For Californians, the next governor has plenty to fix

Housing

Alec MacLeod

“Affordable housing is a problem in major metropolitan areas, and nobody with power seems to be addressing it. My neighborhood is so expensive that it has lost all of its economic and ethnic/racial diversity. ”

California's economy

Bob

“I feel that my efforts and money goes to pay for the programs, so I deserve to control them. If you get something you should have to give something for it, like work.”

Water

Casey Maddren

“The next governor will have to push for radical changes in water policy. The biggest challenge will be rethinking the water allocations for agriculture.”

California's economy

Christine Bhagat

“Taxes are too high for a declining quality of life in California (increasing high-density housing, quality of K-12 education is in the toilet, worsening traffic jams, increasing homeless- and poverty-level population, increasing costs of living, $500 billion in public pension debt which taxpayers can’t afford, and coyotes eating up all of our family dogs and cats – our city refuses to cull the coyote population). Our young, professional son decided New York is a much better state to live in now.”

California's economy

Christopher Gonzalez

“If the economy is going well then the other things will be easier to sort out. Transportation can be a major driver or suppressor of economics. We need to move fast and smart – I’m talking fast trains, hyper loops, and self-driving cars. Californians need to master robotic engineering. And AI.”

California's economy

Daniel Schwartz

“Economic inequality. The disparity has become far too wide.”

California's economy

David

“Owning a business in this state is continuing to be difficult. While the economy is good, I'm continually saddled with ever-increasing taxes. It's tough to plan for the future this way. I've resorted to hiring employees in other states as it's too expensive to hire Californians for jobs I can pay someone in another state to do for less. This is not how I want to run my business, but sadly in it's current set-up I'm forced to.”

Healthcare

Davis

“I think it’s time to move forward with single-payer healthcare/Medicare. We should be able to provide healthcare to all Californians. We need bold action and we need it from the next governor.”

Climate

Dylan

“California stands as a guide to the United States, but also to the world in regards to climate policy. We need to continue that legacy.”

Healthcare

Eric Colasante

“California needs to implement a single-payer healthcare system so its citizens can have healthcare regardless of their income level. We also need to get money out of our politics so that substantive, transformative, progressive legislation can be passed instead of what we currently have, which is a host of politicians in Sacramento whose decisions are constantly dictated by their addiction to the campaign financing they receive from billionaires and corporations.”

Housing

Isai Hernandez

“Home and rent prices in urban areas are ridiculously high, even in low-income neighborhoods. People have to resort to moving out to the Valley in hopes of cheaper prices or even out of state. ”

Water

James Dodson

“As California continues to increase its population, the demand for water will also increase, and climate change may restrict future snowpack and rainfall. Plans to affect climate change are way beyond my time horizon, but water may become a focal issue in the next 10 or 20 years. Agriculture demands more water, conservationists demand more water (for fish and fowl), developers demand more water, and residents demand more water. We will either have to increase supply or reduce demand.”

Housing

Jan

“As the cost of housing has increased, more people have become homeless because they cannot afford to rent in the city they live. More people have opted to live farther and farther away from their jobs where they can afford a modest home. With that comes longer commutes and a decline in health and overall quality of life.”

California's economy

Jason Anderson

“California’s next governor must commit to protecting and strengthening policies that enable California’s success as a clean economy leader. Cementing our state’s clean energy and climate leadership will ensure a stronger, more resilient economy for decades to come. Clean technology grows the economy and creates jobs, while also cleaning the air, boosting energy independence, and curbing dangerous climate change. It’s working for us in San Diego, and all across California. We’re proud of our growing clean economy. And we’re counting on our next governor to set the stage for continued success.”

California's economy

Jeffrey Howard

“Our infrastructure is tattered. Our pension debt is astronomical. Yet all the Legislature wants to spend money on is current "needs," without addressing the long-term unfunded items that are degrading the quality of life for virtually all of our state's denizens and gradually driving our state into insolvency.”

Climate

Joasia Garza

“The air I breathe. When I go to the beach and see lines of trash on the shore. When I look to the mountains and see brown instead of mountains. When I look at time-elapsed photos that show how green Los Angeles was in the 1980s and how it is no longer green. How desirable are we as a state? How long will this last if we do not clean house?”

Climate

Johann Heinrich

“I worry about the next generations of Californians. How will they be able to get started here? The cost of living is too high to get your head above water. Taxes are way too high. The government is very wasteful. The wildlife is threatened. And now floods and wildfires are taking a big toll on both the environment and the people. I used to be proud of my California heritage. But I no longer feel as fortunate to be a part of the California experience. These issues need to be addressed by the next governor if California is to thrive again.”

Climate

Kerri Timmer

“California must put climate and clean energy front and center not only for the environment, but also for businesses and the economy whose operations depend on a stable climate. Now that we have emission reduction and renewable energy targets going out to 2050, we need strong policies and implementation funding to drive the transition to an advanced energy and clean economy.”

Healthcare

Kim Ralph

“I am a person with minor health issues, but I have a family with a few problems and my only child was born with a serious congenital issue that requires multiple surgeries, medications, hospital stays, procedures, and so much more. These types of unexpected health problems are really the norm (accidents, aging, birth complications, etc.) and no family should face total financial ruin because of an unforeseen health issue.”

Education

Mark Garbarino

“Taxes are obscene. My capital gains tax on a home sale that I worked hard to own and pay for is robbery. It’s an insult. What I get back is annual property taxes and perpetual cries from my kids public school that there is no support from the state.”

Housing

Matthew Farquhar

“The homeless are needlessly suffering from mental illness, and our care for them can and should be better. Make affordable housing available, and people will want to work to keep their homes. Even with minimum wage up I still cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment. It's absurd.”

Housing

Matthew Zeidman

“California’s high rent is prohibitive for many people who want to come to our great state. The increase in homelessness benefits no one, and we have a moral imperative to help those who need it.”

California's economy

Peter Daly

“For the first time in my 40 years of living in California, my high net worth friends are actually leaving the state for other, lower personal income tax states. Before, it was common for someone to say they are disgusted with the high taxes, but remain due to the vibrant economic environment. Now, high achievers are leaving the state (and taking their companies with them) for what they percieve are greener pastures.”

Climate

Sean Anderson

“I very much like the current legislation that is pushing us to get off fossil fuels by 2045, but this needs to be a dominant driver. Something with urgency and a unifying focus across all departments and sectors.”

Water

Steve Adams

“All Californians need water. It absolutely amazes me here in Los Angeles how few people are really concerned about the drought and finding ways to conserve water and produce more water.”

California's economy

William D. Reid

“I believe the economy is and will continue to be our major problem. There are a number of issues that require funding. Provided the economy remains relatively steady, it appears the present issues can be managed. However, unexpected catastrophes often arise, such as global warming issues, a stock market debacle, a substantial earthquake, or any other unexpected expenditures this wacky world may have in store for us. A significant amount must be held in reserve in the event of a disaster.”

Education

Xandro Mayers

“Education is the key to an ongoing successful economy, level playing field [on social issues], and all the trickle-down benefits that are derived from an informed, competitive, participatory citizenry. Academic enlightenment will spur a greater likelihood that people will be rational and reasonable when it comes to race, climate control, prison reform/rehabilitation, sensible gun control, etc. Obviously this is a generational priority.”