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_12092779": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12092779",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12092779",
"found": true
},
"title": "260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED",
"publishDate": 1785194588,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785194637,
"caption": "Children play in the splash pad area of Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San José on July 27, 2026. This space will now be known as Plaza de San José, after a unanimous vote of the City Council Tuesday afternoon.",
"credit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-04-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12081691": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12081691",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12081691",
"found": true
},
"title": "260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED",
"publishDate": 1777419172,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1777419195,
"caption": "A speed camera on Alemany Boulevard monitors traffic between Farragut and Naglee avenues in San Francisco on April 28, 2026, as part of a city pilot program to reduce speeding and traffic injuries.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-BL-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12028007": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12028007",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12028007",
"found": true
},
"title": "250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4",
"publishDate": 1740095228,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12027875,
"modified": 1740095729,
"caption": "Coyote Creek flows past the Olinder-McKinley neighborhood in San José, California, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. The neighborhood was inundated in February 2017 during a major flood.",
"credit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250220-SJFLOODWALLS-JG-4.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12101569": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12101569",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101569",
"found": true
},
"title": "Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026.",
"publishDate": 1790612775,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12101567,
"modified": 1790612807,
"caption": "Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260623-SJParking-02-BL_qed.jpg",
"width": 1999,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12096109": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12096109",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12096109",
"found": true
},
"title": "260501-OAKLAND MAY DAY-MD-05_qed",
"publishDate": 1787254053,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12096106,
"modified": 1787336857,
"caption": "Protesters march carrying a papier-mâché camera to protest the use of Flock security cameras at the Oakland Sin Fronteras May Day march in Oakland on May 1, 2026.",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_qed.jpg",
"width": 1998,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12083443": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12083443",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12083443",
"found": true
},
"title": "World Cup signage at San Jose City Hall in San Jose on May 12, 2026.",
"publishDate": 1778690544,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12089834,
"modified": 1783028559,
"caption": "World Cup signage at San José City Hall in San José on May 12, 2026.",
"credit": "Tâm Vũ/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260512-WORLDCUPFLAG-TV-01750-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12071815": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12071815",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12071815",
"found": true
},
"title": "250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed (1)",
"publishDate": 1769815990,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12071569,
"modified": 1769816024,
"caption": "San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks about the need for deportation protections for immigrants who have been victims or witnesses of crimes, during a press conference outside City Hall on July 31, 2025.",
"credit": "Joseph Geha/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/250731-DEPORTBILL-JG-3_qed-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12080848": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12080848",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12080848",
"found": true
},
"title": "Election 2026 California Governor",
"publishDate": 1776875747,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12080843,
"modified": 1776875792,
"caption": "From left, Katie Porter, Matt Mahan and Xavier Becerra attend a gubernatorial candidate forum on Latino and immigrant communities in Sacramento, California, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.",
"credit": "Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/CaliforniaGovRaceAP1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12085243": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12085243",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12085243",
"found": true
},
"title": "260526-San Jose Rent-01-KQED",
"publishDate": 1779836027,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779836247,
"caption": "A bedroom inside The Fay, a downtown San José high-rise where the city has launched a first-of-its-kind program to offer reduced rents to public employees, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.",
"credit": "Courtesy of City and County of San José ",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260526-San-Jose-Rent-01-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12081064": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12081064",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12081064",
"found": true
},
"title": "FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed",
"publishDate": 1776915743,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12082059,
"modified": 1778868137,
"caption": "Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, from left, Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Katie Porter, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. ",
"credit": "Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg",
"width": 1999,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12082339": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12082339",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12082339",
"found": true
},
"title": "20260423_ XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED",
"publishDate": 1777935078,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1778267226,
"caption": "Concord resident Chuck Carpenter, right, speaks with Xavier Becerra during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026.",
"credit": "Estefany Gonzalez for KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_039-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_12072282": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12072282",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12072282",
"found": true
},
"title": "Election 2026 California Governor",
"publishDate": 1770234770,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 12072234,
"modified": 1770234795,
"caption": "From left, Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee stand on the stage during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. ",
"credit": "Laure Andrillon/AP Photo",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.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_12101186": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12101186",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12101186",
"name": "Alina Ta",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_news_12085483": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_12085483",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_12085483",
"name": "Jeanne Kuang and Jeremia Kimelman, CalMatters",
"isLoading": false
},
"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/771cddf45ce3a8ed533d82dcc214e9ef925d76d2af5794a33da1ce439eb54a32?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "guymarzorati",
"bluesky": null,
"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/771cddf45ce3a8ed533d82dcc214e9ef925d76d2af5794a33da1ce439eb54a32?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/771cddf45ce3a8ed533d82dcc214e9ef925d76d2af5794a33da1ce439eb54a32?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmarzorati"
},
"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"
},
"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"
},
"adahlstromeckman": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11785",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11785",
"found": true
},
"name": "Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman",
"firstName": "Azul",
"lastName": "Dahlstrom-Eckman",
"slug": "adahlstromeckman",
"email": "adahlstrom-eckman@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Reporter",
"bio": "Azul is a reporter for KQED focusing on transportation and features. He joined KQED in 2021 as an alumnus of KALW's Audio Academy radio journalism training program.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9cb750298435add7815a777f55bf1f46845c1386bb8452555c60a7b820b5aba3?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "@zuliemann",
"bluesky": "@azul415.bsky.social",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman | KQED",
"description": "Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9cb750298435add7815a777f55bf1f46845c1386bb8452555c60a7b820b5aba3?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9cb750298435add7815a777f55bf1f46845c1386bb8452555c60a7b820b5aba3?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/adahlstromeckman"
},
"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"
},
"jessicakariisa": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11831",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11831",
"found": true
},
"name": "Jessica Kariisa",
"firstName": "Jessica",
"lastName": "Kariisa",
"slug": "jessicakariisa",
"email": "jkariisa@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Producer, The Bay",
"bio": "Jessica Kariisa is the producer of The Bay. She first joined KQED as an intern for The California Report Magazine, after which she became an on-call producer. She reported a Bay Curious episode on the use of rap lyrics in criminal trials which won a Society of Professional Journalists award in 2023 for Excellence in Features Journalism and the 2023 Signal Award for Best Conversation Starter. She’s worked on podcasts for Snap Judgment and American Public Media. Before embarking on her audio career, she was a music journalist.\r\n\r\nJessica Kariisa is represented by SAG-AFTRA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/522e97b28ac0b3d411621c0fde8f3419c7b71ea2c5c262c57c4bb600963f328c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor",
"manage_categories"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Jessica Kariisa | KQED",
"description": "Producer, The Bay",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/522e97b28ac0b3d411621c0fde8f3419c7b71ea2c5c262c57c4bb600963f328c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/522e97b28ac0b3d411621c0fde8f3419c7b71ea2c5c262c57c4bb600963f328c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jessicakariisa"
},
"jgeha": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11906",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11906",
"found": true
},
"name": "Joseph Geha",
"firstName": "Joseph",
"lastName": "Geha",
"slug": "jgeha",
"email": "jgeha@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Joseph Geha | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ea84d2b6dd93d6369d453edf19dd583f117cd1759d2d9c9c92f9de77017354fe?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jgeha"
},
"skennedy": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11935",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11935",
"found": true
},
"name": "Samantha Kennedy",
"firstName": "Samantha",
"lastName": "Kennedy",
"slug": "skennedy",
"email": "SKennedy@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Samantha Kennedy | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/adc7b14bf1e801793202a156ecc864d4ad505b0fd63162a2f3da0e5ba57222d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/skennedy"
},
"aaliahmad": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11986",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11986",
"found": true
},
"name": "Ayah Ali-Ahmad",
"firstName": "Ayah",
"lastName": "Ali-Ahmad",
"slug": "aaliahmad",
"email": "aaliahmad@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1cf54f187a5e1064b2cfef3f3d2f1e4f93e453395d56912aca6382a6071ec3ed?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "ayahaliahmad",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Ayah Ali-Ahmad | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1cf54f187a5e1064b2cfef3f3d2f1e4f93e453395d56912aca6382a6071ec3ed?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1cf54f187a5e1064b2cfef3f3d2f1e4f93e453395d56912aca6382a6071ec3ed?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/aaliahmad"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_tag_matt-mahan": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31197",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31197",
"score": 9.895844
},
"name": "Matt Mahan",
"slug": "matt-mahan",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Matt Mahan | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 31214,
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Matt Mahan",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?tag=matt-mahan",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://hls.kqed.org/hls/kqed_app/playlist.m3u8",
"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_12106589": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12106589",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12106589",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1793145160000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "san-joses-plaza-de-cesar-chavez-will-be-renamed-plaza-de-san-jose",
"title": "San José’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez Will Be Renamed Plaza de San José ",
"publishDate": 1793145160,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "San José’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez Will Be Renamed Plaza de San José | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than six months after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> put a plan in motion to rename the downtown park and plaza long named for Cesar Chavez, city leaders have made a choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The elliptical gathering space in downtown will now be known as Plaza de San José, after a unanimous vote of the City Council on Tuesday afternoon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José took first place in a ranked-choice survey of five naming options that was put to residents in the summer. With more than 10,500 responses to the survey, it earned more first-choice votes than the second-place and third-place options combined, according to city reports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“By a fairly resounding margin, the community has made it clear that Plaza de San José is their preferred choice for renaming the plaza,” Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents downtown, said during the meeting. \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/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A stone stage platform at one end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez is seen in downtown San José on July 27, 2026. The platform’s engraved lettering bearing Chavez’s name has been removed. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think that this is really a name that speaks to the central role that this park has played in our city’s civic history as the oldest public space in Northern California, as the site of our first State Capitol here in \u003ca href=\"https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/previous-ca-capitals/\">California\u003c/a> and as a longtime home to one of our earlier city halls. I think it’s a name that does its part to reflect the legacy and the importance of both the Spanish and the Mexican heritage in our city’s history,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision brings to a close a monthslong process of public engagement spanning community meetings and listening sessions, surveys and voting, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092702/san-jose-asks-for-help-renaming-plaza-de-cesar-chavez\">put into motion\u003c/a> after allegations broke that Chavez, long hailed as a unifying labor rights figure, sexually abused women and girls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html\">New York Times report\u003c/a> in March revealed Chavez’s alleged abuses, including against Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded what would become the United Farm Workers union, prompting cities and districts up and down the state to consider renaming the streets, parks, schools and other landmarks titled to honor him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Matt Mahan said the result is a “positive outcome” and thanked city staff for doing “a very nice job of navigating an unexpected and sensitive situation” that has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077159/east-san-jose-leaders-call-for-supporting-survivors-after-cesar-chavez-allegations\">difficult for residents\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the council ultimately chose Plaza de San José because of the community voting behind it, some residents and Parks and Recreation commissioners pushed for names they said have more audible or cultural heft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Parks and Recreation commission, after reviewing community input, earlier this month suggested the council adopt the name, Plaza del Pueblo de San José, a combination of two naming options from public surveys. Commissioner Daisy Barocio said Plaza de San José lacked “richness” and felt “very plain and safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Misrayn Mendoza of community group Amigos de Guadalupe, along with several others, called into the council meeting on Tuesday to suggest renaming the area Plaza de los Inmigrantes, or Immigrants Plaza, noting the city’s population is made up of more than 40% immigrants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We cannot take the easy way out and name it just the Plaza of San José,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The community meetings and surveys yielded more than 600 suggestions for potential names from residents and organizations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After winnowing down the choices to five options based on what was most frequently suggested, and removing options that didn’t meet the city’s existing criteria for park names, city staff shared five options in a ranked-choice voting survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José was the overall leader after the survey, with Farmworkers Plaza the second preferred choice and Plaza del Pueblo the third, followed by Plaza Park and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City staff said the park renaming work will go out to bid later this year and a contract should be completed in the spring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José’s broad community support “will really set up this next era for the plaza well and help us get on that journey with the right foot,” Tordillos said. “And it will reaffirm that this really is a park that belongs to the people of San José and where everyone in our community is welcome.”\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>More than six months after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> put a plan in motion to rename the downtown park and plaza long named for Cesar Chavez, city leaders have made a choice. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>More than six months after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> put a plan in motion to rename the downtown park and plaza long named for Cesar Chavez, city leaders have made a choice. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The elliptical gathering space in downtown will now be known as Plaza de San José, after a unanimous vote of the City Council on Tuesday afternoon. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The elliptical gathering space in downtown will now be known as Plaza de San José, after a unanimous vote of the City Council on Tuesday afternoon. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José took first place in a ranked-choice survey of five naming options that was put to residents in the summer. With more than 10,500 responses to the survey, it earned more first-choice votes than the second-place and third-place options combined, according to city reports.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José took first place in a ranked-choice survey of five naming options that was put to residents in the summer. With more than 10,500 responses to the survey, it earned more first-choice votes than the second-place and third-place options combined, according to city reports.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“By a fairly resounding margin, the community has made it clear that Plaza de San José is their preferred choice for renaming the plaza,” Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents downtown, said during the meeting. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“By a fairly resounding margin, the community has made it clear that Plaza de San José is their preferred choice for renaming the plaza,” Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents downtown, said during the meeting. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12092783,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"align": "center",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"isDecorative": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-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 stone stage platform at one end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez is seen in downtown San José on July 27, 2026. The platform’s engraved lettering bearing Chavez’s name has been removed.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/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/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092783\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A stone stage platform at one end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez is seen in downtown San José on July 27, 2026. The platform’s engraved lettering bearing Chavez’s name has been removed.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think that this is really a name that speaks to the central role that this park has played in our city’s civic history as the oldest public space in Northern California, as the site of our first State Capitol here in \u003ca href=\"https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/previous-ca-capitals/\">California\u003c/a> and as a longtime home to one of our earlier city halls. I think it’s a name that does its part to reflect the legacy and the importance of both the Spanish and the Mexican heritage in our city’s history,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think that this is really a name that speaks to the central role that this park has played in our city’s civic history as the oldest public space in Northern California, as the site of our first State Capitol here in \u003ca href=\"https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/previous-ca-capitals/\">California\u003c/a> and as a longtime home to one of our earlier city halls. I think it’s a name that does its part to reflect the legacy and the importance of both the Spanish and the Mexican heritage in our city’s history,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The decision brings to a close a monthslong process of public engagement spanning community meetings and listening sessions, surveys and voting, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092702/san-jose-asks-for-help-renaming-plaza-de-cesar-chavez\">put into motion\u003c/a> after allegations broke that Chavez, long hailed as a unifying labor rights figure, sexually abused women and girls. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The decision brings to a close a monthslong process of public engagement spanning community meetings and listening sessions, surveys and voting, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092702/san-jose-asks-for-help-renaming-plaza-de-cesar-chavez\">put into motion\u003c/a> after allegations broke that Chavez, long hailed as a unifying labor rights figure, sexually abused women and girls. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html\">New York Times report\u003c/a> in March revealed Chavez’s alleged abuses, including against Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded what would become the United Farm Workers union, prompting cities and districts up and down the state to consider renaming the streets, parks, schools and other landmarks titled to honor him. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html\">New York Times report\u003c/a> in March revealed Chavez’s alleged abuses, including against Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded what would become the United Farm Workers union, prompting cities and districts up and down the state to consider renaming the streets, parks, schools and other landmarks titled to honor him. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan said the result is a “positive outcome” and thanked city staff for doing “a very nice job of navigating an unexpected and sensitive situation” that has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077159/east-san-jose-leaders-call-for-supporting-survivors-after-cesar-chavez-allegations\">difficult for residents\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan said the result is a “positive outcome” and thanked city staff for doing “a very nice job of navigating an unexpected and sensitive situation” that has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077159/east-san-jose-leaders-call-for-supporting-survivors-after-cesar-chavez-allegations\">difficult for residents\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the council ultimately chose Plaza de San José because of the community voting behind it, some residents and Parks and Recreation commissioners pushed for names they said have more audible or cultural heft. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While the council ultimately chose Plaza de San José because of the community voting behind it, some residents and Parks and Recreation commissioners pushed for names they said have more audible or cultural heft. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12105788"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260428-SFSPEEDCAMERAS-22-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>The Parks and Recreation commission, after reviewing community input, earlier this month suggested the council adopt the name, Plaza del Pueblo de San José, a combination of two naming options from public surveys. Commissioner Daisy Barocio said Plaza de San José lacked “richness” and felt “very plain and safe.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Parks and Recreation commission, after reviewing community input, earlier this month suggested the council adopt the name, Plaza del Pueblo de San José, a combination of two naming options from public surveys. Commissioner Daisy Barocio said Plaza de San José lacked “richness” and felt “very plain and safe.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Misrayn Mendoza of community group Amigos de Guadalupe, along with several others, called into the council meeting on Tuesday to suggest renaming the area Plaza de los Inmigrantes, or Immigrants Plaza, noting the city’s population is made up of more than 40% immigrants. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Misrayn Mendoza of community group Amigos de Guadalupe, along with several others, called into the council meeting on Tuesday to suggest renaming the area Plaza de los Inmigrantes, or Immigrants Plaza, noting the city’s population is made up of more than 40% immigrants. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We cannot take the easy way out and name it just the Plaza of San José,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We cannot take the easy way out and name it just the Plaza of San José,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The community meetings and surveys yielded more than 600 suggestions for potential names from residents and organizations. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The community meetings and surveys yielded more than 600 suggestions for potential names from residents and organizations. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After winnowing down the choices to five options based on what was most frequently suggested, and removing options that didn’t meet the city’s existing criteria for park names, city staff shared five options in a ranked-choice voting survey. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After winnowing down the choices to five options based on what was most frequently suggested, and removing options that didn’t meet the city’s existing criteria for park names, city staff shared five options in a ranked-choice voting survey. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José was the overall leader after the survey, with Farmworkers Plaza the second preferred choice and Plaza del Pueblo the third, followed by Plaza Park and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José was the overall leader after the survey, with Farmworkers Plaza the second preferred choice and Plaza del Pueblo the third, followed by Plaza Park and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff said the park renaming work will go out to bid later this year and a contract should be completed in the spring. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>City staff said the park renaming work will go out to bid later this year and a contract should be completed in the spring. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José’s broad community support “will really set up this next era for the plaza well and help us get on that journey with the right foot,” Tordillos said. “And it will reaffirm that this really is a park that belongs to the people of San José and where everyone in our community is welcome.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Plaza de San José’s broad community support “will really set up this next era for the plaza well and help us get on that journey with the right foot,” Tordillos said. “And it will reaffirm that this really is a park that belongs to the people of San José and where everyone in our community is welcome.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "San José leaders chose Plaza de San José as the new name for a park that long bore the name of Cesar Chavez. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1793146981,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 0,
"wordCount": 728
},
"headData": {
"title": "San José’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez Will Be Renamed Plaza de San José | KQED",
"description": "San José leaders chose Plaza de San José as the new name for a park that long bore the name of Cesar Chavez. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "San José’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez Will Be Renamed Plaza de San José ",
"datePublished": "2026-10-27T16:52:40-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-27T17:23:01-07:00",
"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": 28250,
"slug": "local",
"name": "Local"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12106589",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12106589/san-joses-plaza-de-cesar-chavez-will-be-renamed-plaza-de-san-jose",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than six months after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> put a plan in motion to rename the downtown park and plaza long named for Cesar Chavez, city leaders have made a choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The elliptical gathering space in downtown will now be known as Plaza de San José, after a unanimous vote of the City Council on Tuesday afternoon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José took first place in a ranked-choice survey of five naming options that was put to residents in the summer. With more than 10,500 responses to the survey, it earned more first-choice votes than the second-place and third-place options combined, according to city reports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“By a fairly resounding margin, the community has made it clear that Plaza de San José is their preferred choice for renaming the plaza,” Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents downtown, said during the meeting. \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/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-PLAZACESAR-JG-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A stone stage platform at one end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez is seen in downtown San José on July 27, 2026. The platform’s engraved lettering bearing Chavez’s name has been removed. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think that this is really a name that speaks to the central role that this park has played in our city’s civic history as the oldest public space in Northern California, as the site of our first State Capitol here in \u003ca href=\"https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/previous-ca-capitals/\">California\u003c/a> and as a longtime home to one of our earlier city halls. I think it’s a name that does its part to reflect the legacy and the importance of both the Spanish and the Mexican heritage in our city’s history,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision brings to a close a monthslong process of public engagement spanning community meetings and listening sessions, surveys and voting, which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092702/san-jose-asks-for-help-renaming-plaza-de-cesar-chavez\">put into motion\u003c/a> after allegations broke that Chavez, long hailed as a unifying labor rights figure, sexually abused women and girls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html\">New York Times report\u003c/a> in March revealed Chavez’s alleged abuses, including against Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded what would become the United Farm Workers union, prompting cities and districts up and down the state to consider renaming the streets, parks, schools and other landmarks titled to honor him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mayor Matt Mahan said the result is a “positive outcome” and thanked city staff for doing “a very nice job of navigating an unexpected and sensitive situation” that has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077159/east-san-jose-leaders-call-for-supporting-survivors-after-cesar-chavez-allegations\">difficult for residents\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the council ultimately chose Plaza de San José because of the community voting behind it, some residents and Parks and Recreation commissioners pushed for names they said have more audible or cultural heft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Parks and Recreation commission, after reviewing community input, earlier this month suggested the council adopt the name, Plaza del Pueblo de San José, a combination of two naming options from public surveys. Commissioner Daisy Barocio said Plaza de San José lacked “richness” and felt “very plain and safe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Misrayn Mendoza of community group Amigos de Guadalupe, along with several others, called into the council meeting on Tuesday to suggest renaming the area Plaza de los Inmigrantes, or Immigrants Plaza, noting the city’s population is made up of more than 40% immigrants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We cannot take the easy way out and name it just the Plaza of San José,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The community meetings and surveys yielded more than 600 suggestions for potential names from residents and organizations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After winnowing down the choices to five options based on what was most frequently suggested, and removing options that didn’t meet the city’s existing criteria for park names, city staff shared five options in a ranked-choice voting survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José was the overall leader after the survey, with Farmworkers Plaza the second preferred choice and Plaza del Pueblo the third, followed by Plaza Park and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City staff said the park renaming work will go out to bid later this year and a contract should be completed in the spring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaza de San José’s broad community support “will really set up this next era for the plaza well and help us get on that journey with the right foot,” Tordillos said. “And it will reaffirm that this really is a park that belongs to the people of San José and where everyone in our community is welcome.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12106589/san-joses-plaza-de-cesar-chavez-will-be-renamed-plaza-de-san-jose",
"authors": [
"11906"
],
"categories": [
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1386",
"news_885",
"news_18269",
"news_31197",
"news_18541",
"news_21285"
],
"featImg": "news_12092779",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12105788": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12105788",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12105788",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1792760400000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "san-jose-launches-its-automated-speed-cameras-heres-where-theyll-be",
"title": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be",
"publishDate": 1792760400,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \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/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/shortcode",
"attrs": {
"shortcode_type": "self_closing",
"shortcode_name": "iframe",
"src": "https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F",
"width": "800",
"height": "800"
},
"innerHTML": "\n[iframe src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\"]\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n[iframe src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\"]\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12065712"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251202-OAKSPEEDCAMERAS-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.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>San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12032139,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
"isDecorative": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-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\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/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/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12050882"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250805_SPEED-CAMERAS-FOLO_-0003_GH-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>“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The city has started to install cameras at 33 locations, including some of the most dangerous corridors. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1792721010,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": true,
"iframeSrcs": [
"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed"
],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 1,
"wordCount": 1169
},
"headData": {
"title": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be | KQED",
"description": "The city has started to install cameras at 33 locations, including some of the most dangerous corridors. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "San José Launches Its Automated Speed Cameras. Here’s Where They’ll Be",
"datePublished": "2026-10-23T06:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-22T19:03:30-07:00",
"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": 1397,
"slug": "transportation",
"name": "Transportation"
},
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12105788/san-jose-launches-its-automated-speed-cameras-heres-where-theyll-be",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> has launched its automated speed safety camera program in an effort to curb the city’s most deadly driving behavior, Mayor Matt Mahan announced Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cameras will be located at 33 locations throughout the city — two at each site. Beginning Dec. 14, the cameras will issue warnings to any vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Sixty days later, they’ll issue citations starting at $50, with higher penalties for greater speeds. Every vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is really about enhancing community safety,” Mahan said. “It’s devastating to meet families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly due to traffic accidents, and particularly speeding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speeding is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in San José, Mahan said. The city has, so far, recorded 41 traffic-related deaths this year — down from a high of 65 in 2022. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said more people die in traffic deaths than by homicide in San José.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17yS8nWG7aEm0iPHhaYgVvAm72UjawrE&ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ This is a step towards preventing the kind of tragedy that shattered our world,” said Jorge Quiroz, whose 5-year-old daughter Aileen was days away from graduating kindergarten when she, her sister and her aunt were struck by a speeding driver near San José’s Parkview Elementary in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said Aileen was killed instantly, and he and his wife Elizabeth then spent five years advocating for a speed camera pilot to state lawmakers in Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ It’s not to punish the drivers. We want to change the culture,” Quiroz said. “We want them to think of these cameras as a saving life tool. I want them to think of Aileen, of those families who will never get another hug.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of the city’s 10 City Council districts will have at least one camera. The city selected camera locations based on past crash history, including sites that have seen collisions due to speeding, red light running or failure to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as proximity to places like hospitals and senior centers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José is the final Bay Area city to implement AB 645, a state law passed in 2023 — which authorized six cities in the state, including San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Glendale and Los Angeles — to pilot automated speed enforcement for five years or until Jan. 1, 2032, whichever comes first. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said San José intended to be the first city to start the pilot, but it faced delays because the Trump administration withheld an $8.5 million grant that it had previously awarded to the city to cover some of the program’s costs. He said the city was instead forced to source that funding from local revenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under state law, San José’s speed cameras are set to begin issuing citations on Feb. 12, 2027. The city has installed cameras at four locations and plans to finish over the next several weeks, Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city estimates the program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million to install, operate and maintain over the five-year pilot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speed cameras \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050882/sfs-speed-cameras-a-good-first-step-but-bittersweet-for-families-of-speeding-victims\">began ticketing\u003c/a> in San Francisco in August 2025 and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075751/oaklands-speed-cameras-start-ticketing-sunday-here-are-the-hot-spots\">Oakland\u003c/a> in March 2026. Both cities have reported major drops in speeding at camera locations since the cameras began operating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/media/50300/download?inline\">report\u003c/a> on the first 18 months of San Francisco’s program, the share of drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit dropped by nearly 84% across camera locations compared to pre-implementation levels — and 63% of the vehicles cited did not get a second warning or citation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We’re seeing significant progress over time, which overall makes San Francisco streets safer,” said Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. \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/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12032139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/250319-SF-SPEED-CAMERAS-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A speed camera on Geary Street in San Francisco on March 19, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an August \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095997/oakland-speed-cameras-show-promise-more-than-half-of-tickets-go-to-non-residents\">report\u003c/a> on the first six months of its program, Oakland said drivers traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit dropped by 70% at its camera locations. One location saw a 91% reduction in speeding, according to the city’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Street safety advocacy groups, like Walk San Francisco, have begun pushing for a new state law to expand San Francisco’s speed camera program and expand it to other cities in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Walk SF is aware of more than a dozen California cities, big and small, that now want speed camera programs for their city to help address dangerous speeding,” said Marta Lindsey, communications director for Walk San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San José, like other Bay Area cities, has recently seen intense opposition to other camera systems in use in the city, like the nearly 500 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102922/south-bay-judge-rules-san-joses-flock-cameras-dont-invade-privacy\">automated license plate readers\u003c/a> operated by the company Flock Safety, but Mahan stressed that the speed cameras “are not surveillance cameras.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ We don’t know who’s in the vehicle. There’s no facial recognition. There’s no image of the people,” Mahan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The speed cameras will only capture a vehicle’s rear license plate, unlike Flock’s technology, which also records vehicle characteristics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city also operates four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058285/san-jose-launches-new-red-light-cameras-in-effort-to-reduce-traffic-deaths\">red-light cameras under a separate pilot program\u003c/a>, which ticket drivers who drive through an intersection against a red light. San José has cited red-light running as the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in the city, after speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahan said speed camera data will be deleted within five days if no infraction is issued, and within 60 days if there is an infraction. He said the city has sole control over the encrypted data and is not allowed to share it with any other levels of government unless ordered by a court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe streets advocates in Oakland have said the speed cameras are a good step to help reduce speeding, but cities should continue to focus on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065712/to-fix-oaklands-speeding-problem-automated-cameras-cant-do-it-alone\">other measures\u003c/a> to discourage the behavior, like redesigning roads in ways that force drivers to travel more slowly and protect cyclists and pedestrians. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city has contracted Verra Mobility Services, an Arizona-based transportation technology company, to provide tech support and process citations. Verra holds similar contracts for San Francisco’s and Oakland’s automated speed camera programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citations generated by automated speed cameras are a civil penalty, so they don’t generate points against a driver’s driving record like a criminal penalty. Revenue generated from San José’s speed camera citations will go toward the cost of running the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects/speed-cameras-project\">program\u003c/a>, and any surplus revenue may only be used on traffic safety improvements, in accordance with AB 645. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quiroz said speed cameras are “just another tool” to prevent speeding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“ Is it going to solve the whole issue? No, I don’t think so. But I think it’s going to help save lives,” he said. “This is so preventable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/shossaini\">\u003cem>Sara Hossaini\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12105788/san-jose-launches-its-automated-speed-cameras-heres-where-theyll-be",
"authors": [
"11785"
],
"categories": [
"news_28250",
"news_8",
"news_1397"
],
"tags": [
"news_32939",
"news_1386",
"news_31197",
"news_5535",
"news_22456",
"news_18541",
"news_1334",
"news_21285",
"news_20517"
],
"featImg": "news_12081691",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12104538": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12104538",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12104538",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1792159200000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "staring-down-a-historic-el-nino-san-jose-says-its-ready",
"title": "Staring Down a Historic El Niño, San José Says It’s Ready",
"publishDate": 1792159200,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Staring Down a Historic El Niño, San José Says It’s Ready | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> is ramping up preparations for what forecasters warn could be a “very strong” El Niño, in an effort to avoid another major flood — like the one that prompted mass evacuations almost a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has increased communication with the Santa Clara Valley Water District since learning what Mayor Matt Mahan called “hard lessons” after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027875/san-jose-floodwalls-should-shield-neighborhoods-against-20-year-flood\">2017 Coyote Creek flood\u003c/a> — which displaced thousands and prompted the city to grade itself an ‘F’ in emergency preparedness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is monitoring dozens of historical flooding sites, with the Transportation Department holding a storm coordination meeting to review emergency response procedures — upgraded public safety measures thanks to the passage of the 2018 bond measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12049894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025, press conference in North San José. \u003cbr> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of that information could come in handy — El Niño-driven flooding, mudslides, power outages and more have been predicted, as the natural climate pattern \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104145/californias-el-nino-winter-could-be-profoundly-unsubtle-scientists-warn\">continues to strengthen\u003c/a> with impacts across the California coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We feel we’re prepared,” Mahan told KQED on Thursday. “We keep getting better — we’re investing more in infrastructure, technology, our coordination with Valley Water and continuing to educate our community to make sure individuals are prepared and paying attention and in a position to be resilient as we have extreme weather.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Climate Protection Center, an arm of the National Weather Service, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html\">said\u003c/a> earlier this month that El Niño has continued to intensify, and chances “remain high” that it could be stronger than any the world has seen since 1950. From October through December, CPC said there’s an 83% chance for a historic event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, counties like Marin and San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">have also already started prepping\u003c/a> for the effects by cleaning drains and planning for large amounts of rain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan said a San José voter-passed initiative, Measure T, helped the city expand water catchment basins, upgrade its emergency operations center, improve roadways and its 911 system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The public’s willingness to invest in public infrastructure is part of the reason that we feel we’re in a much better position heading into this El Niño season than we have in the past,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-starts-preparing-for-wet-winter-weather/\">in recent years\u003c/a> experienced heavy rains due to events like atmospheric rivers, which have caused flooding and fallen trees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that flooding has been minimal compared to the Coyote Creek flood, which forced 14,000 to evacuate and incurred around $100 million in damages. Residents filed a lawsuit after the fact because they said that they weren’t properly notified in advance about emergency preparedness, and that the dam that flooded wasn’t adequately maintained. The parties settled. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Efforts for El Niño, he said, do include a focus on locations where flooding has happened historically, though citywide prevention is also a priority. \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/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coyote Creek as seen from Berryessa Rd. in San José on Sept. 6, 2023. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Valley Water has also increased preparedness. The agency completed over 8,000 feet of flood walls along Coyote Creek and was recently awarded a $100 million contract for the next phase of flood protection improvement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They are steadily investing in the waterways that they oversee and reducing flood risk,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mayor said the City Council will receive an update on the highest-risk flooding locations in the coming weeks.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> is ramping up preparations for what forecasters warn could be a “very strong” El Niño, in an effort to avoid another major flood — like the one that prompted mass evacuations almost a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> is ramping up preparations for what forecasters warn could be a “very strong” El Niño, in an effort to avoid another major flood — like the one that prompted mass evacuations almost a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has increased communication with the Santa Clara Valley Water District since learning what Mayor Matt Mahan called “hard lessons” after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027875/san-jose-floodwalls-should-shield-neighborhoods-against-20-year-flood\">2017 Coyote Creek flood\u003c/a> — which displaced thousands and prompted the city to grade itself an ‘F’ in emergency preparedness.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city has increased communication with the Santa Clara Valley Water District since learning what Mayor Matt Mahan called “hard lessons” after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027875/san-jose-floodwalls-should-shield-neighborhoods-against-20-year-flood\">2017 Coyote Creek flood\u003c/a> — which displaced thousands and prompted the city to grade itself an ‘F’ in emergency preparedness.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City staff is monitoring dozens of historical flooding sites, with the Transportation Department holding a storm coordination meeting to review emergency response procedures — upgraded public safety measures thanks to the passage of the 2018 bond measure. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>City staff is monitoring dozens of historical flooding sites, with the Transportation Department holding a storm coordination meeting to review emergency response procedures — upgraded public safety measures thanks to the passage of the 2018 bond measure. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12049894,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12049894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_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\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025, press conference in North San José. \u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/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/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12049894\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025, press conference in North San José. \u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All of that information could come in handy — El Niño-driven flooding, mudslides, power outages and more have been predicted, as the natural climate pattern \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104145/californias-el-nino-winter-could-be-profoundly-unsubtle-scientists-warn\">continues to strengthen\u003c/a> with impacts across the California coast. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>All of that information could come in handy — El Niño-driven flooding, mudslides, power outages and more have been predicted, as the natural climate pattern \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104145/californias-el-nino-winter-could-be-profoundly-unsubtle-scientists-warn\">continues to strengthen\u003c/a> with impacts across the California coast. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We feel we’re prepared,” Mahan told KQED on Thursday. “We keep getting better — we’re investing more in infrastructure, technology, our coordination with Valley Water and continuing to educate our community to make sure individuals are prepared and paying attention and in a position to be resilient as we have extreme weather.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We feel we’re prepared,” Mahan told KQED on Thursday. “We keep getting better — we’re investing more in infrastructure, technology, our coordination with Valley Water and continuing to educate our community to make sure individuals are prepared and paying attention and in a position to be resilient as we have extreme weather.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Climate Protection Center, an arm of the National Weather Service, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html\">said\u003c/a> earlier this month that El Niño has continued to intensify, and chances “remain high” that it could be stronger than any the world has seen since 1950. From October through December, CPC said there’s an 83% chance for a historic event. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Climate Protection Center, an arm of the National Weather Service, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html\">said\u003c/a> earlier this month that El Niño has continued to intensify, and chances “remain high” that it could be stronger than any the world has seen since 1950. From October through December, CPC said there’s an 83% chance for a historic event. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12104352"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/PGEGetty.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>In the Bay Area, counties like Marin and San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">have also already started prepping\u003c/a> for the effects by cleaning drains and planning for large amounts of rain. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, counties like Marin and San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">have also already started prepping\u003c/a> for the effects by cleaning drains and planning for large amounts of rain. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mahan said a San José voter-passed initiative, Measure T, helped the city expand water catchment basins, upgrade its emergency operations center, improve roadways and its 911 system. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Mahan said a San José voter-passed initiative, Measure T, helped the city expand water catchment basins, upgrade its emergency operations center, improve roadways and its 911 system. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The public’s willingness to invest in public infrastructure is part of the reason that we feel we’re in a much better position heading into this El Niño season than we have in the past,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The public’s willingness to invest in public infrastructure is part of the reason that we feel we’re in a much better position heading into this El Niño season than we have in the past,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-starts-preparing-for-wet-winter-weather/\">in recent years\u003c/a> experienced heavy rains due to events like atmospheric rivers, which have caused flooding and fallen trees. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city has \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-starts-preparing-for-wet-winter-weather/\">in recent years\u003c/a> experienced heavy rains due to events like atmospheric rivers, which have caused flooding and fallen trees. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But that flooding has been minimal compared to the Coyote Creek flood, which forced 14,000 to evacuate and incurred around $100 million in damages. Residents filed a lawsuit after the fact because they said that they weren’t properly notified in advance about emergency preparedness, and that the dam that flooded wasn’t adequately maintained. The parties settled. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But that flooding has been minimal compared to the Coyote Creek flood, which forced 14,000 to evacuate and incurred around $100 million in damages. Residents filed a lawsuit after the fact because they said that they weren’t properly notified in advance about emergency preparedness, and that the dam that flooded wasn’t adequately maintained. The parties settled. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Efforts for El Niño, he said, do include a focus on locations where flooding has happened historically, though citywide prevention is also a priority. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Efforts for El Niño, he said, do include a focus on locations where flooding has happened historically, though citywide prevention is also a priority. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12104542,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-1536x1024.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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coyote Creek as seen from Berryessa Rd. in San José on Sept. 6, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/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/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104542\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coyote Creek as seen from Berryessa Rd. in San José on Sept. 6, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Valley Water has also increased preparedness. The agency completed over 8,000 feet of flood walls along Coyote Creek and was recently awarded a $100 million contract for the next phase of flood protection improvement. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Valley Water has also increased preparedness. The agency completed over 8,000 feet of flood walls along Coyote Creek and was recently awarded a $100 million contract for the next phase of flood protection improvement. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They are steadily investing in the waterways that they oversee and reducing flood risk,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“They are steadily investing in the waterways that they oversee and reducing flood risk,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mayor said the City Council will receive an update on the highest-risk flooding locations in the coming weeks.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The mayor said the City Council will receive an update on the highest-risk flooding locations in the coming weeks.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "San José Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is prepared if a potential storm comes its way, thanks to investments in disaster preparedness. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1792169782,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 580
},
"headData": {
"title": "Staring Down a Historic El Niño, San José Says It’s Ready | KQED",
"description": "San José Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is prepared if a potential storm comes its way, thanks to investments in disaster preparedness. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Staring Down a Historic El Niño, San José Says It’s Ready",
"datePublished": "2026-10-16T07:00:00-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-10-16T09:56:22-07:00",
"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": 34165,
"slug": "climate",
"name": "Climate"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12104538",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12104538/staring-down-a-historic-el-nino-san-jose-says-its-ready",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> is ramping up preparations for what forecasters warn could be a “very strong” El Niño, in an effort to avoid another major flood — like the one that prompted mass evacuations almost a decade ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has increased communication with the Santa Clara Valley Water District since learning what Mayor Matt Mahan called “hard lessons” after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027875/san-jose-floodwalls-should-shield-neighborhoods-against-20-year-flood\">2017 Coyote Creek flood\u003c/a> — which displaced thousands and prompted the city to grade itself an ‘F’ in emergency preparedness.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City staff is monitoring dozens of historical flooding sites, with the Transportation Department holding a storm coordination meeting to review emergency response procedures — upgraded public safety measures thanks to the passage of the 2018 bond measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12049894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025, press conference in North San José. \u003cbr> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All of that information could come in handy — El Niño-driven flooding, mudslides, power outages and more have been predicted, as the natural climate pattern \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104145/californias-el-nino-winter-could-be-profoundly-unsubtle-scientists-warn\">continues to strengthen\u003c/a> with impacts across the California coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We feel we’re prepared,” Mahan told KQED on Thursday. “We keep getting better — we’re investing more in infrastructure, technology, our coordination with Valley Water and continuing to educate our community to make sure individuals are prepared and paying attention and in a position to be resilient as we have extreme weather.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Climate Protection Center, an arm of the National Weather Service, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html\">said\u003c/a> earlier this month that El Niño has continued to intensify, and chances “remain high” that it could be stronger than any the world has seen since 1950. From October through December, CPC said there’s an 83% chance for a historic event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, counties like Marin and San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">have also already started prepping\u003c/a> for the effects by cleaning drains and planning for large amounts of rain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mahan said a San José voter-passed initiative, Measure T, helped the city expand water catchment basins, upgrade its emergency operations center, improve roadways and its 911 system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The public’s willingness to invest in public infrastructure is part of the reason that we feel we’re in a much better position heading into this El Niño season than we have in the past,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-starts-preparing-for-wet-winter-weather/\">in recent years\u003c/a> experienced heavy rains due to events like atmospheric rivers, which have caused flooding and fallen trees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that flooding has been minimal compared to the Coyote Creek flood, which forced 14,000 to evacuate and incurred around $100 million in damages. Residents filed a lawsuit after the fact because they said that they weren’t properly notified in advance about emergency preparedness, and that the dam that flooded wasn’t adequately maintained. The parties settled. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Efforts for El Niño, he said, do include a focus on locations where flooding has happened historically, though citywide prevention is also a priority. \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/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-08_qed-74773039-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coyote Creek as seen from Berryessa Rd. in San José on Sept. 6, 2023. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Valley Water has also increased preparedness. The agency completed over 8,000 feet of flood walls along Coyote Creek and was recently awarded a $100 million contract for the next phase of flood protection improvement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They are steadily investing in the waterways that they oversee and reducing flood risk,” Mahan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The mayor said the City Council will receive an update on the highest-risk flooding locations in the coming weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12104538/staring-down-a-historic-el-nino-san-jose-says-its-ready",
"authors": [
"11935"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34165",
"news_28250",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_19204",
"news_255",
"news_6217",
"news_3431",
"news_31197",
"news_18541",
"news_21285"
],
"featImg": "news_12028007",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12101567": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101567",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101567",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790699034000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "san-jose-leaders-consider-increasing-parking-rates",
"title": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase",
"publishDate": 1790699034,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12088568,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-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 parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 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>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12101186"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260501-OAKLAND-MAY-DAY-MD-05_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>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12088569,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-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 parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 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>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12088567,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-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 parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 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>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12088566,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 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>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The San José City Council opposed increasing parking meter rates over concerns about impacts on downtown businesses. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790799653,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 31,
"wordCount": 1454
},
"headData": {
"title": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase | KQED",
"description": "The San José City Council opposed increasing parking meter rates over concerns about impacts on downtown businesses. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "San José Leaders Back Off Parking Rate Increase",
"datePublished": "2026-09-29T09:23:54-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-30T13:20:53-07:00",
"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": 1397,
"slug": "transportation",
"name": "Transportation"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101567",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101567/san-jose-leaders-consider-increasing-parking-rates",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> City Council balked at raising parking meter rates and extending parking enforcement hours over broad concerns about the potential harm to downtown businesses and workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a nearly two-hour meeting, city leaders chose instead Tuesday to increase special event and hourly rates for city parking garages, but to leave city meters at their current rate of $2 per hour, with parking enforcement hours continuing to end at 6 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember George Casey said the proposed policy change didn’t seem to consider the impact on small businesses downtown, which often operate on thin margins, and whose customers and employees often rely on metered parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small business owners have come into our downtown where we don’t, frankly, have the critical mass we’d like to see. And when we take steps that would negatively impact their businesses, I take umbrage with it,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision follows months of discussion and outreach by city staff prompted by a backlash in June, when San José quietly tried to double parking meter rates as part of the annual budget, much to the chagrin of downtown business advocates, restaurant and bar owners and workers. \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088568\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking meter in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to help shore up ongoing budget deficits, and to account for the rising cost of providing parking infrastructure, city transportation officials this month proposed a phased plan that would bump the city’s downtown parking meters rates to $3 per hour next year, and $4 per hour beginning in 2030. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Outside of downtown, rates would have increased from $2 per hour to $3 per hour in 2030, and the hours downtown meters are active would have extended until 9 p.m. beginning in 2028, according to city reports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city has pulled $1.2 million from parking funds to help support the city’s general fund, a move approved by the council to help close a $50 million shortfall in the current budget, and expects to continue redirecting a similar amount to the general fund in coming years. City officials also said some of the additional revenue would go back into making upgrades to parking structures and upgrading meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brendan Rawson, the director of San Jose Jazz, referenced a 2026 City Pulse report from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gensler.com/doc/research-city-pulse-survey-2026.pdf\">Gensler\u003c/a>, saying that San José’s downtown ranked near the bottom in several categories including vibrancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Parking is the gatekeeper issue that holds many residents back from even giving downtown a try. This proposal to raid the parking fund in order to pay for a recurring general fund deficit is penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Rawson told the council at the meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After two different split votes, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent, the council couldn’t come to an agreement on any meter rate increases, including a compromise proposal from Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who suggested limiting increases to just $3. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think part of what has made this process challenging is that we’re trying to balance a number of goals, some of which feel like they are competing with one another,” Tordillos said, noting the need for revenue to support the general fund, parking facilities maintenance and future improvements, and the need to protect businesses who are still in a long tail of post-pandemic recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council ultimately supported portions of a plan from Tordillos that directed staff to come back next year with a detailed parking analysis, and a pathway to lessen the transfer of parking funds to the general fund in the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city hasn’t raised downtown parking meter rates since 2014, according to Colin Heyne, a spokesperson for San José’s Department of Transportation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know people don’t want to pay more for parking. So this is something that we’ve just dealt with for many years, even as costs have gone up,” Heyne said. “But with this budget deficit, we felt it was finally time to pull the bandage off.” \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088569\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking sign in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City officials tried to approve a quicker doubling of parking meter rates in the downtown core in June, with an item tucked into the consent calendar section of a City Council meeting agenda, a portion of the agenda for items that are considered routine and typically not discussed in depth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But residents, business owners and the San José Downtown Association raised concerns, and said they weren’t consulted about such a change. The council ultimately put the idea on hold, and asked transportation staff to come up with a different plan, resulting in the phased proposal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the frustration from business owners, advocates and downtown residents stemmed from what they described as a poor process with limited outreach and consideration of the impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alan “Gumby” Marques, a longtime downtown business owner and former downtown association interim president, told the council he couldn’t support what appeared to be a tax on businesses in the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This process has been broken. If there was anything that ever demonstrated that San José was an opaque black box, this process has made that so,” he said. \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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088567\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parking compliance vehicle in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parking enforcement officers have also seen increases in drivers parking their cars in 2-hour restricted spots well beyond those time limits, by continually feeding the meter, officials said. The city wanted to increase prices in part to encourage more turnover downtown for curbside spots near businesses, which are considered “premier customer parking,” Heyne said, and push people who need to park for longer times to city garages, which would cost less per hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tamiko Rast, vice chair of the city’s Downtown Parking Board, and CEO of the Japantown Business Association, vocally opposed extending the hours and supported higher hikes on city garage event rates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Rast said many people do not park in city garages currently because they feel that they aren’t clean or as safe as curbside parking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people feel safe coming to our garages and they have a clean walkway up the stairwells, I don’t think the price is going to matter as much as you would think. But right now, it’s a combination of a higher price and low quality that I think people will notice,” she said, noting some garages, like The Globe garage on South Third Street, smell like urine or other unpleasant odors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the proposal the council shot down was to widen the hours that parking meters are active and require payment. Meters in the city are currently active Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the city’s plan would have extended the downtown enforcement time until 9 p.m.\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/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088566\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260623-SJParking-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Parking meters in San José on June 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said the area has not rebounded nearly enough since the pandemic to justify the changes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The idea of increasing parking rates and adding additional barriers of entry for the same visitors that we’re attempting to attract in downtown, I think it’s detrimental to downtown’s progress at the end of the day,” Kurtz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heyne said the city planned to use some of the revenue from the increased rates to help pay for a series of ongoing maintenance needs and targeted improvements, including parking garage painting, floor resurfacing and lighting, expanding of security patrols and the installation of an additional elevator at the Second and San Carlos garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One portion of the city proposal that found broad support from the downtown association and the council is a plan to expand a program for some lower-wage downtown employees to receive discounted monthly parking at city garages, in an attempt to help protect workers from the pinch of higher parking costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://parksj.org/info-for-businesses/\">program\u003c/a> currently offers a half-price discount on city parking garage monthly permit rates to employees working in meter districts who earn no more than 30% over the minimum wage of $18.45 per hour. Under the proposal, the city program would expand to include people who earn up to 50% more than minimum wage, and would exclude tips from the threshold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that one outcome of this whole process is that more people are aware of this program and more people take advantage of it,” Heyne said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101567/san-jose-leaders-consider-increasing-parking-rates",
"authors": [
"11906"
],
"categories": [
"news_28250",
"news_8",
"news_13",
"news_1397"
],
"tags": [
"news_1202",
"news_31197",
"news_1159",
"news_18541",
"news_21285",
"news_20517"
],
"featImg": "news_12101569",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12101186": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12101186",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12101186",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1790285661000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "its-not-illegal-for-california-police-to-misuse-flock-data-san-jose-leaders-want-to-change-that",
"title": "It’s Not Illegal for California Police to Misuse Flock Data. San José Leaders Want to Change That",
"publishDate": 1790285661,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "It’s Not Illegal for California Police to Misuse Flock Data. San José Leaders Want to Change That | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\n\u003cp>San José officials said they plan to tighten rules for accessing the city’s automatic license plate reader system after a police officer was fired for misusing the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/flock-safety\">Flock \u003c/a>database to track a civilian who accused his family member of domestic violence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A memo from Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Mayor Matt Mahan would petition the California state Legislature to find a way to add criminal penalties as one of the potential consequences for when an officer misuses license plate reader data, Foley told KQED on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There ought to be more ways that we can hold an officer who misuses the information accountable than just firing him. But there is not that provision or that capability right now,” she said.\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/10/2025/11/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan helps to install a Flock Safety brand automated license plate reader on April 23, 2024. Civil liberties groups are now suing the city and Mahan over the technology’s uses. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to San José Police Chief Paul Joseph, an off-duty officer used a personal device to perform unauthorized license plate reader searches and locate a victim’s vehicle. He then shared the location with the suspect, who was a relative of the officer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officer was immediately placed on leave and later terminated following a criminal investigation, Joseph said in an email. The case was submitted to the state for a decertification investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When an officer violates the public’s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San José badge,” the chief said. “This technology is new; the standard is not.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But no criminal charges were filed against the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said improper access by a police officer is outside the reach of state criminal law. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Laws like California’s computer system hacking statute have been interpreted by the US Supreme Court to apply only to persons who are not authorized to access a computer system from doing so,” the DA’s office said. “There is no law that makes it a crime for a police officer to improperly access an agency’s license plate reader database. Only the state legislature can make this conduct a crime.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing that gap, the proposal will strengthen audits of individual user searches, including increasing the frequency and number of audits with annual reports to city oversight committees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The annual reports will include records that flag officers for accessing license plate readers without legitimate law enforcement purpose, suspicious search activity and any other violations of the city’s policy.\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/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg\" alt=\"A worker in a high visibility vest holds up a black camera.\" class=\"wp-image-12095776\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock Safety worker holds up a new Automated License Plate Reader that was being installed in East San José on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s important that we show the community that what happened we take seriously, and we want to put as many stipulations in effect as we can not let these things happen again,” Foley said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The memo also recommends strengthening the police department’s and the city’s policies to prohibit officers from accessing any law enforcement database, including Flock camera data, with personally owned devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Foley emphasized the goal of the memo, which will be released on Friday, is to add more guardrails in place, she said the city does not plan to change or eliminate its contract with Flock Safety, citing public safety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need this tool to help really solve serious crimes,” Foley said. “We have to do what we can do to protect our community by being able to solve crimes as quickly as possible, and that’s with the use of this technology.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, SJPD said the new standards “will help maintain trust with our community that the data is being used as intended.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They will also ensure that anyone who breaches the community’s trust will face administrative and criminal consequences,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock camera monitors the intersection at McKee and North White roads in San José on April 2, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates for civil liberties and immigrant protections, however, said the incident was proof that license-plate reading cameras and other surveillance tools are “not public safety.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “It is a blatant violation of our community’s trust to learn that a sworn police officer abused our private ALPR data for their personal purposes on their personal phone for their personal contact to stalk and endanger a domestic violence survivor,” said Kimberly Woo, a community organizer from SIREN, a group that has sued San José, along with civil liberties groups, over Flock cameras. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mass surveillance goes beyond one company, one vendor, and one ‘bad actor,’” the statement said. “Mass warrantless surveillance from ALPRs makes our people vulnerable to who is in power to turn our data into the wrong hands.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/emanoukian\">\u003cem>Elize Manoukian\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José officials said they plan to tighten rules for accessing the city’s automatic license plate reader system after a police officer was fired for misusing the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/flock-safety\">Flock \u003c/a>database to track a civilian who accused his family member of domestic violence.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>San José officials said they plan to tighten rules for accessing the city’s automatic license plate reader system after a police officer was fired for misusing the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/flock-safety\">Flock \u003c/a>database to track a civilian who accused his family member of domestic violence.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A memo from Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Mayor Matt Mahan would petition the California state Legislature to find a way to add criminal penalties as one of the potential consequences for when an officer misuses license plate reader data, Foley told KQED on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A memo from Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Mayor Matt Mahan would petition the California state Legislature to find a way to add criminal penalties as one of the potential consequences for when an officer misuses license plate reader data, Foley told KQED on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There ought to be more ways that we can hold an officer who misuses the information accountable than just firing him. But there is not that provision or that capability right now,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There ought to be more ways that we can hold an officer who misuses the information accountable than just firing him. But there is not that provision or that capability right now,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12064595,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-1536x1024.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/10/2025/11/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan helps to install a Flock Safety brand automated license plate reader on April 23, 2024. Civil liberties groups are now suing the city and Mahan over the technology’s uses.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/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/10/2025/11/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064595\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan helps to install a Flock Safety brand automated license plate reader on April 23, 2024. Civil liberties groups are now suing the city and Mahan over the technology’s uses.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to San José Police Chief Paul Joseph, an off-duty officer used a personal device to perform unauthorized license plate reader searches and locate a victim’s vehicle. He then shared the location with the suspect, who was a relative of the officer.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to San José Police Chief Paul Joseph, an off-duty officer used a personal device to perform unauthorized license plate reader searches and locate a victim’s vehicle. He then shared the location with the suspect, who was a relative of the officer.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The officer was immediately placed on leave and later terminated following a criminal investigation, Joseph said in an email. The case was submitted to the state for a decertification investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The officer was immediately placed on leave and later terminated following a criminal investigation, Joseph said in an email. The case was submitted to the state for a decertification investigation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12099195"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260828-SOUTH-BAY-DATA-CENTERS-MD-01-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>“When an officer violates the public’s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San José badge,” the chief said. “This technology is new; the standard is not.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“When an officer violates the public’s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San José badge,” the chief said. “This technology is new; the standard is not.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But no criminal charges were filed against the officer. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But no criminal charges were filed against the officer. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said improper access by a police officer is outside the reach of state criminal law. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said improper access by a police officer is outside the reach of state criminal law. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Laws like California’s computer system hacking statute have been interpreted by the US Supreme Court to apply only to persons who are not authorized to access a computer system from doing so,” the DA’s office said. “There is no law that makes it a crime for a police officer to improperly access an agency’s license plate reader database. Only the state legislature can make this conduct a crime.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Laws like California’s computer system hacking statute have been interpreted by the US Supreme Court to apply only to persons who are not authorized to access a computer system from doing so,” the DA’s office said. “There is no law that makes it a crime for a police officer to improperly access an agency’s license plate reader database. Only the state legislature can make this conduct a crime.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing that gap, the proposal will strengthen audits of individual user searches, including increasing the frequency and number of audits with annual reports to city oversight committees.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing that gap, the proposal will strengthen audits of individual user searches, including increasing the frequency and number of audits with annual reports to city oversight committees.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The annual reports will include records that flag officers for accessing license plate readers without legitimate law enforcement purpose, suspicious search activity and any other violations of the city’s policy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The annual reports will include records that flag officers for accessing license plate readers without legitimate law enforcement purpose, suspicious search activity and any other violations of the city’s policy.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12095776,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "A worker in a high visibility vest holds up a black camera.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-1536x1024.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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg\" alt=\"A worker in a high visibility vest holds up a black camera.\" class=\"wp-image-12095776\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock Safety worker holds up a new Automated License Plate Reader that was being installed in East San José on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/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/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg\" alt=\"A worker in a high visibility vest holds up a black camera.\" class=\"wp-image-12095776\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock Safety worker holds up a new Automated License Plate Reader that was being installed in East San José on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s important that we show the community that what happened we take seriously, and we want to put as many stipulations in effect as we can not let these things happen again,” Foley said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s important that we show the community that what happened we take seriously, and we want to put as many stipulations in effect as we can not let these things happen again,” Foley said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The memo also recommends strengthening the police department’s and the city’s policies to prohibit officers from accessing any law enforcement database, including Flock camera data, with personally owned devices.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The memo also recommends strengthening the police department’s and the city’s policies to prohibit officers from accessing any law enforcement database, including Flock camera data, with personally owned devices.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Foley emphasized the goal of the memo, which will be released on Friday, is to add more guardrails in place, she said the city does not plan to change or eliminate its contract with Flock Safety, citing public safety. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While Foley emphasized the goal of the memo, which will be released on Friday, is to add more guardrails in place, she said the city does not plan to change or eliminate its contract with Flock Safety, citing public safety. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need this tool to help really solve serious crimes,” Foley said. “We have to do what we can do to protect our community by being able to solve crimes as quickly as possible, and that’s with the use of this technology.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We need this tool to help really solve serious crimes,” Foley said. “We have to do what we can do to protect our community by being able to solve crimes as quickly as possible, and that’s with the use of this technology.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, SJPD said the new standards “will help maintain trust with our community that the data is being used as intended.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In a statement, SJPD said the new standards “will help maintain trust with our community that the data is being used as intended.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They will also ensure that anyone who breaches the community’s trust will face administrative and criminal consequences,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“They will also ensure that anyone who breaches the community’s trust will face administrative and criminal consequences,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 12078562,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-1536x1025.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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock camera monitors the intersection at McKee and North White roads in San José on April 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/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/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078562\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock camera monitors the intersection at McKee and North White roads in San José on April 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates for civil liberties and immigrant protections, however, said the incident was proof that license-plate reading cameras and other surveillance tools are “not public safety.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Advocates for civil liberties and immigrant protections, however, said the incident was proof that license-plate reading cameras and other surveillance tools are “not public safety.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> “It is a blatant violation of our community’s trust to learn that a sworn police officer abused our private ALPR data for their personal purposes on their personal phone for their personal contact to stalk and endanger a domestic violence survivor,” said Kimberly Woo, a community organizer from SIREN, a group that has sued San José, along with civil liberties groups, over Flock cameras. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp> “It is a blatant violation of our community’s trust to learn that a sworn police officer abused our private ALPR data for their personal purposes on their personal phone for their personal contact to stalk and endanger a domestic violence survivor,” said Kimberly Woo, a community organizer from SIREN, a group that has sued San José, along with civil liberties groups, over Flock cameras. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Mass surveillance goes beyond one company, one vendor, and one ‘bad actor,’” the statement said. “Mass warrantless surveillance from ALPRs makes our people vulnerable to who is in power to turn our data into the wrong hands.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Mass surveillance goes beyond one company, one vendor, and one ‘bad actor,’” the statement said. “Mass warrantless surveillance from ALPRs makes our people vulnerable to who is in power to turn our data into the wrong hands.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/emanoukian\">\u003cem>Elize Manoukian\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/emanoukian\">\u003cem>Elize Manoukian\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "A new proposal would tighten rules around unauthorized searches, but the cameras aren’t going anywhere, officials said.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1790290449,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 21,
"wordCount": 834
},
"headData": {
"title": "It’s Not Illegal for California Police to Misuse Flock Data. San José Leaders Want to Change That | KQED",
"description": "A new proposal would tighten rules around unauthorized searches, but the cameras aren’t going anywhere, officials said.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "It’s Not Illegal for California Police to Misuse Flock Data. San José Leaders Want to Change That",
"datePublished": "2026-09-24T14:34:21-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-24T15:54:09-07:00",
"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": 28250,
"slug": "local",
"name": "Local"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Alina Ta",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12101186",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12101186/its-not-illegal-for-california-police-to-misuse-flock-data-san-jose-leaders-want-to-change-that",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>San José officials said they plan to tighten rules for accessing the city’s automatic license plate reader system after a police officer was fired for misusing the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/flock-safety\">Flock \u003c/a>database to track a civilian who accused his family member of domestic violence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A memo from Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Mayor Matt Mahan would petition the California state Legislature to find a way to add criminal penalties as one of the potential consequences for when an officer misuses license plate reader data, Foley told KQED on Wednesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There ought to be more ways that we can hold an officer who misuses the information accountable than just firing him. But there is not that provision or that capability right now,” she said.\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/10/2025/11/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/image-9-1536x1024.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan helps to install a Flock Safety brand automated license plate reader on April 23, 2024. Civil liberties groups are now suing the city and Mahan over the technology’s uses. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to San José Police Chief Paul Joseph, an off-duty officer used a personal device to perform unauthorized license plate reader searches and locate a victim’s vehicle. He then shared the location with the suspect, who was a relative of the officer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officer was immediately placed on leave and later terminated following a criminal investigation, Joseph said in an email. The case was submitted to the state for a decertification investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When an officer violates the public’s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San José badge,” the chief said. “This technology is new; the standard is not.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But no criminal charges were filed against the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said improper access by a police officer is outside the reach of state criminal law. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Laws like California’s computer system hacking statute have been interpreted by the US Supreme Court to apply only to persons who are not authorized to access a computer system from doing so,” the DA’s office said. “There is no law that makes it a crime for a police officer to improperly access an agency’s license plate reader database. Only the state legislature can make this conduct a crime.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing that gap, the proposal will strengthen audits of individual user searches, including increasing the frequency and number of audits with annual reports to city oversight committees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The annual reports will include records that flag officers for accessing license plate readers without legitimate law enforcement purpose, suspicious search activity and any other violations of the city’s policy.\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/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg\" alt=\"A worker in a high visibility vest holds up a black camera.\" class=\"wp-image-12095776\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/240423-SanJoseLicensePlateReaders-JG-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock Safety worker holds up a new Automated License Plate Reader that was being installed in East San José on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s important that we show the community that what happened we take seriously, and we want to put as many stipulations in effect as we can not let these things happen again,” Foley said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The memo also recommends strengthening the police department’s and the city’s policies to prohibit officers from accessing any law enforcement database, including Flock camera data, with personally owned devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Foley emphasized the goal of the memo, which will be released on Friday, is to add more guardrails in place, she said the city does not plan to change or eliminate its contract with Flock Safety, citing public safety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need this tool to help really solve serious crimes,” Foley said. “We have to do what we can do to protect our community by being able to solve crimes as quickly as possible, and that’s with the use of this technology.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, SJPD said the new standards “will help maintain trust with our community that the data is being used as intended.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They will also ensure that anyone who breaches the community’s trust will face administrative and criminal consequences,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078562\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260402-FLOCK-SECURITY-CAMERA-FILE-MD-05-KQED_1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Flock camera monitors the intersection at McKee and North White roads in San José on April 2, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates for civil liberties and immigrant protections, however, said the incident was proof that license-plate reading cameras and other surveillance tools are “not public safety.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “It is a blatant violation of our community’s trust to learn that a sworn police officer abused our private ALPR data for their personal purposes on their personal phone for their personal contact to stalk and endanger a domestic violence survivor,” said Kimberly Woo, a community organizer from SIREN, a group that has sued San José, along with civil liberties groups, over Flock cameras. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Mass surveillance goes beyond one company, one vendor, and one ‘bad actor,’” the statement said. “Mass warrantless surveillance from ALPRs makes our people vulnerable to who is in power to turn our data into the wrong hands.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/emanoukian\">\u003cem>Elize Manoukian\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12101186/its-not-illegal-for-california-police-to-misuse-flock-data-san-jose-leaders-want-to-change-that",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12101186"
],
"categories": [
"news_28250",
"news_8",
"news_248"
],
"tags": [
"news_36200",
"news_27626",
"news_37321",
"news_36201",
"news_37322",
"news_31197",
"news_18541"
],
"featImg": "news_12096109",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12089834": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12089834",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12089834",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1783353627000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "san-jose-at-a-stalemate-with-its-largest-city-employee-union",
"title": "San José at a Stalemate With Its Largest City Employee Union",
"publishDate": 1783353627,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "San José at a Stalemate With Its Largest City Employee Union | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>’s largest public employee union is heading into mediation with the city this week after a bargaining stalemate over pay raises that could push workers toward a strike vote if it’s not resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Municipal Employees’ Federation, AFSCME Local 101 (MEF), whose members include librarians, code inspectors and city planners, is scheduled to meet with the city and a state mediator from the Public Employment Relations Board on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A separate union representing engineers, architects and other supervisors — the City Association of Management Personnel, IFPTE, Local 21 — will begin mediation with the city on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just three years after disagreements over pay \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958216/san-jose-city-worker-strike-on-hold-after-agreement\">nearly led\u003c/a> to a historic work stoppage, contracts with the unions representing more than 3,000 city workers expired on June 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City officials contend that with ongoing budget deficits, they are unable to offer more than a 3% annual raise in each of the next three fiscal years — an increase union leaders argue would leave workers unable to keep pace with the rising cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We tried to put across proposals that were reasonable but also recognized that it’s an expensive place to live in the Bay Area,” said Charles Allen, union representative for MEF. “The costs that city employees incur — increased gas prices, increased food prices, just generally increases all around — were not really addressed by the city’s proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The intersection of Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue in downtown San José was still blocked off on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>MEF and IFPTE countered the city’s offer with a proposed wage hike of 4% in the current fiscal year, followed by 4.5% in 2027-28 and 5.5% in 2028-29.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen said his union’s members have not yet taken a vote to authorize a potential strike, but are discussing the possibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We obviously remain optimistic that mediation might be able to get us to where we need to be, but at this point we’re out of contract,” he said. “Once we’ve gone through the process, then the membership does have the ability to take a strike vote and in fact go on strike.”[aside postID=news_12087836 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061626CSU-Labor_GH_003-KQED.jpg']A work stoppage could limit library services, summer activities and permit processing in a city that is already one of the most thinly staffed in California. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/23/5-charts-that-show-how-california-cities-spent-37-billion-on-public-employees-last-year/\">\u003cem>Mercury News\u003c/em> analysis\u003c/a> in 2024 found San José has 112 residents per city employee; among California’s 10 largest cities, only Bakersfield has a lower staffing ratio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José Mayor Matt Mahan said the city has little flexibility to offer higher wages after recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086842/san-jose-city-budget-new-immigrant-funding-cuts-reserve-spending\">approving a budget\u003c/a> that closed a $50.3 million shortfall by tapping reserves and cutting more than a dozen positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City budget analysts are projecting an ongoing shortfall of $26.8 million in 2027-28 and $11.8 million in 2028-29.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The city is offering a fair deal,” Mahan said. “To go any higher than a 3% raise over the next three years, we would have to make significant service cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While negotiations are being led by the Office of Employee Relations, which reports to the city manager, any tentative agreement will need to be approved by the City Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, Mahan was the lone vote on the council against new contracts for MEF and IFPTE — arguing that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958290/san-jose-city-council-approves-agreements-with-unions-to-avoid-strike\">wage hikes\u003c/a> of 14.5% over three years \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11960949/san-jose-city-council-approves-budget-trims-to-fund-worker-raises\">were beyond\u003c/a> what the city could afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12049894\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12049894\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025 press conference in North San José about a partnership with PG&E intended to attract more data center development to the city. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think the council has just been through a difficult budget cycle where some of the members of the council were expressing a little bit of regret in private over deals that I pointed out three years ago were likely to set us up for service cuts,” Mahan said. “To do that again in this moment would be a mistake.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond wages, the unions and city remain apart on the use of artificial intelligence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under an MEF proposal submitted in March, the city would be barred from using technological systems “for the purpose of eliminating bargaining unit work” and from using AI “for new programs, positions or functions that could replace future new bargaining unit positions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city’s counterproposal offered the consideration of training and reassignment prior to layoffs, in cases “where artificial intelligence will result in workforce reductions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The city will enter mediation with unions representing librarians, code inspectors and architects after two labor contracts expired. Without a deal, the unions could take a strike vote.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1783531863,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 816
},
"headData": {
"title": "San José at a Stalemate With Its Largest City Employee Union | KQED",
"description": "The city will enter mediation with unions representing librarians, code inspectors and architects after two labor contracts expired. Without a deal, the unions could take a strike vote.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "San José at a Stalemate With Its Largest City Employee Union",
"datePublished": "2026-07-06T09:00:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-08T10:31:03-07:00",
"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"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/c1e77494-316e-4df1-bb3f-b48101106481/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12089834",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12089834/san-jose-at-a-stalemate-with-its-largest-city-employee-union",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>’s largest public employee union is heading into mediation with the city this week after a bargaining stalemate over pay raises that could push workers toward a strike vote if it’s not resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Municipal Employees’ Federation, AFSCME Local 101 (MEF), whose members include librarians, code inspectors and city planners, is scheduled to meet with the city and a state mediator from the Public Employment Relations Board on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A separate union representing engineers, architects and other supervisors — the City Association of Management Personnel, IFPTE, Local 21 — will begin mediation with the city on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just three years after disagreements over pay \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958216/san-jose-city-worker-strike-on-hold-after-agreement\">nearly led\u003c/a> to a historic work stoppage, contracts with the unions representing more than 3,000 city workers expired on June 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City officials contend that with ongoing budget deficits, they are unable to offer more than a 3% annual raise in each of the next three fiscal years — an increase union leaders argue would leave workers unable to keep pace with the rising cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We tried to put across proposals that were reasonable but also recognized that it’s an expensive place to live in the Bay Area,” said Charles Allen, union representative for MEF. “The costs that city employees incur — increased gas prices, increased food prices, just generally increases all around — were not really addressed by the city’s proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260122-SJPDSHOOT-JG-5_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The intersection of Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue in downtown San José was still blocked off on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>MEF and IFPTE countered the city’s offer with a proposed wage hike of 4% in the current fiscal year, followed by 4.5% in 2027-28 and 5.5% in 2028-29.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen said his union’s members have not yet taken a vote to authorize a potential strike, but are discussing the possibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We obviously remain optimistic that mediation might be able to get us to where we need to be, but at this point we’re out of contract,” he said. “Once we’ve gone through the process, then the membership does have the ability to take a strike vote and in fact go on strike.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12087836",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061626CSU-Labor_GH_003-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A work stoppage could limit library services, summer activities and permit processing in a city that is already one of the most thinly staffed in California. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/23/5-charts-that-show-how-california-cities-spent-37-billion-on-public-employees-last-year/\">\u003cem>Mercury News\u003c/em> analysis\u003c/a> in 2024 found San José has 112 residents per city employee; among California’s 10 largest cities, only Bakersfield has a lower staffing ratio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José Mayor Matt Mahan said the city has little flexibility to offer higher wages after recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086842/san-jose-city-budget-new-immigrant-funding-cuts-reserve-spending\">approving a budget\u003c/a> that closed a $50.3 million shortfall by tapping reserves and cutting more than a dozen positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City budget analysts are projecting an ongoing shortfall of $26.8 million in 2027-28 and $11.8 million in 2028-29.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The city is offering a fair deal,” Mahan said. “To go any higher than a 3% raise over the next three years, we would have to make significant service cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While negotiations are being led by the Office of Employee Relations, which reports to the city manager, any tentative agreement will need to be approved by the City Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, Mahan was the lone vote on the council against new contracts for MEF and IFPTE — arguing that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958290/san-jose-city-council-approves-agreements-with-unions-to-avoid-strike\">wage hikes\u003c/a> of 14.5% over three years \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11960949/san-jose-city-council-approves-budget-trims-to-fund-worker-raises\">were beyond\u003c/a> what the city could afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12049894\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12049894\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250725-SJPOWER-JG-8_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a July 25, 2025 press conference in North San José about a partnership with PG&E intended to attract more data center development to the city. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think the council has just been through a difficult budget cycle where some of the members of the council were expressing a little bit of regret in private over deals that I pointed out three years ago were likely to set us up for service cuts,” Mahan said. “To do that again in this moment would be a mistake.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond wages, the unions and city remain apart on the use of artificial intelligence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under an MEF proposal submitted in March, the city would be barred from using technological systems “for the purpose of eliminating bargaining unit work” and from using AI “for new programs, positions or functions that could replace future new bargaining unit positions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city’s counterproposal offered the consideration of training and reassignment prior to layoffs, in cases “where artificial intelligence will result in workforce reductions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12089834/san-jose-at-a-stalemate-with-its-largest-city-employee-union",
"authors": [
"227"
],
"categories": [
"news_34551",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_34186",
"news_34377",
"news_19904",
"news_24590",
"news_20482",
"news_31197",
"news_17968",
"news_18541"
],
"featImg": "news_12083443",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12086842": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12086842",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12086842",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1781055909000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "san-jose-city-budget-new-immigrant-funding-cuts-reserve-spending",
"title": "San José Approves New Immigrant Funding in City Budget, With Cuts and Reserve Spending",
"publishDate": 1781055909,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "San José Approves New Immigrant Funding in City Budget, With Cuts and Reserve Spending | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>San José’s City Council unanimously approved a spending plan to fill a $50.3 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075812/mahan-calls-for-belt-tightening-in-san-jose-budget-plan\">shortfall\u003c/a> on Tuesday afternoon, largely through a mix of cuts and tapping budget reserves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The $1.7 billion general fund budget shrinks funding for parts of Mayor Matt Mahan’s ambitious program to reduce unsheltered homelessness but comes with new money to help immigrant residents dealing with the increased threat of deportation from the Trump administration. The blow to the budget was softened by voters’ approval this month of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/santaclara/measure-a\">Measure A\u003c/a>, which increased the city’s hotel tax from 10% to 12%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fiscally responsible, service-sustaining and focus-driven budget,” Mahan said. “Even in a difficult budget climate, we have much to be proud of.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, the budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year cuts a net 19 positions throughout the city workforce, while 66 positions funded through one-time dollars will not be extended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Mahan took office in 2023, the city has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072666/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-wants-to-be-governor-heres-a-look-into-his-signature-homelessness-program\">built out\u003c/a> a system of tiny homes with more than 2,000 beds for people experiencing homelessness, helping to bring unsheltered homelessness down 10% from 2023 to 2025. But the amount of money needed to operate the shelter system has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072999/tiny-homes-big-ambitions-matt-mahans-run-for-governor-spotlights-his-shelter-strategy\">outstripped\u003c/a> dedicated homeless funding and requires an ongoing infusion of general fund dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The budget approved by the council will close a 56-tent sanctioned encampment on Taylor Street, saving $1.2 million in the upcoming fiscal year. It will also reduce funding for BeautifySJ, the city’s blight reduction program, by $4.2 million. The program will require less funding after city workers cleared two large encampments, one along Coyote Creek and another in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12052645/san-jose-begins-clearing-columbus-park-the-citys-biggest-homeless-encampment\">Columbus Park\u003c/a>, over the last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders remain optimistic that ongoing negotiations with Santa Clara County will result in the county picking up some of the cost of the city’s shelter system, easing the future hit on the general fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009247\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009247\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tents sit along Coyote Creek in Roosevelt Park in San José on April 9, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite the gloomy fiscal outlook, the council agreed to put $1 million toward nonprofits that provide immigrant defense and legal services for residents facing deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we talk about immigration services, we’re talking about keeping families together, helping people navigate complex legal systems and making sure our neighbors can live with dignity and without fear,” Councilmember Peter Ortiz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a Monday public comment session on the budget plan, advocates pointed to increased fears in response to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083600/santa-clara-county-leaders-say-theyll-fight-planned-ice-facility-in-gilroy\">planned\u003c/a> U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Gilroy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Families are already living in fear and uncertainty, workers are already facing risks, children are already worried about the possibility of being separated from their loved ones,” said Joanna Becerra, with the nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The best way to respond to an emergency is to ensure our community is ready before it happens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of the budget shortfall is closed through the use of the city’s Budget Stabilization Reserve, drawing the rainy day fund down from $87.5 million to just $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A stagnant local economy and sluggish real estate sales, along with higher-than-expected retirement costs, have left San José with an ongoing shortfall projected at $26.8 million for 2027-28 and $11.8 million in 2028-29. City budget analysts warned that those deficits could grow if new \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/rob-bonta-blackjack-regulations-gambling/\">state regulations\u003c/a> on cardrooms result in lower tax revenue from Bay 101 Casino and Casino Matrix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the city is expected to bring in $6.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year from Measure A, which is winning approval from roughly two-thirds of San José voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A contingency budget plan released by the city manager that did not include that additional revenue called for cuts to Sunday library hours and a downtown police foot patrol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We would be having a very, very different discussion in trying to do a greater cut on many of our services today” if Measure A had failed, Councilmember Rosemary Kamei said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12085548 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/06/GettyImages-77152290-e1560402492305.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of progressive supervisors had advocated for city staffers to explore changing San José’s business tax to bring in more revenue, but the idea was not included in the final budget plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tax is currently assessed based on employee headcount. A potential shift to a gross receipts tax could raise revenue without penalizing employment — but also create new challenges for collection and administration, a city report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now is not the time to explore an increase to the business tax,” Vice Mayor Pam Foley said. “I am concerned about the impacts on San José’s small businesses as well as our ability to attract large businesses to relocate to San José.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Council members acknowledged that difficult budget conversations would likely carry into next year. But they agreed to tap reserves and shift existing funds in order to avoid deeper cuts initially proposed by the city manager — such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083535/san-jose-budget-cuts-could-doom-library-history-and-culture-space\">limiting public access to the California Room\u003c/a>, a wing of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library dedicated to local history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ralph Pearce, a part-time clerk in the California Room, said the collection provides value to both advanced researchers and visiting schoolchildren.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not just about looking back,” he said during Monday’s public comment. “We’re about helping the city of San José move forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The City Council approved a spending plan that fills a $50.3 million shortfall. The blow to the budget was softened by voters’ approval of the Measure A hotel tax hike.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1781113350,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 26,
"wordCount": 955
},
"headData": {
"title": "San José Approves New Immigrant Funding in City Budget, With Cuts and Reserve Spending | KQED",
"description": "The City Council approved a spending plan that fills a $50.3 million shortfall. The blow to the budget was softened by voters’ approval of the Measure A hotel tax hike.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "San José Approves New Immigrant Funding in City Budget, With Cuts and Reserve Spending",
"datePublished": "2026-06-09T18:45:09-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-10T10:42:30-07:00",
"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": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/bd1da7e0-ee4a-475a-84d0-b46001087d59/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12086842",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12086842/san-jose-city-budget-new-immigrant-funding-cuts-reserve-spending",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San José’s City Council unanimously approved a spending plan to fill a $50.3 million \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075812/mahan-calls-for-belt-tightening-in-san-jose-budget-plan\">shortfall\u003c/a> on Tuesday afternoon, largely through a mix of cuts and tapping budget reserves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The $1.7 billion general fund budget shrinks funding for parts of Mayor Matt Mahan’s ambitious program to reduce unsheltered homelessness but comes with new money to help immigrant residents dealing with the increased threat of deportation from the Trump administration. The blow to the budget was softened by voters’ approval this month of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/santaclara/measure-a\">Measure A\u003c/a>, which increased the city’s hotel tax from 10% to 12%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fiscally responsible, service-sustaining and focus-driven budget,” Mahan said. “Even in a difficult budget climate, we have much to be proud of.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, the budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year cuts a net 19 positions throughout the city workforce, while 66 positions funded through one-time dollars will not be extended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Mahan took office in 2023, the city has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072666/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-wants-to-be-governor-heres-a-look-into-his-signature-homelessness-program\">built out\u003c/a> a system of tiny homes with more than 2,000 beds for people experiencing homelessness, helping to bring unsheltered homelessness down 10% from 2023 to 2025. But the amount of money needed to operate the shelter system has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12072999/tiny-homes-big-ambitions-matt-mahans-run-for-governor-spotlights-his-shelter-strategy\">outstripped\u003c/a> dedicated homeless funding and requires an ongoing infusion of general fund dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The budget approved by the council will close a 56-tent sanctioned encampment on Taylor Street, saving $1.2 million in the upcoming fiscal year. It will also reduce funding for BeautifySJ, the city’s blight reduction program, by $4.2 million. The program will require less funding after city workers cleared two large encampments, one along Coyote Creek and another in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12052645/san-jose-begins-clearing-columbus-park-the-citys-biggest-homeless-encampment\">Columbus Park\u003c/a>, over the last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders remain optimistic that ongoing negotiations with Santa Clara County will result in the county picking up some of the cost of the city’s shelter system, easing the future hit on the general fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009247\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009247\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/240409-SJEncampmentBan-064-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tents sit along Coyote Creek in Roosevelt Park in San José on April 9, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Despite the gloomy fiscal outlook, the council agreed to put $1 million toward nonprofits that provide immigrant defense and legal services for residents facing deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we talk about immigration services, we’re talking about keeping families together, helping people navigate complex legal systems and making sure our neighbors can live with dignity and without fear,” Councilmember Peter Ortiz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a Monday public comment session on the budget plan, advocates pointed to increased fears in response to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083600/santa-clara-county-leaders-say-theyll-fight-planned-ice-facility-in-gilroy\">planned\u003c/a> U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Gilroy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Families are already living in fear and uncertainty, workers are already facing risks, children are already worried about the possibility of being separated from their loved ones,” said Joanna Becerra, with the nonprofit Amigos de Guadalupe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The best way to respond to an emergency is to ensure our community is ready before it happens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of the budget shortfall is closed through the use of the city’s Budget Stabilization Reserve, drawing the rainy day fund down from $87.5 million to just $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A stagnant local economy and sluggish real estate sales, along with higher-than-expected retirement costs, have left San José with an ongoing shortfall projected at $26.8 million for 2027-28 and $11.8 million in 2028-29. City budget analysts warned that those deficits could grow if new \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/rob-bonta-blackjack-regulations-gambling/\">state regulations\u003c/a> on cardrooms result in lower tax revenue from Bay 101 Casino and Casino Matrix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the city is expected to bring in $6.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year from Measure A, which is winning approval from roughly two-thirds of San José voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A contingency budget plan released by the city manager that did not include that additional revenue called for cuts to Sunday library hours and a downtown police foot patrol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We would be having a very, very different discussion in trying to do a greater cut on many of our services today” if Measure A had failed, Councilmember Rosemary Kamei said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12085548",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/06/GettyImages-77152290-e1560402492305.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of progressive supervisors had advocated for city staffers to explore changing San José’s business tax to bring in more revenue, but the idea was not included in the final budget plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tax is currently assessed based on employee headcount. A potential shift to a gross receipts tax could raise revenue without penalizing employment — but also create new challenges for collection and administration, a city report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now is not the time to explore an increase to the business tax,” Vice Mayor Pam Foley said. “I am concerned about the impacts on San José’s small businesses as well as our ability to attract large businesses to relocate to San José.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Council members acknowledged that difficult budget conversations would likely carry into next year. But they agreed to tap reserves and shift existing funds in order to avoid deeper cuts initially proposed by the city manager — such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083535/san-jose-budget-cuts-could-doom-library-history-and-culture-space\">limiting public access to the California Room\u003c/a>, a wing of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library dedicated to local history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ralph Pearce, a part-time clerk in the California Room, said the collection provides value to both advanced researchers and visiting schoolchildren.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not just about looking back,” he said during Monday’s public comment. “We’re about helping the city of San José move forward.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12086842/san-jose-city-budget-new-immigrant-funding-cuts-reserve-spending",
"authors": [
"227"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_32983",
"news_34377",
"news_20202",
"news_31197",
"news_17968",
"news_18541"
],
"featImg": "news_12071815",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12085483": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12085483",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12085483",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1780250415000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "whos-backing-californias-next-governor-and-why",
"title": "Who’s Backing California’s Next Governor — and Why",
"publishDate": 1780250415,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Who’s Backing California’s Next Governor — and Why | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\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>Campaign donations are both a measure of popular support and a sign of which candidates special interests believe they can influence. CalMatters analyzed campaign finance data in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California governor’s race.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are five takeaways on where the money is coming from and where it’s going.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Outside money is shattering records\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a record-breaking election when it comes to spending by corporations and special interest groups trying to influence who becomes the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside groups, which unlike candidates can receive unlimited donations, reported spending $79 million so far — more than double the amount spent through the November 2018 general election when Gavin Newsom won his first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Billionaire Tom Steyer is the biggest target: A political spending committee called California Is Not For Sale, funded by the state Realtors association, the California Chamber of Commerce, Pacific Gas & Electric and the state’s electrical workers’ union poured $32 million into ads opposing him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/01/governor-steyer-electricity-rates/\">vowed to lower electricity bills\u003c/a> by challenging PG&E’s monopoly in much of Northern California. He’s also promised to pursue a ballot measure that would raise revenue for public services by requiring more accurate property tax assessments on business properties, a move that could upend the commercial real estate market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the same groups spending against Steyer are running ads for Xavier Becerra. Those groups — along with organizations representing doctors, contractors and several labor unions — have spent $13 million through PACs to boost Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085252\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer answers questions during a town hall at KQED in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chevron, McDonald’s, dialysis giant DaVita and one of the state’s largest oil drillers, California Resources Corp., are funding one of the largest pro-Becerra groups, with each of them contributing $500,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meta and AirBnB chipped in about $1 million each and health insurance corporation Centene, which runs California-based HealthNet, put in $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer is reveling in the spending against him, pointing to it as proof he’d stand up to utilities and big business. A climate activist, Steyer has highlighted Becerra’s support from Chevron.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The progressive unions California Nurses Association and United Domestic Workers have spent a comparatively modest $1.4 million on mailers and digital media boosting Steyer. Outside groups have also spent $1.8 million opposing Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and British political strategist.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Mahan fizzles out\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The second-highest outside spending went to boost Mahan, the San Jose mayor and moderate Democrat who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/01/governors-race-matt-mahan/\">entered the race late\u003c/a> to much fanfare from Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s tech billionaires urged Mahan to run and backed him with millions in donations and two independent spending committees. They were enamored with his platform of government efficiency and opposition to new taxes — positions that would shield them from the Legislature’s push to regulate tech and raise taxes on the wealthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081060\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, shake hands during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Donors included venture capitalists Michael Moritz and Brian Singerman, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, Intuit founder Scott Cook, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Los Angeles developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The committees spent nearly $22 million on ads supporting Mahan, significantly more than the $9 million his campaign has spent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the money wasn’t enough to overcome his significant disadvantage in name recognition as the first-term mayor of a city that doesn’t get much attention. Strategists told the committees’ backers they needed at least $45 million to make a difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the PACs, California Back to Basics, last week returned $1 million from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings; Hastings cryptically posted on X that he hadn’t asked for the money back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The refund was an acknowledgement that the committee hadn’t succeeded in raking in a final $10 to $15 million the billionaire backers hoped to raise in the last weeks of the campaign, committee spokesperson Matt Rodriguez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Steyer spending breaking its own records\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yet despite his opponents’ deep-pocketed donors, no one has matched the $213 million Steyer has spent on his own campaign, allowing him to blanket the airwaves with ads, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-race-influencers/\">pay influencers to post videos with him\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tomsteyer.com/press/chevron-s-500-000-plan-to-keep-6-gas-xavier-becerra\">send billboard trucks to drive around gas stations\u003c/a> highlighting Becerra’s Chevron support.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]That makes his the most expensive primary campaign in California gubernatorial history, exceeding that of former eBay executive Meg Whitman, a Republican who spent about $94 million in the June 2010 primary — about $142 million in today’s dollars — spending tens of millions more before losing to Jerry Brown in the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Swalwell donors flocked to Becerra\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>DaVita, the California Medical Association and the California Professional Firefighters Association all supported former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid before he dropped out over sexual assault allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were among the biggest Swalwell backers to quickly switch to Becerra, who has enjoyed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-becerra-criticism/\">surging support\u003c/a> from social media and the Democratic establishment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small donors made a similar leap. The CalMatters analysis found that after Swalwell dropped out, more than 500 of his campaign donors went on to contribute to Becerra’s campaign. No other candidate received that much support from former Swalwell donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell, who has also since resigned from Congress, continues to use his gubernatorial campaign to pay more than $313,000 to attorney Sara Azari, who is defending him against the allegations. He has also refunded about $250,000 to nearly 50 donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Republican Steve Hilton had the most donors\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Republican frontrunner amassed the highest number of campaign donors in the race: more than 20,000. Nearly a quarter of them live outside California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former Fox News host \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-gop-candidates/\">seeks to slash state environmental regulations\u003c/a>, build housing on undeveloped suburban land and cut income taxes for the middle class. He received a slight uptick in donations after President Donald Trump endorsed him on April 6.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Katie Porter, the Democratic former congressmember from Orange County and consumer protection attorney, had the second-highest number of donors, with more than 15,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081063\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She also has the highest share of donors outside California, reflecting her relative national fame from her headline-grabbing time grilling corporate CEOs in Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fundraising stalled for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-race-katie-porter/\">the onetime progressive darling\u003c/a>, who touts her reliance on grassroots donors and refusal to take corporate contributions. From April 18 through May 19 she brought in less money than Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-contributions-takeaways/\">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/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Billionaires, Big Oil and other interests are spending big to influence the California governor’s race, making for the most expensive primary campaign in state history.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1780073424,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 32,
"wordCount": 1284
},
"headData": {
"title": "Who’s Backing California’s Next Governor — and Why | KQED",
"description": "Billionaires, Big Oil and other interests are spending big to influence the California governor’s race, making for the most expensive primary campaign in state history.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Who’s Backing California’s Next Governor — and Why",
"datePublished": "2026-05-31T11:00:15-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-29T09:50:24-07:00",
"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": 13,
"slug": "politics",
"name": "Politics"
},
"source": "CalMatters",
"sourceUrl": "https://calmatters.org/",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Jeanne Kuang and Jeremia Kimelman, CalMatters",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12085483/whos-backing-californias-next-governor-and-why",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\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>Campaign donations are both a measure of popular support and a sign of which candidates special interests believe they can influence. CalMatters analyzed campaign finance data in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California governor’s race.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are five takeaways on where the money is coming from and where it’s going.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Outside money is shattering records\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a record-breaking election when it comes to spending by corporations and special interest groups trying to influence who becomes the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside groups, which unlike candidates can receive unlimited donations, reported spending $79 million so far — more than double the amount spent through the November 2018 general election when Gavin Newsom won his first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Billionaire Tom Steyer is the biggest target: A political spending committee called California Is Not For Sale, funded by the state Realtors association, the California Chamber of Commerce, Pacific Gas & Electric and the state’s electrical workers’ union poured $32 million into ads opposing him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/01/governor-steyer-electricity-rates/\">vowed to lower electricity bills\u003c/a> by challenging PG&E’s monopoly in much of Northern California. He’s also promised to pursue a ballot measure that would raise revenue for public services by requiring more accurate property tax assessments on business properties, a move that could upend the commercial real estate market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the same groups spending against Steyer are running ads for Xavier Becerra. Those groups — along with organizations representing doctors, contractors and several labor unions — have spent $13 million through PACs to boost Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085252\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260526-SteyerTownHall-JY-08_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer answers questions during a town hall at KQED in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Chevron, McDonald’s, dialysis giant DaVita and one of the state’s largest oil drillers, California Resources Corp., are funding one of the largest pro-Becerra groups, with each of them contributing $500,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meta and AirBnB chipped in about $1 million each and health insurance corporation Centene, which runs California-based HealthNet, put in $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer is reveling in the spending against him, pointing to it as proof he’d stand up to utilities and big business. A climate activist, Steyer has highlighted Becerra’s support from Chevron.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The progressive unions California Nurses Association and United Domestic Workers have spent a comparatively modest $1.4 million on mailers and digital media boosting Steyer. Outside groups have also spent $1.8 million opposing Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and British political strategist.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Mahan fizzles out\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The second-highest outside spending went to boost Mahan, the San Jose mayor and moderate Democrat who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/01/governors-race-matt-mahan/\">entered the race late\u003c/a> to much fanfare from Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s tech billionaires urged Mahan to run and backed him with millions in donations and two independent spending committees. They were enamored with his platform of government efficiency and opposition to new taxes — positions that would shield them from the Legislature’s push to regulate tech and raise taxes on the wealthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081060\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, shake hands during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Donors included venture capitalists Michael Moritz and Brian Singerman, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, Intuit founder Scott Cook, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Los Angeles developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The committees spent nearly $22 million on ads supporting Mahan, significantly more than the $9 million his campaign has spent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the money wasn’t enough to overcome his significant disadvantage in name recognition as the first-term mayor of a city that doesn’t get much attention. Strategists told the committees’ backers they needed at least $45 million to make a difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the PACs, California Back to Basics, last week returned $1 million from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings; Hastings cryptically posted on X that he hadn’t asked for the money back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The refund was an acknowledgement that the committee hadn’t succeeded in raking in a final $10 to $15 million the billionaire backers hoped to raise in the last weeks of the campaign, committee spokesperson Matt Rodriguez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Steyer spending breaking its own records\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yet despite his opponents’ deep-pocketed donors, no one has matched the $213 million Steyer has spent on his own campaign, allowing him to blanket the airwaves with ads, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-race-influencers/\">pay influencers to post videos with him\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tomsteyer.com/press/chevron-s-500-000-plan-to-keep-6-gas-xavier-becerra\">send billboard trucks to drive around gas stations\u003c/a> highlighting Becerra’s Chevron support.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "From the 2026 Voter Guide ",
"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That makes his the most expensive primary campaign in California gubernatorial history, exceeding that of former eBay executive Meg Whitman, a Republican who spent about $94 million in the June 2010 primary — about $142 million in today’s dollars — spending tens of millions more before losing to Jerry Brown in the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Swalwell donors flocked to Becerra\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>DaVita, the California Medical Association and the California Professional Firefighters Association all supported former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid before he dropped out over sexual assault allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were among the biggest Swalwell backers to quickly switch to Becerra, who has enjoyed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-becerra-criticism/\">surging support\u003c/a> from social media and the Democratic establishment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small donors made a similar leap. The CalMatters analysis found that after Swalwell dropped out, more than 500 of his campaign donors went on to contribute to Becerra’s campaign. No other candidate received that much support from former Swalwell donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell, who has also since resigned from Congress, continues to use his gubernatorial campaign to pay more than $313,000 to attorney Sara Azari, who is defending him against the allegations. He has also refunded about $250,000 to nearly 50 donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Republican Steve Hilton had the most donors\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Republican frontrunner amassed the highest number of campaign donors in the race: more than 20,000. Nearly a quarter of them live outside California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former Fox News host \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-gop-candidates/\">seeks to slash state environmental regulations\u003c/a>, build housing on undeveloped suburban land and cut income taxes for the middle class. He received a slight uptick in donations after President Donald Trump endorsed him on April 6.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Katie Porter, the Democratic former congressmember from Orange County and consumer protection attorney, had the second-highest number of donors, with more than 15,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081063\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She also has the highest share of donors outside California, reflecting her relative national fame from her headline-grabbing time grilling corporate CEOs in Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fundraising stalled for \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-race-katie-porter/\">the onetime progressive darling\u003c/a>, who touts her reliance on grassroots donors and refusal to take corporate contributions. From April 18 through May 19 she brought in less money than Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-governor-contributions-takeaways/\">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/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12085483/whos-backing-californias-next-governor-and-why",
"authors": [
"byline_news_12085483"
],
"categories": [
"news_1758",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_35700",
"news_36336",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_31197",
"news_17968",
"news_19930",
"news_20378"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_12080848",
"label": "source_news_12085483"
},
"news_12085187": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12085187",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12085187",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1779837040000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "downtown-san-jose-tower-to-offer-below-market-rents-for-city-workers",
"title": "Downtown San José Tower to Offer Below-Market Rents for City Workers",
"publishDate": 1779837040,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Downtown San José Tower to Offer Below-Market Rents for City Workers | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>San José’s first-of-its-kind program will help public employees \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">afford to live\u003c/a> in the city they serve, offering nearly 200 reduced-rent apartments in a downtown high-rise that has struggled with vacancies since it opened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city’s Lower Income Voucher and Equity program, known as LIVE, makes 197 one and two-bedroom units at The Fay, a 20-story building in the SoFA District, available at below-market rents for eligible public employees and other middle-income earners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan said Tuesday the program is meant to support teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public servants who struggle to afford living in one of the country’s most expensive cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was an opportunity to invest in units that are available today,” Mahan said. “Buying affordability in existing buildings is an immediate way to get people into restricted affordable units faster and more cost-effectively — and because we’re taking an equity position in the building, we actually get paid back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program comes as San José grapples with one of the most expensive rental markets in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036938\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036938\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Housing developments along Berryessa Road near the Berryessa BART station in San José on Sept. 6, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment regularly exceeds $2,800, making it increasingly difficult for public sector workers to afford to live near where they work. Mahan said some city employees currently commute from as far as the Central Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eligibility is based on earning between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income and is not meant to target low-income residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rather than constructing new affordable housing — which Mahan said could cost taxpayers $150 to $200 million for a comparable number of units — the city is investing $11.2 million to buy down rents in a portion of The Fay. The investment is structured as an equity position, meaning the city expects to be repaid with interest over a 15-year period.[aside postID=news_12084487 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/251007-sacramentomiddlehousing_00077_TV_qed.jpg']The program gives public employees preference but does not restrict units exclusively to them. If units go unfilled, they will be opened to the general public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents the district, said the structure reflects the city’s need to be creative with limited resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Investing in affordable housing does not always mean new construction,” Tordillos said. “In this case, it means buying down the affordability of a recently completed and really world-class building, ensuring both stability and affordability. We are doing it while ensuring that the city not only recoups every public dollar invested, but also gains interest that can then be reinvested into additional affordable housing projects in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Fay, located at 10 E. Reed St. near galleries, cafes and music venues in the SoFA District, is steps from VTA Light Rail and about a mile from Caltrain. The building features a rooftop pool with panoramic views, a fitness center, yoga studio and coworking spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite its amenities, it has faced vacancy challenges since a previous ownership group ran into financial trouble unrelated to the property itself, according to development partner Andrew Jacobson of West Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072537\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072537\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan addresses reporters and city leaders at the Cerone Interim Housing Community on Feb. 5, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It has great bones to it, great amenities,” Jacobson said. “Not only will we be able to bring city employees and service members into the building, we will be investing more into it, enhancing it, rebranding in the future, and activating the ground floor. To us, this is the starting gate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than two dozen people had already signed up through an interest form before Tuesday’s public announcement, according to Sarah Fields, deputy director of the city’s Housing Department. Applications are now open through the city’s housing department website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This pilot doesn’t solve our housing crisis on its own; no single program can,” Mahan said. “But it’s one more creative and bold attempt to create room for more people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "San José’s new housing program offers reduced-rent apartments at The Fay downtown high-rise for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other middle-income public employees struggling with high Bay Area housing costs.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779839311,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 730
},
"headData": {
"title": "Downtown San José Tower to Offer Below-Market Rents for City Workers | KQED",
"description": "San José’s new housing program offers reduced-rent apartments at The Fay downtown high-rise for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other middle-income public employees struggling with high Bay Area housing costs.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Downtown San José Tower to Offer Below-Market Rents for City Workers",
"datePublished": "2026-05-26T16:10:40-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-26T16:48:31-07:00",
"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": 6266,
"slug": "housing",
"name": "Housing"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12085187",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12085187/downtown-san-jose-tower-to-offer-below-market-rents-for-city-workers",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San José’s first-of-its-kind program will help public employees \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">afford to live\u003c/a> in the city they serve, offering nearly 200 reduced-rent apartments in a downtown high-rise that has struggled with vacancies since it opened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city’s Lower Income Voucher and Equity program, known as LIVE, makes 197 one and two-bedroom units at The Fay, a 20-story building in the SoFA District, available at below-market rents for eligible public employees and other middle-income earners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Matt Mahan said Tuesday the program is meant to support teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public servants who struggle to afford living in one of the country’s most expensive cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was an opportunity to invest in units that are available today,” Mahan said. “Buying affordability in existing buildings is an immediate way to get people into restricted affordable units faster and more cost-effectively — and because we’re taking an equity position in the building, we actually get paid back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program comes as San José grapples with one of the most expensive rental markets in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036938\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036938\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/230906-BERRYESSA-BART-URBAN-VILLAGE-MD-06_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Housing developments along Berryessa Road near the Berryessa BART station in San José on Sept. 6, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment regularly exceeds $2,800, making it increasingly difficult for public sector workers to afford to live near where they work. Mahan said some city employees currently commute from as far as the Central Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eligibility is based on earning between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income and is not meant to target low-income residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rather than constructing new affordable housing — which Mahan said could cost taxpayers $150 to $200 million for a comparable number of units — the city is investing $11.2 million to buy down rents in a portion of The Fay. The investment is structured as an equity position, meaning the city expects to be repaid with interest over a 15-year period.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12084487",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/251007-sacramentomiddlehousing_00077_TV_qed.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The program gives public employees preference but does not restrict units exclusively to them. If units go unfilled, they will be opened to the general public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents the district, said the structure reflects the city’s need to be creative with limited resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Investing in affordable housing does not always mean new construction,” Tordillos said. “In this case, it means buying down the affordability of a recently completed and really world-class building, ensuring both stability and affordability. We are doing it while ensuring that the city not only recoups every public dollar invested, but also gains interest that can then be reinvested into additional affordable housing projects in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Fay, located at 10 E. Reed St. near galleries, cafes and music venues in the SoFA District, is steps from VTA Light Rail and about a mile from Caltrain. The building features a rooftop pool with panoramic views, a fitness center, yoga studio and coworking spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite its amenities, it has faced vacancy challenges since a previous ownership group ran into financial trouble unrelated to the property itself, according to development partner Andrew Jacobson of West Bank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072537\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072537\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/020526SJ-TINY-HOMES_GH_024-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan addresses reporters and city leaders at the Cerone Interim Housing Community on Feb. 5, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It has great bones to it, great amenities,” Jacobson said. “Not only will we be able to bring city employees and service members into the building, we will be investing more into it, enhancing it, rebranding in the future, and activating the ground floor. To us, this is the starting gate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than two dozen people had already signed up through an interest form before Tuesday’s public announcement, according to Sarah Fields, deputy director of the city’s Housing Department. Applications are now open through the city’s housing department website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This pilot doesn’t solve our housing crisis on its own; no single program can,” Mahan said. “But it’s one more creative and bold attempt to create room for more people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12085187/downtown-san-jose-tower-to-offer-below-market-rents-for-city-workers",
"authors": [
"11986"
],
"categories": [
"news_1758",
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_1775",
"news_31197",
"news_18541",
"news_36561"
],
"featImg": "news_12085243",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12083839": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12083839",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12083839",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1778868834000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "what-is-californias-jungle-primary-and-why-does-it-matter-so-much-for-the-governors-race",
"title": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race?",
"publishDate": 1778868834,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "What Is California’s ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race? | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.[aside postID=news_12082926 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260326-KATIE-PORTER-ON-PB-MD-03-KQED.jpg']Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The top-two primary means that, despite Democrats’ voter registration advantage in the state, California could have an all-Republican governor’s race in November.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1780422510,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 39,
"wordCount": 1596
},
"headData": {
"title": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race? | KQED",
"description": "The top-two primary means that, despite Democrats’ voter registration advantage in the state, California could have an all-Republican governor’s race in November.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race?",
"datePublished": "2026-05-15T11:13:54-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-02T10:48:30-07:00",
"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": 34168,
"slug": "guides-and-explainers",
"name": "Guides and Explainers"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/ac0935ee-10a0-4c21-b779-b45d01175dd2/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12083839",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12083839/what-is-californias-jungle-primary-and-why-does-it-matter-so-much-for-the-governors-race",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "From the 2026 Voter Guide ",
"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12082926",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260326-KATIE-PORTER-ON-PB-MD-03-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12083839/what-is-californias-jungle-primary-and-why-does-it-matter-so-much-for-the-governors-race",
"authors": [
"11805"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_34168",
"news_8",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_35700",
"news_32707",
"news_18538",
"news_6317",
"news_35040",
"news_36046",
"news_36336",
"news_28639",
"news_20910",
"news_35888",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_36335",
"news_24206",
"news_31197",
"news_17968",
"news_35821",
"news_19930",
"news_2027",
"news_20378"
],
"featImg": "news_12081064",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12082915": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12082915",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12082915",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1778508038000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "heres-how-the-candidates-for-governor-would-make-california-more-affordable",
"title": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable",
"publishDate": 1778508038,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "With the cost of living ranking high on the list of concerns for Californians heading into the June 2 primary, gubernatorial candidates from both parties are centering their campaigns on affordability.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779297778,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 42,
"wordCount": 2023
},
"headData": {
"title": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable | KQED",
"description": "With the cost of living ranking high on the list of concerns for Californians heading into the June 2 primary, gubernatorial candidates from both parties are centering their campaigns on affordability.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable",
"datePublished": "2026-05-11T07:00:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-20T10:22:58-07:00",
"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"
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/16d249b3-9668-4a5f-a00c-b4500114dee2/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12082915",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12082915/heres-how-the-candidates-for-governor-would-make-california-more-affordable",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "From the 2026 Voter Guide ",
"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "2026 California Voter Guide ",
"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12082915/heres-how-the-candidates-for-governor-would-make-california-more-affordable",
"authors": [
"227"
],
"categories": [
"news_31795",
"news_28250",
"news_13"
],
"tags": [
"news_35700",
"news_26598",
"news_29125",
"news_35699",
"news_6317",
"news_35040",
"news_36336",
"news_36350",
"news_27626",
"news_34377",
"news_36335",
"news_24206",
"news_31197",
"news_17968",
"news_35821",
"news_19930",
"news_20378"
],
"featImg": "news_12082339",
"label": "news"
},
"news_12080744": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12080744",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12080744",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1776852025000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-governors-race-changes-shape-again",
"title": "The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again",
"publishDate": 1776852025,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/chronicle-eric-swalwell-story-22208898.php\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from voters in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now that he’s out of the race, the remaining candidates – especially the leading Democrats – are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/inside-california-politics/how-to-watch-the-california-governors-debate-on-kron4-and-kron4/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to watch the California governor’s debate on KRON4 and KRON4+\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079911/the-rise-and-fall-of-eric-swalwell\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rise and Fall of Eric Swalwell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (The Bay)\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080603/betty-yee-becomes-latest-democrat-to-exit-california-governors-race\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California Governor Candidates Compete for Swalwell’s Endorsements, Donors and Voters\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">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/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9756678676\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Democratic voters in the Bay Area were starting to throw their support behind East Bay representative Eric Swalwell for governor. That was until last week, when he suddenly dropped out of the race and left Congress after reports of sexual assault allegations. Now, the remaining Democratic candidates are trying to catch those voters ahead of the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:38] \u003c/em>And I actually think now we’re in a place where, yeah, it’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:53] \u003c/em>Today, a vibe check with Bay Area voters on California’s governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:05] \u003c/em>It’s been a week now since East Bay congressman Eric Swalwell has dropped out and also resigned from Congress. We also had Betty Yee drop out of the race earlier this week. And Swalwall was a front-runner in this race before he dropped out, right? So I guess how much has him dropping out of this race really changed the shape of thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I would say the state of the governor’s race right now is completely wide open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati is a politics and government correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:40] \u003c/em>Swalwell was one of the Democratic frontrunners. I think most of the public polling had him kind of bunched up with investor Tom Steyer and former Congress member Katie Porter, but he definitely had momentum in terms of consolidating a lot of establishment support. Big labor unions in California, big business groups in California kind of all coalescing around his candidacy. So he did seem to have that kind of momentum. And certainly here locally in the Bay Area, he had a lot of support. There was a survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California. 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area said that they were planning to vote. First of all, that was more than double the support of Steyer, of Porter, of Republican Steve Hilton, even more than doubled San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:34] \u003c/em>Anyone at this point risen to the top or does the race still feel super crowded at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:43] \u003c/em>Well, it still feels very crowded, but the biggest change and dynamic that we’ve seen since Swalwell exited the race was this huge rise from former Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Really an incredible turnaround for someone whose campaign seemed kind of like on life support just a few weeks ago, like he wasn’t moving at all in the polls. He has suddenly risen up the ranks in a lot of recent polling since Swalwell dropped out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:14] \u003c/em>I am not the shiny object. I am the flamethrower. You know, I go back to what I said about my parents. They just wanted me to get my work done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:22] \u003c/em>The things that seem to be working against him are now suddenly working for him, right? He had the resume, attorney general, health and human services secretary, but he was never really seen as someone who was maybe that exciting or change agent given how long he’s been in government. Well now suddenly like after this Swalwell scandal, his argument is I’m the steady hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:43] \u003c/em>I am politically the son of those hardworking parents who recognizes that I have to open the same doors for that next generation of kids so that the next generation of construction workers and clerical workers who are married together will have the chance to do what my parents did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>Yeah. It’s so crazy to see how quickly things are changing in this race. And I guess at this point, you mentioned Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, and Tom Steyer. How are they all at this point trying to distinguish themselves at this stage in the race?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Right. So I think starting with Steyer, who now appears, you know, about even with Becerra and a lot of polling, he’s been by far the most progressive candidate just in terms of the policy agenda that he’s putting forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tom Steyer: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:36] \u003c/em>Working people built this state. The idea that you can come here from all over the world, which we want people to do, to create the future, to build the businesses of the future. We want that. That’s great for California. But you don’t come here to rip us off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:48] \u003c/em>Steyer is a billionaire former hedge fund manager who has basically unlimited resources. Like he’s been on the airwaves with ads constantly. Bernie Sanders’ political group, Our Revolution is supporting him. So a fascinating paradox in Steyer’s candidacy. Porter probably operating somewhere between Becerra and Steyer. Yes, she has worked in government. She served in Congress representing Orange County. Um, but she’s also promised to bring in more independence and kind of more oversight, uh, shake up state government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Katie Porter: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:23] \u003c/em>I want Californians to understand that when I make a decision, it’s because it’s what I think is best for California. It is not about who my donors are. And there’s kind of an established path in California. You do the assembly, you do the Senate. And I was part of a group of people who had never been in office before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>And then Mahan, I would describe as like, furthest to the center of all these Democrats. Like, he’s running, yes, on his record in San Jose, reducing unsheltered homelessness, but he’s also running a very like, centrist campaign. He opposes tax increases. He’s instead focusing on rooting out waste, making government more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Matt Mahan: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:03] \u003c/em>The best resistance is delivering results for people. And to do that, we have to be radically more focused. So I’m really focused on execution, implementation of policy. How do we make people’s lives better with the limited resources we have and grow trust in government?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:29] \u003c/em>Coming up, how Bay Area Democratic voters are feeling at this point in the governor’s race. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:51] \u003c/em>So Guy, we’re heading, it feels really quickly towards the June primary at this point. And I know you checked in with some Bay Area voters about how they’re feeling at this in the race. What would you say is like the range of feelings that you heard from voters about the governor’s race as it stands now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:12] \u003c/em>At KQED we had a town hall scheduled with Eric Swalwell where he was going to get to take questions from voters. Obviously that got scrapped after he dropped out of the race. So I called up some folks who would register to come to that town hall and hear from Swalwell to kind of get a sense of how they were feeling about the election for governor. And I heard a wide variety of opinions. But one thing that kind of… I felt like I heard from across the board was folks, even if they had decided which candidates they liked and which candidates they were leaning towards, an overall sense of like people have not really started paying attention yet really diving in on the candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:52] \u003c/em>Okay, so to be honest, I have not been paying that much of a close attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:00] \u003c/em>Shekhar Sakhalkar, who’s a San Jose resident, he told me that he likes Tom Steyer because of Steyr’s early moves to try to push towards the impeachment of President Trump. But he also said, like, he wants to start seeing these candidates debate. He wants to see more contrast between them and maybe learn more about the candidates before making his choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:20] \u003c/em>I mean, I have litany of complaints against Democratic Party, but, you know, the complaints that I have with Republican Party are much, much more grave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:34] \u003c/em>Heard something similar from Cindy Robbins-Roth, a San Mateo resident. She likes a lot of the candidates based on their past experience and kind of has considered herself open to learning more. Ultimately with Swalwell out of the race, she says she’s with Katie Porter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cindy Robbins-Roth: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:50] \u003c/em>I mean, I think she’s amazing. I followed her career in Congress, you know, was pretty familiar with what she’d been doing, many academic and otherwise with Elizabeth Warren, you know, I don’t want to hear a bunch of stuff about how she’s going to deal with Trump. I want to here what she’s gonna do for the state and how does she, how is she going to build the coalitions that must be built?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:14] \u003c/em>Susanna Porte, I talked to from Berkeley. She was supporting Betty Yee and Tom Steyer. Now Betty Ye recently dropped out of the election this week. Her issue was mainly around the management of utilities. She felt like those two candidates would bring the most reform to investor-owned utilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Susanna Porte: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>I don’t want to support a billionaire, but my top two issues are the environment and economic justice, and I think Betty Yee, Tom Steyer, are the only ones who’ve decided to challenge PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:49] \u003c/em>The last voter I’ll mention is Dion Coakley in San Francisco, who initially supported Becerra and found himself kind of coming around to Swalwell because of fears that two Republicans could make the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:03] \u003c/em>You know, if there was a candidate, democratic candidate, that was sort of leading the field, then I might be supporting them, which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell. I mean, thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Now he says he’s giving Xavier Becerra a second chance and a second look, which I think seems to be what a lot of voters are doing in the wake of Swalwell leaving the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>I mean, I like Xavier Becerra’s experience. I’ve listened to him and I’ve listen to some of the other candidates on political breakdowns. So, you know, I feel like I’ve had to go to them to hear about what their position is, as opposed to them coming to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>It seems like folks are really still shopping around for their choice at this point. And I guess, like, do you feel like maybe people aren’t paying so much attention to this governor’s race still because there hasn’t really been a standout star among the Democrats?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I think that has certainly contributed perhaps to voters not being super attuned. There’s also just a lot going on in the news and in the world that I think it makes sense that maybe people haven’t totally focused in on this election. I do think the Swalwell scandal and the allegations reported about the Chronicle and CNN that led to his leaving the race and led to him resigning, I think that caught a lot of folks’ attention and maybe as a byproduct. People will start focusing on the governor’s race, like, ‘Oh, Swalwell’s leaving the race. Okay, where does that leave me as a voter? Maybe let me start tuning in.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:52] \u003c/em>I know there’s actually a debate happening later today. What are you going to be watching for in that debate, Guy? And what are you gonna be watching for in this race moving forward?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:05] \u003c/em>I think in the debate, I would expect a lot of heat to come at Tom Steyer, given his position in the polls, given kind of his personal wealth. I would probably expect him to take a lot of incoming about being a progressive billionaire and former hedge fund manager. I’d be interested to see Becerra now that he’s kind of moved up in this race. What’s the vision that he puts for? What would he do as governor? What’s his kind of vision for leading the state? It’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership from Steyer, Becerra, from Porter, from Mahan, like very different vision of what it means to be a democrat in a leadership position and it makes sense. Voters in the nation’s largest democratic state are going to get to make their pick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:01] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati, thanks so much, as always.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:04] \u003c/em>Yeah, thank you for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Now that Eric Swalwell is out of the race, the leading Democrats are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1776889474,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": true,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 46,
"wordCount": 2540
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again | KQED",
"description": "Now that Eric Swalwell is out of the race, the leading Democrats are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "The Governor’s Race Changes Shape — Again",
"datePublished": "2026-04-22T03:00:25-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-04-22T13:24:34-07:00",
"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": 8,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "The Bay",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/thebay",
"audioUrl": "https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC9756678676.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12080744",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12080744/the-governors-race-changes-shape-again",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s been one week since Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his run for governor after \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/chronicle-eric-swalwell-story-22208898.php\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Before that, he was starting to consolidate support from voters in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now that he’s out of the race, the remaining candidates – especially the leading Democrats – are trying to win over his supporters before the June 2 primary.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/inside-california-politics/how-to-watch-the-california-governors-debate-on-kron4-and-kron4/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to watch the California governor’s debate on KRON4 and KRON4+\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079911/the-rise-and-fall-of-eric-swalwell\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rise and Fall of Eric Swalwell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (The Bay)\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080603/betty-yee-becomes-latest-democrat-to-exit-california-governors-race\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">California Governor Candidates Compete for Swalwell’s Endorsements, Donors and Voters\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">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/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9756678676\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. Democratic voters in the Bay Area were starting to throw their support behind East Bay representative Eric Swalwell for governor. That was until last week, when he suddenly dropped out of the race and left Congress after reports of sexual assault allegations. Now, the remaining Democratic candidates are trying to catch those voters ahead of the June primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:38] \u003c/em>And I actually think now we’re in a place where, yeah, it’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:53] \u003c/em>Today, a vibe check with Bay Area voters on California’s governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:05] \u003c/em>It’s been a week now since East Bay congressman Eric Swalwell has dropped out and also resigned from Congress. We also had Betty Yee drop out of the race earlier this week. And Swalwall was a front-runner in this race before he dropped out, right? So I guess how much has him dropping out of this race really changed the shape of thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I would say the state of the governor’s race right now is completely wide open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:34] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati is a politics and government correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:40] \u003c/em>Swalwell was one of the Democratic frontrunners. I think most of the public polling had him kind of bunched up with investor Tom Steyer and former Congress member Katie Porter, but he definitely had momentum in terms of consolidating a lot of establishment support. Big labor unions in California, big business groups in California kind of all coalescing around his candidacy. So he did seem to have that kind of momentum. And certainly here locally in the Bay Area, he had a lot of support. There was a survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California. 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area said that they were planning to vote. First of all, that was more than double the support of Steyer, of Porter, of Republican Steve Hilton, even more than doubled San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:34] \u003c/em>Anyone at this point risen to the top or does the race still feel super crowded at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:43] \u003c/em>Well, it still feels very crowded, but the biggest change and dynamic that we’ve seen since Swalwell exited the race was this huge rise from former Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Really an incredible turnaround for someone whose campaign seemed kind of like on life support just a few weeks ago, like he wasn’t moving at all in the polls. He has suddenly risen up the ranks in a lot of recent polling since Swalwell dropped out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:14] \u003c/em>I am not the shiny object. I am the flamethrower. You know, I go back to what I said about my parents. They just wanted me to get my work done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:22] \u003c/em>The things that seem to be working against him are now suddenly working for him, right? He had the resume, attorney general, health and human services secretary, but he was never really seen as someone who was maybe that exciting or change agent given how long he’s been in government. Well now suddenly like after this Swalwell scandal, his argument is I’m the steady hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Xavier Becerra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:43] \u003c/em>I am politically the son of those hardworking parents who recognizes that I have to open the same doors for that next generation of kids so that the next generation of construction workers and clerical workers who are married together will have the chance to do what my parents did.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:01] \u003c/em>Yeah. It’s so crazy to see how quickly things are changing in this race. And I guess at this point, you mentioned Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, and Tom Steyer. How are they all at this point trying to distinguish themselves at this stage in the race?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:23] \u003c/em>Right. So I think starting with Steyer, who now appears, you know, about even with Becerra and a lot of polling, he’s been by far the most progressive candidate just in terms of the policy agenda that he’s putting forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tom Steyer: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:36] \u003c/em>Working people built this state. The idea that you can come here from all over the world, which we want people to do, to create the future, to build the businesses of the future. We want that. That’s great for California. But you don’t come here to rip us off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:48] \u003c/em>Steyer is a billionaire former hedge fund manager who has basically unlimited resources. Like he’s been on the airwaves with ads constantly. Bernie Sanders’ political group, Our Revolution is supporting him. So a fascinating paradox in Steyer’s candidacy. Porter probably operating somewhere between Becerra and Steyer. Yes, she has worked in government. She served in Congress representing Orange County. Um, but she’s also promised to bring in more independence and kind of more oversight, uh, shake up state government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Katie Porter: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:23] \u003c/em>I want Californians to understand that when I make a decision, it’s because it’s what I think is best for California. It is not about who my donors are. And there’s kind of an established path in California. You do the assembly, you do the Senate. And I was part of a group of people who had never been in office before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:41] \u003c/em>And then Mahan, I would describe as like, furthest to the center of all these Democrats. Like, he’s running, yes, on his record in San Jose, reducing unsheltered homelessness, but he’s also running a very like, centrist campaign. He opposes tax increases. He’s instead focusing on rooting out waste, making government more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Matt Mahan: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:03] \u003c/em>The best resistance is delivering results for people. And to do that, we have to be radically more focused. So I’m really focused on execution, implementation of policy. How do we make people’s lives better with the limited resources we have and grow trust in government?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:29] \u003c/em>Coming up, how Bay Area Democratic voters are feeling at this point in the governor’s race. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:51] \u003c/em>So Guy, we’re heading, it feels really quickly towards the June primary at this point. And I know you checked in with some Bay Area voters about how they’re feeling at this in the race. What would you say is like the range of feelings that you heard from voters about the governor’s race as it stands now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:12] \u003c/em>At KQED we had a town hall scheduled with Eric Swalwell where he was going to get to take questions from voters. Obviously that got scrapped after he dropped out of the race. So I called up some folks who would register to come to that town hall and hear from Swalwell to kind of get a sense of how they were feeling about the election for governor. And I heard a wide variety of opinions. But one thing that kind of… I felt like I heard from across the board was folks, even if they had decided which candidates they liked and which candidates they were leaning towards, an overall sense of like people have not really started paying attention yet really diving in on the candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:52] \u003c/em>Okay, so to be honest, I have not been paying that much of a close attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:00] \u003c/em>Shekhar Sakhalkar, who’s a San Jose resident, he told me that he likes Tom Steyer because of Steyr’s early moves to try to push towards the impeachment of President Trump. But he also said, like, he wants to start seeing these candidates debate. He wants to see more contrast between them and maybe learn more about the candidates before making his choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Shekhar Sakhalkar: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:20] \u003c/em>I mean, I have litany of complaints against Democratic Party, but, you know, the complaints that I have with Republican Party are much, much more grave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:34] \u003c/em>Heard something similar from Cindy Robbins-Roth, a San Mateo resident. She likes a lot of the candidates based on their past experience and kind of has considered herself open to learning more. Ultimately with Swalwell out of the race, she says she’s with Katie Porter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cindy Robbins-Roth: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:50] \u003c/em>I mean, I think she’s amazing. I followed her career in Congress, you know, was pretty familiar with what she’d been doing, many academic and otherwise with Elizabeth Warren, you know, I don’t want to hear a bunch of stuff about how she’s going to deal with Trump. I want to here what she’s gonna do for the state and how does she, how is she going to build the coalitions that must be built?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:14] \u003c/em>Susanna Porte, I talked to from Berkeley. She was supporting Betty Yee and Tom Steyer. Now Betty Ye recently dropped out of the election this week. Her issue was mainly around the management of utilities. She felt like those two candidates would bring the most reform to investor-owned utilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Susanna Porte: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:32] \u003c/em>I don’t want to support a billionaire, but my top two issues are the environment and economic justice, and I think Betty Yee, Tom Steyer, are the only ones who’ve decided to challenge PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:49] \u003c/em>The last voter I’ll mention is Dion Coakley in San Francisco, who initially supported Becerra and found himself kind of coming around to Swalwell because of fears that two Republicans could make the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:03] \u003c/em>You know, if there was a candidate, democratic candidate, that was sort of leading the field, then I might be supporting them, which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell. I mean, thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:19] \u003c/em>Now he says he’s giving Xavier Becerra a second chance and a second look, which I think seems to be what a lot of voters are doing in the wake of Swalwell leaving the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dion Coakley: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:28] \u003c/em>I mean, I like Xavier Becerra’s experience. I’ve listened to him and I’ve listen to some of the other candidates on political breakdowns. So, you know, I feel like I’ve had to go to them to hear about what their position is, as opposed to them coming to me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:51] \u003c/em>It seems like folks are really still shopping around for their choice at this point. And I guess, like, do you feel like maybe people aren’t paying so much attention to this governor’s race still because there hasn’t really been a standout star among the Democrats?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:12] \u003c/em>Yeah, I mean, I think that has certainly contributed perhaps to voters not being super attuned. There’s also just a lot going on in the news and in the world that I think it makes sense that maybe people haven’t totally focused in on this election. I do think the Swalwell scandal and the allegations reported about the Chronicle and CNN that led to his leaving the race and led to him resigning, I think that caught a lot of folks’ attention and maybe as a byproduct. People will start focusing on the governor’s race, like, ‘Oh, Swalwell’s leaving the race. Okay, where does that leave me as a voter? Maybe let me start tuning in.’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:52] \u003c/em>I know there’s actually a debate happening later today. What are you going to be watching for in that debate, Guy? And what are you gonna be watching for in this race moving forward?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:05] \u003c/em>I think in the debate, I would expect a lot of heat to come at Tom Steyer, given his position in the polls, given kind of his personal wealth. I would probably expect him to take a lot of incoming about being a progressive billionaire and former hedge fund manager. I’d be interested to see Becerra now that he’s kind of moved up in this race. What’s the vision that he puts for? What would he do as governor? What’s his kind of vision for leading the state? It’s a huge win for voters to have this wide open field and have these candidates actually try to win over voters because these are very different visions for democratic leadership from Steyer, Becerra, from Porter, from Mahan, like very different vision of what it means to be a democrat in a leadership position and it makes sense. Voters in the nation’s largest democratic state are going to get to make their pick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:01] \u003c/em>Guy Marzorati, thanks so much, as always.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:04] \u003c/em>Yeah, thank you for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12080744/the-governors-race-changes-shape-again",
"authors": [
"8654",
"227",
"11831",
"11649"
],
"categories": [
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_35700",
"news_36336",
"news_20910",
"news_33812",
"news_24206",
"news_31197",
"news_22598",
"news_19930",
"news_20378"
],
"featImg": "news_12072282",
"label": "source_news_12080744"
}
},
"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?tag=matt-mahan": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 64,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12106589",
"news_12105788",
"news_12104538",
"news_12101567",
"news_12101186",
"news_12089834",
"news_12086842",
"news_12085483",
"news_12085187",
"news_12083839",
"news_12082915",
"news_12080744"
],
"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_tag_matt-mahan": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_31197": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31197",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31197",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Matt Mahan",
"slug": "matt-mahan",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Matt Mahan | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 31214,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/matt-mahan"
},
"source_news_12085483": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12085483",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "CalMatters",
"link": "https://calmatters.org/",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_12080744": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12080744",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Bay",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/thebay",
"isLoading": false
},
"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_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_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_885": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_885",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "885",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Cesar Chavez",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Cesar Chavez Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 895,
"slug": "cesar-chavez",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/cesar-chavez"
},
"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_18541": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18541",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18541",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Jose",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Jose Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 91,
"slug": "san-jose",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-jose"
},
"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_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_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_1397": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1397",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1397",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Transportation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Transportation Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1409,
"slug": "transportation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/transportation"
},
"news_32939": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32939",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32939",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "automated speeding tickets",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "automated speeding tickets Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32956,
"slug": "automated-speeding-tickets",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/automated-speeding-tickets"
},
"news_5535": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_5535",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "5535",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pedestrian safety",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pedestrian safety Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5558,
"slug": "pedestrian-safety",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/pedestrian-safety"
},
"news_22456": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_22456",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "22456",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "public safety",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "public safety Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22473,
"slug": "public-safety",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/public-safety"
},
"news_1334": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1334",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1334",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "SFMTA",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "SFMTA Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1346,
"slug": "sfmta",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/sfmta"
},
"news_20517": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20517",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20517",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "transportation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "transportation Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20534,
"slug": "transportation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/transportation"
},
"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"
},
"news_34165": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34165",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34165",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Climate",
"slug": "climate",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34182,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/climate"
},
"news_19204": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19204",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19204",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19221,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/climate"
},
"news_255": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_255",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "255",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 263,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/climate-change"
},
"news_6217": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6217",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6217",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "El Niño",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "El Niño Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6241,
"slug": "el-nino",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/el-nino"
},
"news_3431": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3431",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3431",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Flooding",
"slug": "flooding",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Flooding | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 3449,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/flooding"
},
"news_33750": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33750",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33750",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33767,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/climate"
},
"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_1202": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1202",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1202",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cars",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cars Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1214,
"slug": "cars",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/cars"
},
"news_1159": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1159",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1159",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Parking",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Parking Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1170,
"slug": "parking",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/parking"
},
"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_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_36200": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36200",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36200",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "automated license plate readers",
"slug": "automated-license-plate-readers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "automated license plate readers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36217,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/automated-license-plate-readers"
},
"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_37321": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37321",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37321",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Flock",
"slug": "flock",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Flock | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37338,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/flock"
},
"news_36201": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36201",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36201",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Flock Safety",
"slug": "flock-safety",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Flock Safety | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36218,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/flock-safety"
},
"news_37322": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37322",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37322",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "license plate readers",
"slug": "license-plate-readers",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "license plate readers | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37339,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/license-plate-readers"
},
"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_34186": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34186",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34186",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "budget deficit",
"slug": "budget-deficit",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "budget deficit Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34203,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/budget-deficit"
},
"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_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_24590": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24590",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24590",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "labor strikes",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "labor strikes Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24607,
"slug": "labor-strikes",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor-strikes"
},
"news_20482": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20482",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20482",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "labor unions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "labor unions Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20499,
"slug": "labor-unions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/labor-unions"
},
"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_32983": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32983",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32983",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "city budgets",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "city budgets Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33000,
"slug": "city-budgets",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/city-budgets"
},
"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_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_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_35700": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35700",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35700",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "2026 governor's race",
"slug": "2026-governors-race",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "2026 governor's race | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35717,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/2026-governors-race"
},
"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_19930": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19930",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19930",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Tom Steyer",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Tom Steyer Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19947,
"slug": "tom-steyer",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tom-steyer"
},
"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_6266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6290,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/housing"
},
"news_1775": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1775",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1775",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1790,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/housing"
},
"news_36561": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36561",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36561",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "subsidized housing",
"slug": "subsidized-housing",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "subsidized housing | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36578,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/subsidized-housing"
},
"news_34168": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34168",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34168",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Guides and Explainers",
"slug": "guides-and-explainers",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Guides and Explainers Archives | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34185,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/guides-and-explainers"
},
"news_32707": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_32707",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "32707",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "audience-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "audience-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32724,
"slug": "audience-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/audience-news"
},
"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_6317": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6317",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6317",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California primary",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California primary Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6341,
"slug": "california-primary",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-primary"
},
"news_35040": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35040",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35040",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "chad bianco",
"slug": "chad-bianco",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "chad bianco | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35057,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/chad-bianco"
},
"news_36046": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36046",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36046",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "election",
"slug": "election",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "election | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36063,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/election"
},
"news_28639": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28639",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28639",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Election Explainers",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Election Explainers Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28656,
"slug": "election-explainers",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/election-explainers"
},
"news_20910": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20910",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20910",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Eric Swalwell",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Eric Swalwell Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20927,
"slug": "eric-swalwell",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/eric-swalwell"
},
"news_35888": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35888",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35888",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "featured-audience-news",
"slug": "featured-audience-news",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "featured-audience-news | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35905,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-audience-news"
},
"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_24206": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_24206",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "24206",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Katie Porter",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Katie Porter Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 24223,
"slug": "katie-porter",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/katie-porter"
},
"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_2027": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2027",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2027",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "voting",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "voting Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2042,
"slug": "voting",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/voting"
},
"news_26598": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26598",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26598",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "affordability",
"slug": "affordability",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "affordability | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "noindex"
},
"ttid": 26615,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/affordability"
},
"news_29125": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29125",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29125",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "california governor",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "california governor Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 29142,
"slug": "california-governor",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-governor"
},
"news_35699": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_35699",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "35699",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "california governor's race",
"slug": "california-governors-race",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "california governor's race | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 35716,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-governors-race"
},
"news_36350": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_36350",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "36350",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "featured-affordability",
"slug": "featured-affordability",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "featured-affordability | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 36367,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-affordability"
},
"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_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"
}
},
"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": {}
}
}
}
