings have dignity and should be treated with dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’ve all seen examples of the brutality of ICE agents. This goes against our faith values,” he said. “We believe that all human beings have dignity and should be treated with dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said increasing ICE arrests unnecessarily separate families and traumatize California children, and inhumane conditions in detention appear to be a “deliberate effort to get people to self deport.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said increasing ICE arrests unnecessarily separate families and traumatize California children, and inhumane conditions in detention appear to be a “deliberate effort to get people to self deport.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A bill from San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney will impose a 25% tax on the gross income of for-profit companies that operate immigration detention facilities — and put the money into a state fund to support immigration services.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A bill from San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney will impose a 25% tax on the gross income of for-profit companies that operate immigration detention facilities — and put the money into a state fund to support immigration services.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12027566,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12027566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Matt Haney speaks during a press conference announcing legislation to increase nightlife in Downtown San Francisco to help the recovery of the neighborhood, in Union Square, San Francisco, on Feb. 18, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12027566\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Matt Haney speaks during a press conference announcing legislation to increase nightlife in Downtown San Francisco to help the recovery of the neighborhood, in Union Square, San Francisco, on Feb. 18, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, called it a win for accountability. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, called it a win for accountability. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No one should profit from tearing families apart,” Fouladi said. “Private detention corporations make hundreds of millions of dollars every year in California by separating parents from their children and locking up our neighbors in inhumane conditions. AB 1633 makes them pay for the trauma and suffering they inflict.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“No one should profit from tearing families apart,” Fouladi said. “Private detention corporations make hundreds of millions of dollars every year in California by separating parents from their children and locking up our neighbors in inhumane conditions. AB 1633 makes them pay for the trauma and suffering they inflict.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He urged the governor to also sign a companion bill, AB 2465, that would bar private detention contractors from receiving state grants or loans.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He urged the governor to also sign a companion bill, AB 2465, that would bar private detention contractors from receiving state grants or loans.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The move to halt the use of electric shock gloves came as \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/ice-electric-shock-gloves-immigration-680c6f8a96736f46529287178c57b44b\">ICE awarded a nearly $17 million contract\u003c/a> last month to purchase 6,000 pairs. California sheriffs and other law enforcement groups \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/california-ice-electric-shock-gloves/\">opposed the ban\u003c/a>, which they consider a “less lethal” de-escalation tool. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The move to halt the use of electric shock gloves came as \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/ice-electric-shock-gloves-immigration-680c6f8a96736f46529287178c57b44b\">ICE awarded a nearly $17 million contract\u003c/a> last month to purchase 6,000 pairs. California sheriffs and other law enforcement groups \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/california-ice-electric-shock-gloves/\">opposed the ban\u003c/a>, which they consider a “less lethal” de-escalation tool. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener celebrated the signing of his bill to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, as well as another, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” to allow people to sue in state court over allegations that immigration agents have violated their civil rights. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener celebrated the signing of his bill to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, as well as another, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” to allow people to sue in state court over allegations that immigration agents have violated their civil rights. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12101942,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California State Senator Scott Weiner in Sacramento on May 15, 2017.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bert Johnson/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101942\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California State Senator Scott Weiner in Sacramento on May 15, 2017.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bert Johnson/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said that’s needed because of cases across the country where immigration agents have violently pulled people from their cars and homes, and have fatally shot both immigrants and U.S. citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He said that’s needed because of cases across the country where immigration agents have violently pulled people from their cars and homes, and have fatally shot both immigrants and U.S. citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ICE and Border Patrol have terrorized California communities with impunity. That ends today,” Wiener said. “When federal agents act lawlessly, they should be held accountable the same as any other lawbreaker.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ICE and Border Patrol have terrorized California communities with impunity. That ends today,” Wiener said. “When federal agents act lawlessly, they should be held accountable the same as any other lawbreaker.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wiener’s office said they expect a few individuals to file suit shortly under the new law, which takes effect immediately and applies to incidents going back to March 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Wiener’s office said they expect a few individuals to file suit shortly under the new law, which takes effect immediately and applies to incidents going back to March 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, legal analysts expect the Trump administration to challenge a number of the new laws in court. Kevin Johnson, an emeritus professor at the UC Davis School of Law, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-gloves-shock-law-newsom-bill-91b68ae4fbd44065256fb5e6b06891ad\">told the Associated Press\u003c/a> that courts are likely to rule that the state cannot bar federal officers from wearing shock gloves or face coverings.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, legal analysts expect the Trump administration to challenge a number of the new laws in court. Kevin Johnson, an emeritus professor at the UC Davis School of Law, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-gloves-shock-law-newsom-bill-91b68ae4fbd44065256fb5e6b06891ad\">told the Associated Press\u003c/a> that courts are likely to rule that the state cannot bar federal officers from wearing shock gloves or face coverings.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The state has very limited, if any, powers in dictating to the federal government how its officers are armed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The state has very limited, if any, powers in dictating to the federal government how its officers are armed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A few measures passed by the legislature were not among the 21 bills signed. They included a bill — vetoed by Newsom on Sunday night — that would have fortified a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california\">pipeline of new immigration lawyers\u003c/a> to work in rural parts of California.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A few measures passed by the legislature were not among the 21 bills signed. They included a bill — vetoed by Newsom on Sunday night — that would have fortified a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california\">pipeline of new immigration lawyers\u003c/a> to work in rural parts of California.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also not signed were bills to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb941\">cap at 35% the markup private facilities can charge \u003c/a>detainees for commissary items, and the one to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2465\">bar private detention contractors\u003c/a> from receiving state grants. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Also not signed were bills to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb941\">cap at 35% the markup private facilities can charge \u003c/a>detainees for commissary items, and the one to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2465\">bar private detention contractors\u003c/a> from receiving state grants. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom has until midnight on Sep. 30 to act on the remaining bills on his desk, in his last year as California’s governor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Newsom has until midnight on Sep. 30 to act on the remaining bills on his desk, in his last year as California’s governor.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The governor signed more than 20 bills related to immigration.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1791228160,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1255
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Signs Bills to Rein In Trump Immigration Efforts | KQED",
"description": "The governor signed more than 20 bills related to immigration.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Signs Bills to Rein In Trump Immigration Efforts",
"datePublished": "2026-09-29T14:21:41-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-05T12:22:40-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1169,
"slug": "immigration",
"name": "Immigration"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/e1603489-81f7-4f53-9136-b4da0112e2f7/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101807",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101807/newsom-signs-bills-to-rein-in-trump-immigration-efforts",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a slate of 21 bills on Tuesday \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097637/lawmakers-send-immigration-detention-bills-to-gov-newsom\">aimed at increasing oversight\u003c/a> of federal immigration detention and reining in what he called the “Orwellian” tactics of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The enactment of the new laws comes as immigration arrests have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">soared to new levels\u003c/a>, with nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide in July. California had the third-highest number of those arrests, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has recently expanded detention capacity in the state as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to achieve “mass deportation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-push-back-on-trumps-orwellian-immigration-tactics-to-protect-immigrant-communities/\">wide-ranging laws\u003c/a>, authored by Democrats from across the state, included measures to restrict law enforcement use of electroshock gloves, masks and flash-bang grenades, enable individuals to sue federal officials in state court over rights violations and require local agencies to release 911 call records originating from ICE facilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several bills focused on expanding the state’s power to enforce health and safety standards in immigration detention, restrict construction of new detention centers and tax private detention facilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2287296637-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk outside the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In his signing statement, Newsom noted that the underlying authority for immigration enforcement lies with the federal government. But he insisted that facilities in California are subject to the state’s standards and oversight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Trump has put his political interests above the health, safety and livelihood of American families,” Newsom said. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability, and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state. This is about stepping up where the federal government has failed our communities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a time when the number of people who died in ICE custody hit a two-decade high last year and continues to surge, legal watchdogs are raising alarms about the conditions inside the eight immigration jails in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the new laws, SB 942, authored by Central Valley Sen. Ana Caballero, creates a bill of rights for people in all forms of civil custody in California, including immigration detention. It establishes minimum standards for medical care, food, water, sanitation, religious practice, contact with family and access to legal counsel. And it gives the state attorney general new powers to enforce those standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hamid Yazdan Panah, co-director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, called it a “first of its kind” law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California in many ways is leading the nation when it comes to pushing the envelope in terms of protecting the health and safety of immigrants in detention,” he said. “For years, we’ve passed bills that have been the first of their kind in the entire country and other states have followed suit and taken inspiration from those bills. This year is no different.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Attorney General Rob Bonta co-sponsored that bill with Immigrant Defense Advocates in conjunction with another bill that extends existing state inspections of ICE facilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Here in California, we know our diversity is our strength. There is no room in California for President Trump’s hateful mass deportation and detention agenda,” Bonta said in a statement. “We will continue to fight to provide immigrants with the rights, necessities, and respect that they deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Neither Core Civic nor GEO Group, the largest private prison companies operating ICE detention in California, responded to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who work with California immigrant families applauded the legislature and the governor for backing new legal protections at a time when fear is coursing through immigrant communities — even for individuals who have lawful status or have lived in the U.S. for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Todd Benson, executive director of the multi-denominational community organization Faith in Action East Bay, credited the grassroots efforts of his members and others, who met with lawmakers and wrote letters to the governor, for the passage of the bills.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve all seen examples of the brutality of ICE agents. This goes against our faith values,” he said. “We believe that all human beings have dignity and should be treated with dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said increasing ICE arrests unnecessarily separate families and traumatize California children, and inhumane conditions in detention appear to be a “deliberate effort to get people to self deport.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A bill from San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney will impose a 25% tax on the gross income of for-profit companies that operate immigration detention facilities — and put the money into a state fund to support immigration services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12027566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250218-SFDowntown-14-BL-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assemblymember Matt Haney speaks during a press conference announcing legislation to increase nightlife in Downtown San Francisco to help the recovery of the neighborhood, in Union Square, San Francisco, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, called it a win for accountability. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No one should profit from tearing families apart,” Fouladi said. “Private detention corporations make hundreds of millions of dollars every year in California by separating parents from their children and locking up our neighbors in inhumane conditions. AB 1633 makes them pay for the trauma and suffering they inflict.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He urged the governor to also sign a companion bill, AB 2465, that would bar private detention contractors from receiving state grants or loans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The move to halt the use of electric shock gloves came as \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/ice-electric-shock-gloves-immigration-680c6f8a96736f46529287178c57b44b\">ICE awarded a nearly $17 million contract\u003c/a> last month to purchase 6,000 pairs. California sheriffs and other law enforcement groups \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/california-ice-electric-shock-gloves/\">opposed the ban\u003c/a>, which they consider a “less lethal” de-escalation tool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener celebrated the signing of his bill to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, as well as another, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” to allow people to sue in state court over allegations that immigration agents have violated their civil rights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_ScottWeiner_credit_BertJohnson-2_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California State Senator Scott Weiner in Sacramento on May 15, 2017. (Bert Johnson/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that’s needed because of cases across the country where immigration agents have violently pulled people from their cars and homes, and have fatally shot both immigrants and U.S. citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ICE and Border Patrol have terrorized California communities with impunity. That ends today,” Wiener said. “When federal agents act lawlessly, they should be held accountable the same as any other lawbreaker.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener’s office said they expect a few individuals to file suit shortly under the new law, which takes effect immediately and applies to incidents going back to March 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, legal analysts expect the Trump administration to challenge a number of the new laws in court. Kevin Johnson, an emeritus professor at the UC Davis School of Law, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-gloves-shock-law-newsom-bill-91b68ae4fbd44065256fb5e6b06891ad\">told the Associated Press\u003c/a> that courts are likely to rule that the state cannot bar federal officers from wearing shock gloves or face coverings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state has very limited, if any, powers in dictating to the federal government how its officers are armed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A few measures passed by the legislature were not among the 21 bills signed. They included a bill — vetoed by Newsom on Sunday night — that would have fortified a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california\">pipeline of new immigration lawyers\u003c/a> to work in rural parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also not signed were bills to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb941\">cap at 35% the markup private facilities can charge \u003c/a>detainees for commissary items, and the one to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2465\">bar private detention contractors\u003c/a> from receiving state grants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom has until midnight on Sep. 30 to act on the remaining bills on his desk, in his last year as California’s governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101807/newsom-signs-bills-to-rein-in-trump-immigration-efforts",
"authors": [
"259"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1169",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_4750",
"news_1323",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_16",
"news_20202",
"news_20584",
"news_36435",
"news_17968"
],
"featImg": "news_12101826",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12100607": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100607",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100607",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790676300000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "proposition-3-would-make-the-income-tax-rate-on-high-earners-permanent",
"title": "Prop 3: Making the Income Tax Rate on High Earners Permanent",
"publishDate": 1790676300,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prop 3: Making the Income Tax Rate on High Earners Permanent | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] California has what’s known as a progressive tax system. Basically, the more money you make, the more you pay in income taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:09] For years, California voters have approved certain tax rates for high-income earners. And now, Prop 3 could make some of those rates permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:20] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:23] And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest. For two weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot, so you can vote smart this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Today, we’re talking about Proposition 3. A bill that aims to lock in tax rates for high-income earners to pay for schools and health care in California. Here’s how it’ll read on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:00:56] Prop 3 provides permanent funding for schools and health care by extending existing tax on high incomes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:04] Here to walk us through Proposition 3 is politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati. What’s up, Guy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Hey, you may remember me from Prop 2.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] I sure do. Thank you so much again for joining us on this one. This one seems pretty straightforward, I gotta say. But walk us through what Proposition 3 might do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:24] Yeah, so this would permanently extend California’s current income tax rates on our top earners. So back in 2012, California voters approved a new higher tax bracket for the top 2% of income earners, California. Voters extended those taxes in 2016. Now it’s on the ballot again to make it permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:45] Who are we talking about when we say high earners in California?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:49] Yeah, that’s a great question. So the folks who pay these taxes that are being proposed to be permanent under Proposition 3 are really just the top 2% of California income tax filers. Those individuals and families pay a marginal tax rate of a little over 10% on income above $371,000 for an individual or $743,000 for a family. And there are higher rates of just over 11% and 12% as you go up the income ladder to families making more than $1.5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:23] So when you’re saying top earners also, just to be clear, we’re not talking about the billionaire’s tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:29] That’s right. No, we are not talking about Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. That is a measure about overall wealth for California billionaires. Proposition 3 is just about income taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] And how much money could this bring in for California every year? And what are the kinds of things that this money would pay for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] Yeah, so the California Budget and Policy Center has went back and looked at what kind of impact these higher tax rates have had. And basically, since they were enacted in 2012, these higher taxes have brought in about $120 billion for the state. In recent years, that’s been about $10 billion a year, so roughly like 4% of the overall state general fund. And so the big winners of these taxes are schools and health care because the vast majority of California state spending from the general fund goes to schools and goes to health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:27] And when you say health, Guy, you mean health and human services, so things like Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:33] Yeah, so the biggest piece of that is Medi-Cal, which is our Medicaid system in California, basically our healthcare safety net for low-income working-class Californians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:45] And let’s get into the politics of this measure. Who are the main proponents of preposition three and what are their arguments?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:53] So the main proponents of Proposition 3 are Democrats and Democrat-aligned groups, specifically the California Teachers Association, which is the biggest single proponent of Proposition 3. Their argument is these taxes are working. We’ve had them in place for more than a decade. They’re bringing in billions of dollars, and they really have championed California’s progressive tax system, saying it’s fair for the folks who earn the most income in state to pay at a higher rate. They’re also the biggest beneficiaries of these taxes. Again, the biggest slice of the pie for a California tax revenue is going to schools. And so I think it’s no surprise that you see the state’s biggest teachers unions getting behind Proposition 3 and wanting to make it permanent. Here’s David Goldberg, who’s president of the California Teachers Association, making an appeal for Prop 3 on Instagram.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Goldberg \u003c/strong>[00:04:45] Prop 3 will make permanent an already existing tax on wealthy Californians. We’re making out like gangbusters right now. We have to make the case to make sure that people know that investing and voting for Prop 3 is investing in us, in our communities, in our students, in our families, and in education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] And then the California Budget and Policy Center has said that if the income tax on top earners doesn’t extend, the state’s income tax would become more regressive. Can you explain what they mean by that?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:19] Yeah, so basically the way that the state’s income tax system is set up right now is you have top earners paying at a higher rate, not just paying more because they earn more, but actually paying at higher rate than lower income earners. And so what that does is it creates a system that supporters say is fair, that you have people who are making the most money, paying a higher share into the state government. What that also does create though is more volatility because the people who were who the largest share of state taxation, it’s a smaller group. So if the stock market goes down or the economy goes down and that group is affected, you’re gonna see these swings up and down in state tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:03] Or if our top earners leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:07] Yes, and that’s I mean, this this kind of ties into the arguments that we’re seeing around Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, but this idea that if you know those high earners leave the state, then that could have an outsize impact on how much money the state is able to bring in because the state is relying so much on that kind of smaller group of wealthy individuals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:31] We’ll have more on Proposition 3 with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. If you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider supporting the journalism we do here at KQED by becoming a sustaining member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:07:07] Who’s coming out against Proposition 3, and what’s the argument on their end?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:12] Yeah, you really see an opposition from Republicans and kind of taxpayer advocacy groups, including the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who have basically made the argument that Californians face too much of a burden in taxes, and that the state needs to start doing things to lower the tax burden on individuals. There is a group reform California led by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio. He has come out against Proposition 3, but also against Proposition 40, which is the billionaire wealth tax. And here he is kind of wrapping up his opposition to multiple tax ideas that are on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:07:54] I know some of you are probably saying, well, if it’s just going to apply to the rich, why not do it? They’re coming for you. But it also has a negative impact on our state budget. What happens when a high income earner leaves the state? Instead of paying a little bit more in taxes with the higher Prop 3 or Prop 40 tax rates, They take a hundred percent of their tax increment to another state and that state gets the revenue. We get zero.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:26] You also hear the argument that this tax was never meant to be permanent. When it was initially enacted back in 2012, it was championed by former Governor Jerry Brown. It came after Brown’s first two years in office where he really made some difficult cuts to state programs. And he turned to voters and said, look, I’ve been frugal. I’ve made these cuts. Now I need to ask you to pay more in order to kind of make the budget more stable. Voters approved that, but it was pitched as a temporary increase. Uh, that temporary increase was extended again in 2016 as a temporary increase. Now proposition three would make those higher income taxes permanent. So opponents of this say, you know, This is a bait and switch.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:13] Let’s talk about the money here. Is there anyone coming out to spend any money for or against this measure?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:20] We’ve seen funding for Proposition 3 overwhelmingly on the Yes campaign. There’s been over $40 million in support so far, and the vast majority of that — $33 million of the $43 million comes from the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What about any of California’s highest earners, Guy? I mean, have they spoken out against this tax or have they been, for the most part, pretty quiet?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:52] No, we really haven’t heard any kind of organized opposition to Proposition 3, nothing like the money that we’re seeing coming in in support of prop three, especially from the teachers unions. And I think a big reason for that is the richest Californians, they might be a little bit more focused on another measure, which is Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, we are seeing some of the wealthiest residents of the state organized against that. And really not as much of a big campaign around proposition three.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:22] Yeah, and I mean, as you said earlier, this proposition builds on previous ballot initiatives that Californians have approved in the past. So how likely do you think is this one to pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:35] You know, we had initial support for this back in 2012. I think as this has just become part of the state budget and part of the way California taxation works, you’re likely to see voters kind of just like get used to it and say, look, this has been in place, you know, only the top 2% of income earners are paying this. I do think one potential iceberg for this measure is just voter confusion because we are seeing so many different measures on the ballot related to taxes. Maybe this gets confused or conflated with Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, and voters who are opposed to that turn against this. That’s speculation. But certainly, taking the last two elections where this was on the ballot, 2012 and 2016, voters said yes to this idea of taxing our highest income earners in California have more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:28] Guy, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:30] Yeah, thank you.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to\u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\"> https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Transcript",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] California has what’s known as a progressive tax system. Basically, the more money you make, the more you pay in income taxes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] California has what’s known as a progressive tax system. Basically, the more money you make, the more you pay in income taxes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:09] For years, California voters have approved certain tax rates for high-income earners. And now, Prop 3 could make some of those rates permanent.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:09] For years, California voters have approved certain tax rates for high-income earners. And now, Prop 3 could make some of those rates permanent.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:20] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:20] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:23] And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest. For two weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot, so you can vote smart this November.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:23] And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest. For two weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot, so you can vote smart this November.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Today, we’re talking about Proposition 3. A bill that aims to lock in tax rates for high-income earners to pay for schools and health care in California. Here’s how it’ll read on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Today, we’re talking about Proposition 3. A bill that aims to lock in tax rates for high-income earners to pay for schools and health care in California. Here’s how it’ll read on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:00:56] Prop 3 provides permanent funding for schools and health care by extending existing tax on high incomes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:00:56] Prop 3 provides permanent funding for schools and health care by extending existing tax on high incomes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:04] Here to walk us through Proposition 3 is politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati. What’s up, Guy?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:04] Here to walk us through Proposition 3 is politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati. What’s up, Guy?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Hey, you may remember me from Prop 2.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Hey, you may remember me from Prop 2.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] I sure do. Thank you so much again for joining us on this one. This one seems pretty straightforward, I gotta say. But walk us through what Proposition 3 might do.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] I sure do. Thank you so much again for joining us on this one. This one seems pretty straightforward, I gotta say. But walk us through what Proposition 3 might do.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:24] Yeah, so this would permanently extend California’s current income tax rates on our top earners. So back in 2012, California voters approved a new higher tax bracket for the top 2% of income earners, California. Voters extended those taxes in 2016. Now it’s on the ballot again to make it permanent.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:24] Yeah, so this would permanently extend California’s current income tax rates on our top earners. So back in 2012, California voters approved a new higher tax bracket for the top 2% of income earners, California. Voters extended those taxes in 2016. Now it’s on the ballot again to make it permanent.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:45] Who are we talking about when we say high earners in California?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:45] Who are we talking about when we say high earners in California?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:49] Yeah, that’s a great question. So the folks who pay these taxes that are being proposed to be permanent under Proposition 3 are really just the top 2% of California income tax filers. Those individuals and families pay a marginal tax rate of a little over 10% on income above $371,000 for an individual or $743,000 for a family. And there are higher rates of just over 11% and 12% as you go up the income ladder to families making more than $1.5 million.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:49] Yeah, that’s a great question. So the folks who pay these taxes that are being proposed to be permanent under Proposition 3 are really just the top 2% of California income tax filers. Those individuals and families pay a marginal tax rate of a little over 10% on income above $371,000 for an individual or $743,000 for a family. And there are higher rates of just over 11% and 12% as you go up the income ladder to families making more than $1.5 million.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:23] So when you’re saying top earners also, just to be clear, we’re not talking about the billionaire’s tax.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:23] So when you’re saying top earners also, just to be clear, we’re not talking about the billionaire’s tax.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:29] That’s right. No, we are not talking about Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. That is a measure about overall wealth for California billionaires. Proposition 3 is just about income taxes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:29] That’s right. No, we are not talking about Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. That is a measure about overall wealth for California billionaires. Proposition 3 is just about income taxes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] And how much money could this bring in for California every year? And what are the kinds of things that this money would pay for?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] And how much money could this bring in for California every year? And what are the kinds of things that this money would pay for?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] Yeah, so the California Budget and Policy Center has went back and looked at what kind of impact these higher tax rates have had. And basically, since they were enacted in 2012, these higher taxes have brought in about $120 billion for the state. In recent years, that’s been about $10 billion a year, so roughly like 4% of the overall state general fund. And so the big winners of these taxes are schools and health care because the vast majority of California state spending from the general fund goes to schools and goes to health care.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] Yeah, so the California Budget and Policy Center has went back and looked at what kind of impact these higher tax rates have had. And basically, since they were enacted in 2012, these higher taxes have brought in about $120 billion for the state. In recent years, that’s been about $10 billion a year, so roughly like 4% of the overall state general fund. And so the big winners of these taxes are schools and health care because the vast majority of California state spending from the general fund goes to schools and goes to health care.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:27] And when you say health, Guy, you mean health and human services, so things like Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:27] And when you say health, Guy, you mean health and human services, so things like Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:33] Yeah, so the biggest piece of that is Medi-Cal, which is our Medicaid system in California, basically our healthcare safety net for low-income working-class Californians.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:33] Yeah, so the biggest piece of that is Medi-Cal, which is our Medicaid system in California, basically our healthcare safety net for low-income working-class Californians.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:45] And let’s get into the politics of this measure. Who are the main proponents of preposition three and what are their arguments?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:45] And let’s get into the politics of this measure. Who are the main proponents of preposition three and what are their arguments?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:53] So the main proponents of Proposition 3 are Democrats and Democrat-aligned groups, specifically the California Teachers Association, which is the biggest single proponent of Proposition 3. Their argument is these taxes are working. We’ve had them in place for more than a decade. They’re bringing in billions of dollars, and they really have championed California’s progressive tax system, saying it’s fair for the folks who earn the most income in state to pay at a higher rate. They’re also the biggest beneficiaries of these taxes. Again, the biggest slice of the pie for a California tax revenue is going to schools. And so I think it’s no surprise that you see the state’s biggest teachers unions getting behind Proposition 3 and wanting to make it permanent. Here’s David Goldberg, who’s president of the California Teachers Association, making an appeal for Prop 3 on Instagram.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:53] So the main proponents of Proposition 3 are Democrats and Democrat-aligned groups, specifically the California Teachers Association, which is the biggest single proponent of Proposition 3. Their argument is these taxes are working. We’ve had them in place for more than a decade. They’re bringing in billions of dollars, and they really have championed California’s progressive tax system, saying it’s fair for the folks who earn the most income in state to pay at a higher rate. They’re also the biggest beneficiaries of these taxes. Again, the biggest slice of the pie for a California tax revenue is going to schools. And so I think it’s no surprise that you see the state’s biggest teachers unions getting behind Proposition 3 and wanting to make it permanent. Here’s David Goldberg, who’s president of the California Teachers Association, making an appeal for Prop 3 on Instagram.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Goldberg \u003c/strong>[00:04:45] Prop 3 will make permanent an already existing tax on wealthy Californians. We’re making out like gangbusters right now. We have to make the case to make sure that people know that investing and voting for Prop 3 is investing in us, in our communities, in our students, in our families, and in education.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Goldberg \u003c/strong>[00:04:45] Prop 3 will make permanent an already existing tax on wealthy Californians. We’re making out like gangbusters right now. We have to make the case to make sure that people know that investing and voting for Prop 3 is investing in us, in our communities, in our students, in our families, and in education.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] And then the California Budget and Policy Center has said that if the income tax on top earners doesn’t extend, the state’s income tax would become more regressive. Can you explain what they mean by that?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] And then the California Budget and Policy Center has said that if the income tax on top earners doesn’t extend, the state’s income tax would become more regressive. Can you explain what they mean by that?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:19] Yeah, so basically the way that the state’s income tax system is set up right now is you have top earners paying at a higher rate, not just paying more because they earn more, but actually paying at higher rate than lower income earners. And so what that does is it creates a system that supporters say is fair, that you have people who are making the most money, paying a higher share into the state government. What that also does create though is more volatility because the people who were who the largest share of state taxation, it’s a smaller group. So if the stock market goes down or the economy goes down and that group is affected, you’re gonna see these swings up and down in state tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:19] Yeah, so basically the way that the state’s income tax system is set up right now is you have top earners paying at a higher rate, not just paying more because they earn more, but actually paying at higher rate than lower income earners. And so what that does is it creates a system that supporters say is fair, that you have people who are making the most money, paying a higher share into the state government. What that also does create though is more volatility because the people who were who the largest share of state taxation, it’s a smaller group. So if the stock market goes down or the economy goes down and that group is affected, you’re gonna see these swings up and down in state tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:03] Or if our top earners leave California.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:03] Or if our top earners leave California.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:07] Yes, and that’s I mean, this this kind of ties into the arguments that we’re seeing around Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, but this idea that if you know those high earners leave the state, then that could have an outsize impact on how much money the state is able to bring in because the state is relying so much on that kind of smaller group of wealthy individuals.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:07] Yes, and that’s I mean, this this kind of ties into the arguments that we’re seeing around Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, but this idea that if you know those high earners leave the state, then that could have an outsize impact on how much money the state is able to bring in because the state is relying so much on that kind of smaller group of wealthy individuals.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:31] We’ll have more on Proposition 3 with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. If you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider supporting the journalism we do here at KQED by becoming a sustaining member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:31] We’ll have more on Proposition 3 with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. If you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider supporting the journalism we do here at KQED by becoming a sustaining member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:07:07] Who’s coming out against Proposition 3, and what’s the argument on their end?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:07:07] Who’s coming out against Proposition 3, and what’s the argument on their end?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:12] Yeah, you really see an opposition from Republicans and kind of taxpayer advocacy groups, including the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who have basically made the argument that Californians face too much of a burden in taxes, and that the state needs to start doing things to lower the tax burden on individuals. There is a group reform California led by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio. He has come out against Proposition 3, but also against Proposition 40, which is the billionaire wealth tax. And here he is kind of wrapping up his opposition to multiple tax ideas that are on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:12] Yeah, you really see an opposition from Republicans and kind of taxpayer advocacy groups, including the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who have basically made the argument that Californians face too much of a burden in taxes, and that the state needs to start doing things to lower the tax burden on individuals. There is a group reform California led by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio. He has come out against Proposition 3, but also against Proposition 40, which is the billionaire wealth tax. And here he is kind of wrapping up his opposition to multiple tax ideas that are on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:07:54] I know some of you are probably saying, well, if it’s just going to apply to the rich, why not do it? They’re coming for you. But it also has a negative impact on our state budget. What happens when a high income earner leaves the state? Instead of paying a little bit more in taxes with the higher Prop 3 or Prop 40 tax rates, They take a hundred percent of their tax increment to another state and that state gets the revenue. We get zero.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:07:54] I know some of you are probably saying, well, if it’s just going to apply to the rich, why not do it? They’re coming for you. But it also has a negative impact on our state budget. What happens when a high income earner leaves the state? Instead of paying a little bit more in taxes with the higher Prop 3 or Prop 40 tax rates, They take a hundred percent of their tax increment to another state and that state gets the revenue. We get zero.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:26] You also hear the argument that this tax was never meant to be permanent. When it was initially enacted back in 2012, it was championed by former Governor Jerry Brown. It came after Brown’s first two years in office where he really made some difficult cuts to state programs. And he turned to voters and said, look, I’ve been frugal. I’ve made these cuts. Now I need to ask you to pay more in order to kind of make the budget more stable. Voters approved that, but it was pitched as a temporary increase. Uh, that temporary increase was extended again in 2016 as a temporary increase. Now proposition three would make those higher income taxes permanent. So opponents of this say, you know, This is a bait and switch.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:26] You also hear the argument that this tax was never meant to be permanent. When it was initially enacted back in 2012, it was championed by former Governor Jerry Brown. It came after Brown’s first two years in office where he really made some difficult cuts to state programs. And he turned to voters and said, look, I’ve been frugal. I’ve made these cuts. Now I need to ask you to pay more in order to kind of make the budget more stable. Voters approved that, but it was pitched as a temporary increase. Uh, that temporary increase was extended again in 2016 as a temporary increase. Now proposition three would make those higher income taxes permanent. So opponents of this say, you know, This is a bait and switch.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:13] Let’s talk about the money here. Is there anyone coming out to spend any money for or against this measure?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:13] Let’s talk about the money here. Is there anyone coming out to spend any money for or against this measure?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:20] We’ve seen funding for Proposition 3 overwhelmingly on the Yes campaign. There’s been over $40 million in support so far, and the vast majority of that — $33 million of the $43 million comes from the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:20] We’ve seen funding for Proposition 3 overwhelmingly on the Yes campaign. There’s been over $40 million in support so far, and the vast majority of that — $33 million of the $43 million comes from the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What about any of California’s highest earners, Guy? I mean, have they spoken out against this tax or have they been, for the most part, pretty quiet?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What about any of California’s highest earners, Guy? I mean, have they spoken out against this tax or have they been, for the most part, pretty quiet?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:52] No, we really haven’t heard any kind of organized opposition to Proposition 3, nothing like the money that we’re seeing coming in in support of prop three, especially from the teachers unions. And I think a big reason for that is the richest Californians, they might be a little bit more focused on another measure, which is Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, we are seeing some of the wealthiest residents of the state organized against that. And really not as much of a big campaign around proposition three.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:52] No, we really haven’t heard any kind of organized opposition to Proposition 3, nothing like the money that we’re seeing coming in in support of prop three, especially from the teachers unions. And I think a big reason for that is the richest Californians, they might be a little bit more focused on another measure, which is Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, we are seeing some of the wealthiest residents of the state organized against that. And really not as much of a big campaign around proposition three.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:22] Yeah, and I mean, as you said earlier, this proposition builds on previous ballot initiatives that Californians have approved in the past. So how likely do you think is this one to pass?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:22] Yeah, and I mean, as you said earlier, this proposition builds on previous ballot initiatives that Californians have approved in the past. So how likely do you think is this one to pass?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:35] You know, we had initial support for this back in 2012. I think as this has just become part of the state budget and part of the way California taxation works, you’re likely to see voters kind of just like get used to it and say, look, this has been in place, you know, only the top 2% of income earners are paying this. I do think one potential iceberg for this measure is just voter confusion because we are seeing so many different measures on the ballot related to taxes. Maybe this gets confused or conflated with Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, and voters who are opposed to that turn against this. That’s speculation. But certainly, taking the last two elections where this was on the ballot, 2012 and 2016, voters said yes to this idea of taxing our highest income earners in California have more.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:35] You know, we had initial support for this back in 2012. I think as this has just become part of the state budget and part of the way California taxation works, you’re likely to see voters kind of just like get used to it and say, look, this has been in place, you know, only the top 2% of income earners are paying this. I do think one potential iceberg for this measure is just voter confusion because we are seeing so many different measures on the ballot related to taxes. Maybe this gets confused or conflated with Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, and voters who are opposed to that turn against this. That’s speculation. But certainly, taking the last two elections where this was on the ballot, 2012 and 2016, voters said yes to this idea of taxing our highest income earners in California have more.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:28] Guy, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:28] Guy, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:30] Yeah, thank you.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:30] Yeah, thank you.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to\u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\"> https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to\u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\"> https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Proposition 3 would lock in a marginal tax rate of 10.3% to 12.3% for the state's highest earners.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790720673,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 42,
"wordCount": 2236
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prop 3: Making the Income Tax Rate on High Earners Permanent | KQED",
"description": "Proposition 3 would lock in a marginal tax rate of 10.3% to 12.3% for the state's highest earners.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialDescription": "Proposition 3 would lock in a marginal tax rate of 10.3% to 12.3% for the state's highest earners.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Prop 3: Making the Income Tax Rate on High Earners Permanent",
"datePublished": "2026-09-29T03:05:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-29T15:24:33-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "Prop Fest 2026",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC5115871179.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12100607",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100607/proposition-3-would-make-the-income-tax-rate-on-high-earners-permanent",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] California has what’s known as a progressive tax system. Basically, the more money you make, the more you pay in income taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:09] For years, California voters have approved certain tax rates for high-income earners. And now, Prop 3 could make some of those rates permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:20] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:23] And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest. For two weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot, so you can vote smart this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:37] There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Today, we’re talking about Proposition 3. A bill that aims to lock in tax rates for high-income earners to pay for schools and health care in California. Here’s how it’ll read on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voiceover \u003c/strong>[00:00:56] Prop 3 provides permanent funding for schools and health care by extending existing tax on high incomes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:04] Here to walk us through Proposition 3 is politics and government correspondent Guy Marzorati. What’s up, Guy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Hey, you may remember me from Prop 2.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] I sure do. Thank you so much again for joining us on this one. This one seems pretty straightforward, I gotta say. But walk us through what Proposition 3 might do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:24] Yeah, so this would permanently extend California’s current income tax rates on our top earners. So back in 2012, California voters approved a new higher tax bracket for the top 2% of income earners, California. Voters extended those taxes in 2016. Now it’s on the ballot again to make it permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:45] Who are we talking about when we say high earners in California?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:01:49] Yeah, that’s a great question. So the folks who pay these taxes that are being proposed to be permanent under Proposition 3 are really just the top 2% of California income tax filers. Those individuals and families pay a marginal tax rate of a little over 10% on income above $371,000 for an individual or $743,000 for a family. And there are higher rates of just over 11% and 12% as you go up the income ladder to families making more than $1.5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:23] So when you’re saying top earners also, just to be clear, we’re not talking about the billionaire’s tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:29] That’s right. No, we are not talking about Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. That is a measure about overall wealth for California billionaires. Proposition 3 is just about income taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:43] And how much money could this bring in for California every year? And what are the kinds of things that this money would pay for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] Yeah, so the California Budget and Policy Center has went back and looked at what kind of impact these higher tax rates have had. And basically, since they were enacted in 2012, these higher taxes have brought in about $120 billion for the state. In recent years, that’s been about $10 billion a year, so roughly like 4% of the overall state general fund. And so the big winners of these taxes are schools and health care because the vast majority of California state spending from the general fund goes to schools and goes to health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:27] And when you say health, Guy, you mean health and human services, so things like Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:33] Yeah, so the biggest piece of that is Medi-Cal, which is our Medicaid system in California, basically our healthcare safety net for low-income working-class Californians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:45] And let’s get into the politics of this measure. Who are the main proponents of preposition three and what are their arguments?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:03:53] So the main proponents of Proposition 3 are Democrats and Democrat-aligned groups, specifically the California Teachers Association, which is the biggest single proponent of Proposition 3. Their argument is these taxes are working. We’ve had them in place for more than a decade. They’re bringing in billions of dollars, and they really have championed California’s progressive tax system, saying it’s fair for the folks who earn the most income in state to pay at a higher rate. They’re also the biggest beneficiaries of these taxes. Again, the biggest slice of the pie for a California tax revenue is going to schools. And so I think it’s no surprise that you see the state’s biggest teachers unions getting behind Proposition 3 and wanting to make it permanent. Here’s David Goldberg, who’s president of the California Teachers Association, making an appeal for Prop 3 on Instagram.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Goldberg \u003c/strong>[00:04:45] Prop 3 will make permanent an already existing tax on wealthy Californians. We’re making out like gangbusters right now. We have to make the case to make sure that people know that investing and voting for Prop 3 is investing in us, in our communities, in our students, in our families, and in education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] And then the California Budget and Policy Center has said that if the income tax on top earners doesn’t extend, the state’s income tax would become more regressive. Can you explain what they mean by that?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:05:19] Yeah, so basically the way that the state’s income tax system is set up right now is you have top earners paying at a higher rate, not just paying more because they earn more, but actually paying at higher rate than lower income earners. And so what that does is it creates a system that supporters say is fair, that you have people who are making the most money, paying a higher share into the state government. What that also does create though is more volatility because the people who were who the largest share of state taxation, it’s a smaller group. So if the stock market goes down or the economy goes down and that group is affected, you’re gonna see these swings up and down in state tax revenue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:03] Or if our top earners leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:06:07] Yes, and that’s I mean, this this kind of ties into the arguments that we’re seeing around Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, but this idea that if you know those high earners leave the state, then that could have an outsize impact on how much money the state is able to bring in because the state is relying so much on that kind of smaller group of wealthy individuals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:31] We’ll have more on Proposition 3 with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. If you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider supporting the journalism we do here at KQED by becoming a sustaining member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:07:07] Who’s coming out against Proposition 3, and what’s the argument on their end?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:07:12] Yeah, you really see an opposition from Republicans and kind of taxpayer advocacy groups, including the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who have basically made the argument that Californians face too much of a burden in taxes, and that the state needs to start doing things to lower the tax burden on individuals. There is a group reform California led by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio. He has come out against Proposition 3, but also against Proposition 40, which is the billionaire wealth tax. And here he is kind of wrapping up his opposition to multiple tax ideas that are on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio \u003c/strong>[00:07:54] I know some of you are probably saying, well, if it’s just going to apply to the rich, why not do it? They’re coming for you. But it also has a negative impact on our state budget. What happens when a high income earner leaves the state? Instead of paying a little bit more in taxes with the higher Prop 3 or Prop 40 tax rates, They take a hundred percent of their tax increment to another state and that state gets the revenue. We get zero.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:08:26] You also hear the argument that this tax was never meant to be permanent. When it was initially enacted back in 2012, it was championed by former Governor Jerry Brown. It came after Brown’s first two years in office where he really made some difficult cuts to state programs. And he turned to voters and said, look, I’ve been frugal. I’ve made these cuts. Now I need to ask you to pay more in order to kind of make the budget more stable. Voters approved that, but it was pitched as a temporary increase. Uh, that temporary increase was extended again in 2016 as a temporary increase. Now proposition three would make those higher income taxes permanent. So opponents of this say, you know, This is a bait and switch.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:13] Let’s talk about the money here. Is there anyone coming out to spend any money for or against this measure?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:20] We’ve seen funding for Proposition 3 overwhelmingly on the Yes campaign. There’s been over $40 million in support so far, and the vast majority of that — $33 million of the $43 million comes from the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What about any of California’s highest earners, Guy? I mean, have they spoken out against this tax or have they been, for the most part, pretty quiet?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:09:52] No, we really haven’t heard any kind of organized opposition to Proposition 3, nothing like the money that we’re seeing coming in in support of prop three, especially from the teachers unions. And I think a big reason for that is the richest Californians, they might be a little bit more focused on another measure, which is Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, we are seeing some of the wealthiest residents of the state organized against that. And really not as much of a big campaign around proposition three.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:22] Yeah, and I mean, as you said earlier, this proposition builds on previous ballot initiatives that Californians have approved in the past. So how likely do you think is this one to pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:10:35] You know, we had initial support for this back in 2012. I think as this has just become part of the state budget and part of the way California taxation works, you’re likely to see voters kind of just like get used to it and say, look, this has been in place, you know, only the top 2% of income earners are paying this. I do think one potential iceberg for this measure is just voter confusion because we are seeing so many different measures on the ballot related to taxes. Maybe this gets confused or conflated with Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax, and voters who are opposed to that turn against this. That’s speculation. But certainly, taking the last two elections where this was on the ballot, 2012 and 2016, voters said yes to this idea of taxing our highest income earners in California have more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:28] Guy, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati \u003c/strong>[00:11:30] Yeah, thank you.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to\u003ca href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\"> https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Prop Fest is a collaboration between Bay Curious and The Bay. It’s made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck and Pauline Bartolone. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100607/proposition-3-would-make-the-income-tax-rate-on-high-earners-permanent",
"authors": [
"8654",
"227",
"11649",
"11946",
"11879"
],
"programs": [
"news_33523",
"news_34552"
],
"series": [
"news_17986"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1758",
"news_33520",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_25694",
"news_33812",
"news_28645",
"news_70",
"news_22598"
],
"featImg": "news_12073509",
"label": "source_news_12100607"
},
"news_12100604": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12100604",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12100604",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790676000000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "proposition-2-would-let-california-boost-the-rainy-day-fund",
"title": "Prop 2: Strengthening California's Rainy Day Fund",
"publishDate": 1790676000,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prop 2: Strengthening California’s Rainy Day Fund | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Transcript:",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Prop. 2 asks voters to boost California's Rainy Day Fund.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790717382,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 57,
"wordCount": 3103
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prop 2: Strengthening California's Rainy Day Fund | KQED",
"description": "In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown persuaded voters to strengthen California's Rainy Day Fund — a pot of money set aside to help the state save when times are good, while paying down its debts.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialDescription": "In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown persuaded voters to strengthen California's Rainy Day Fund — a pot of money set aside to help the state save when times are good, while paying down its debts.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Prop 2: Strengthening California's Rainy Day Fund",
"datePublished": "2026-09-29T03:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-29T14:29:42-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 33520,
"slug": "podcast",
"name": "Podcast"
},
"source": "Prop Fest 2026",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC9449376610.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12100604",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12100604/proposition-2-would-let-california-boost-the-rainy-day-fund",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12100604/proposition-2-would-let-california-boost-the-rainy-day-fund",
"authors": [
"8654",
"227",
"11649",
"11946",
"11879"
],
"series": [
"news_17986"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1758",
"news_33520",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18426",
"news_26542",
"news_33812",
"news_30",
"news_28645",
"news_22598"
],
"featImg": "news_12019415",
"label": "source_news_12100604"
},
"news_12101563": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101563",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101563",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790631511000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california",
"title": "Newsom Vetoes Bill to Support Immigration Attorneys in Rural California",
"publishDate": 1790631511,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Vetoes Bill to Support Immigration Attorneys in Rural California | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026. (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12096570,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12101260"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260924-ConcordICE-17-BL_qed.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12101706,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": ""
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12077382,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The governor said the proposal duplicates existing efforts to support residents facing deportation.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790635750,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 1109
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Vetoes Bill to Support Immigration Attorneys in Rural California | KQED",
"description": "The governor said the proposal duplicates existing efforts to support residents facing deportation.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Newsom Vetoes Bill to Support Immigration Attorneys in Rural California",
"datePublished": "2026-09-28T14:38:31-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-28T15:49:10-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1169,
"slug": "immigration",
"name": "Immigration"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101563",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026. (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101563/newsom-vetoes-bill-to-fund-immigration-attorneys-in-rural-california",
"authors": [
"259"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_1169",
"news_6188",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_16",
"news_21027",
"news_36149",
"news_20202",
"news_19954",
"news_17968"
],
"featImg": "news_12084722",
"label": "news"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/news?category=california": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 36,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 2775,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12102300",
"news_12102105",
"news_12101434",
"news_12101847",
"news_12100623",
"news_12101714",
"news_12101308",
"news_12101829",
"news_12101807",
"news_12100607",
"news_12100604",
"news_12101563"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news_category_california": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_31795": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31795",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31795",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31812,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/california"
},
"source_news_12102300": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12102300",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101434": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101434",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Prop Fest 2026",
"link": "http://kqed.org/propfest",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100623": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100623",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Prop Fest 2026",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101714": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101714",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Bay Curious",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12101308": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12101308",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Prop Fest 2026",
"link": "http://kqed.org/propfest",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100607": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100607",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Prop Fest 2026",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12100604": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12100604",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Prop Fest 2026",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/propfest",
"isLoading": false
},
"news_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/news"
},
"news_13": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_13",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "13",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 13,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/politics"
},
"news_18538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california"
},
"news_20251": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20251",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20251",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Democrats",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Democrats Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20268,
"slug": "california-democrats",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-democrats"
},
"news_3976": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3976",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3976",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Republicans",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Republicans Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3995,
"slug": "california-republicans",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-republicans"
},
"news_26088": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26088",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26088",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "democratic debates",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "democratic debates Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26105,
"slug": "democratic-debates",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/democratic-debates"
},
"news_36336": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36336",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36336",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Election 2026",
"slug": "election-2026",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Election 2026 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36353,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/election-2026"
},
"news_36335": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36335",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36335",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Governor 2026",
"slug": "governor-2026",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Governor 2026 | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36352,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/governor-2026"
},
"news_17968": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17968",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17968",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Politics",
"slug": "politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Politics | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 18002,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/politics"
},
"news_35821": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35821",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35821",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Steve Hilton",
"slug": "steve-hilton",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Steve Hilton | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35838,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/steve-hilton"
},
"news_20378": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20378",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20378",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Xavier Becerra",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Xavier Becerra Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20395,
"slug": "xavier-becerra",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/xavier-becerra"
},
"news_18481": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/affiliate/calmatters"
},
"news_33738": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33738",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33738",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33755,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/california"
},
"news_33734": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33734",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33734",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local Politics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Politics Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33751,
"slug": "local-politics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/local-politics"
},
"news_33733": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33733",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33733",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33750,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/news"
},
"news_248": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_248",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "248",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Technology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Technology Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 256,
"slug": "technology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/technology"
},
"news_1386": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1386",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1386",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Area",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Area Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1398,
"slug": "bay-area",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/bay-area"
},
"news_176": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_176",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "176",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Democrats",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Democrats Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 183,
"slug": "democrats",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/democrats"
},
"news_27626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27643,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-news"
},
"news_34377": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34377",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34377",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "featured-politics",
"slug": "featured-politics",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "featured-politics Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34394,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-politics"
},
"news_34586": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34586",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34586",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Silicon Valley",
"slug": "silicon-valley",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Silicon Valley | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34603,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/silicon-valley"
},
"news_1631": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1631",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1631",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Technology",
"slug": "technology",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Technology | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 1643,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/technology"
},
"news_33732": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33732",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33732",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Technology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Technology Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33749,
"slug": "technology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/technology"
},
"news_28779": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28779",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28779",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "The Bay is a daily news and culture program from KQED that covers the latest headlines, trends, and stories that matter to the Bay Area.",
"title": "The Bay Area Archives | KQED",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28796,
"slug": "the-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-bay"
},
"news_33523": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33523",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33523",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Curious",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Curious Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33540,
"slug": "bay-curious",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/bay-curious"
},
"news_34552": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34552",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34552",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "baycurious",
"slug": "baycurious",
"taxonomy": "program",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "baycurious | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34569,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/baycurious"
},
"news_17986": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17986",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17986",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/11/BayCuriousLogoFinal01-e1493662037229.png",
"name": "Bay Curious",
"description": "\u003ch2>A podcast exploring the Bay Area one question at a time\u003c/h2>\r\n\r\n\u003caside>\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%; padding-right: 20px;\">\r\n\r\nKQED’s \u003cstrong>Bay Curious\u003c/strong> gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.\r\n\u003cbr />\r\n\u003cspan class=\"alignleft\">\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1172473406\">\u003cimg width=\"75px\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/11/DownloadOniTunes_100x100.png\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://goo.gl/app/playmusic?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/Ipi2mc5aqfen4nr2daayiziiyuy?t%3DBay_Curious\">\u003cimg width=\"75px\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/11/Google_Play_100x100.png\">\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\r\n\u003c/aside> \r\n\u003ch2>What's your question?\u003c/h2>\r\n\u003cdiv id=\"huxq6\" class=\"curiosity-module\" data-pym-src=\"//modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/curiosity_modules/133\">\u003c/div>\r\n\u003cscript src=\"//assets.wearehearken.com/production/thirdparty/p.m.js\">\u003c/script>\r\n\u003ch2>Bay Curious monthly newsletter\u003c/h2>\r\nWe're launching it soon! \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEtzbyNbSQkRHCCAkKhoGiAl3Bd0zWxhk0ZseJ1KH_o_ZDjQ/viewform\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up\u003c/a> so you don't miss it when it drops.\r\n",
"taxonomy": "series",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "A podcast exploring the Bay Area one question at a time KQED’s Bay Curious gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers. What's your question? Bay Curious monthly newsletter We're launching it soon! Sign up so you don't miss it when it drops.",
"title": "Bay Curious Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18020,
"slug": "baycurious",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/series/baycurious"
},
"news_28645": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28645",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28645",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "prop fest",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "prop fest Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28662,
"slug": "prop-fest",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/prop-fest"
},
"news_22598": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_22598",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "22598",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The Bay",
"description": "\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11638190\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/02/TheBay_1200x6301.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\u003cbr/>\r\n\r\nEvery good story starts local. So that’s where we start. \u003ci>The Bay\u003c/i> is storytelling for daily news. KQED host Devin Katayama talks with reporters to help us make sense of what’s happening in the Bay Area. One story. One conversation. One idea.\r\n\r\n\u003cstrong>Subscribe to The Bay:\u003c/strong>\r\n\r\n\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452?mt=2\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/Listen_on_Apple_Podcasts_sRGB_US-e1515635079510.png\" />\u003c/a>",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Every good story starts local. So that’s where we start. The Bay is storytelling for daily news. KQED host Devin Katayama talks with reporters to help us make sense of what’s happening in the Bay Area. One story. One conversation. One idea. Subscribe to The Bay:",
"title": "The Bay Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22615,
"slug": "the-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/the-bay"
},
"news_28250": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28250",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28250",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28267,
"slug": "local",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/local"
},
"news_4092": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4092",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4092",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "agriculture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "agriculture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4111,
"slug": "agriculture-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/agriculture-2"
},
"news_36670": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36670",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36670",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "California farmers",
"slug": "california-farmers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "California farmers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36687,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-farmers"
},
"news_18163": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18163",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18163",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Farmers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Farmers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18197,
"slug": "farmers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/farmers"
},
"news_18269": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18269",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18269",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "farmworkers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "farmworkers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18303,
"slug": "farmworkers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/farmworkers"
},
"news_2538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "morgan hill",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "morgan hill Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2553,
"slug": "morgan-hill",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/morgan-hill"
},
"news_18188": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18188",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18188",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Santa Clara County",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Santa Clara County Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18222,
"slug": "santa-clara-county",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/santa-clara-county"
},
"news_5719": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_5719",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "5719",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Santa Clara Valley",
"slug": "santa-clara-valley",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Santa Clara Valley | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 5743,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/santa-clara-valley"
},
"news_21285": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21285",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21285",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Bay Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21302,
"slug": "south-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/south-bay"
},
"news_33731": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33731",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33731",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Bay Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33748,
"slug": "south-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/south-bay"
},
"news_33520": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33520",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33520",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Podcast Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33537,
"slug": "podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/podcast"
},
"news_18426": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18426",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18426",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Bay Curious",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Bay Curious Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18460,
"slug": "bay-curious",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/bay-curious"
},
"news_33812": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33812",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33812",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Interests",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Interests Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33829,
"slug": "interests",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/interests"
},
"news_21509": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21509",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21509",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "recall",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "recall Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21526,
"slug": "recall",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/recall"
},
"news_29992": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29992",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29992",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30009,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts"
},
"news_223": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_223",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "223",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 231,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts-and-culture"
},
"news_17719": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17719",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17719",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "film",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "film Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17753,
"slug": "film",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/film"
},
"news_18816": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18816",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18816",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Halloween",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Halloween Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18833,
"slug": "halloween",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/halloween"
},
"news_701": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_701",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "701",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "movies",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "movies Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 710,
"slug": "movies",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/movies"
},
"news_5930": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_5930",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "5930",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Northern California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Northern California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5954,
"slug": "northern-california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/northern-california"
},
"news_34054": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34054",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34054",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "oakland Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 34071,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/oakland"
},
"news_34560": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34560",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34560",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "podcasts | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34577,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/podcasts"
},
"news_3286": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3286",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3286",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Point Reyes",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Point Reyes Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3304,
"slug": "point-reyes",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/point-reyes"
},
"news_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 58,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco"
},
"news_33736": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33736",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33736",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33753,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/arts-and-culture"
},
"news_34551": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34551",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34551",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Labor",
"slug": "labor",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Labor | KQED News",
"description": "We examine worker safety, workplace regulation, employment trends and union organizing.",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34568,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/labor"
},
"news_6188": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6188",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6188",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Law and Justice",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Law and Justice Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6212,
"slug": "law-and-justice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/law-and-justice"
},
"news_19904": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19904",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19904",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Labor",
"slug": "labor",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Labor | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 19921,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor"
},
"news_21891": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21891",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21891",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "lawsuits",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "lawsuits Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21908,
"slug": "lawsuits",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/lawsuits"
},
"news_18208": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18208",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18208",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wage theft",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wage theft Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18242,
"slug": "wage-theft",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/wage-theft"
},
"news_1169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1169",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1169",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1180,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/immigration"
},
"news_4750": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4750",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4750",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "civil rights",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "civil rights Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4769,
"slug": "civil-rights",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/civil-rights"
},
"news_1323": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1323",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1323",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Donald Trump",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Donald Trump Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1335,
"slug": "donald-trump",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/donald-trump"
},
"news_16": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_16",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "16",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Gavin Newsom",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Gavin Newsom Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16,
"slug": "gavin-newsom",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/gavin-newsom"
},
"news_20202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20219,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration"
},
"news_20584": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20584",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20584",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration detention",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration detention Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20601,
"slug": "immigration-detention",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-detention"
},
"news_36435": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36435",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36435",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigration detention centers",
"slug": "immigration-detention-centers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigration detention centers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36452,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigration-detention-centers"
},
"news_33748": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33748",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33748",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Immigration Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33765,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/immigration"
},
"news_1758": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1758",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1758",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Economy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Full coverage of the economy",
"title": "Economy Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2648,
"slug": "economy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/economy"
},
"news_25694": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_25694",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "25694",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "income taxes",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "income taxes Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 25711,
"slug": "income-taxes",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/income-taxes"
},
"news_70": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_70",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "70",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "state budget",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "state budget Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 71,
"slug": "state-budget",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/state-budget"
},
"news_26542": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26542",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26542",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CA Legislature",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CA Legislature Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26559,
"slug": "ca-legislature",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ca-legislature"
},
"news_30": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Jerry Brown",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Jerry Brown Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30,
"slug": "jerry-brown",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/jerry-brown"
},
"news_21027": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21027",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21027",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ICE",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ICE Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21044,
"slug": "ice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/ice"
},
"news_36149": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36149",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36149",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "immigrant lawyers",
"slug": "immigrant-lawyers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "immigrant lawyers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36166,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/immigrant-lawyers"
},
"news_19954": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19954",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19954",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Law and Justice",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Law and Justice Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19971,
"slug": "law-and-justice",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/law-and-justice"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}