CA Politics 360 Full Episode

California Politics 360 Full Episode | Power shift proposal impacting schools

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Superintendent Tony Thurmond after he sent a letter to state legislators asking them to carefully weigh the decision.

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF ADVOCATING FOR CALIFORNIA’S NEARLY 6 MILLION STUDENTS? THE MAJOR PROPOSED SHIFT IN POWER FOR THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE QUESTION SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMOND WANTS ANSWERED LAWMAKERS EXPLORING NEW OPTIONS TO THE GAS TAX. WHY? THEY ARE LOOKING INTO HOW MANY MILES YOU DRIVE. THIS IS THE ONLY HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEM OF ITS TYPE ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE LATEST CONCERNS FROM LAWMAKERS AFTER THE PROJECT LOST BILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS. 360. I’M ASHLEY ZAVALA. WE START WITH THE TUG OF WAR FOR POWER WHEN IT COMES TO THE STATE’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT’S A DECISION THAT COULD IMPACT THE STATE’S NEARLY 6 MILLION STUDENTS. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM IS PROPOSING TO STRIP RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, WHICH IS AN ELECTED POSITION. THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL WOULD SHIFT MORE POWER TO THE STATE’S BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE THE GOVERNOR CHOOSES AND OVERSEES. IT’S UNCLEAR WHY NOW, BUT SUPERINTENDENT TONY THURMOND NOW WANTS ANSWERS. MAINLY. HOW EXACTLY WOULD THIS HELP CALIFORNIA STUDENTS? HE SENT THIS LETTER TO STATE LAWMAKERS THIS WEEK ASKING THEM TO CAREFULLY WEIGH THE DECISION. I SPOKE WITH SUPERINTENDENT THURMOND EARLIER THIS WEEK. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE GOVERNOR’S INDICTMENT OF YOUR WORK IN THAT OFFICE? OVER THE LAST NEARLY EIGHT YEARS? I DON’T SEE HOW IT COULD BE, BECAUSE WE’VE WORKED EXTREMELY CLOSELY TOGETHER OVER THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS. WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT COMING INTO THIS OFFICE THAT RATHER THAN HIM APPOINTING A SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AS OTHER GOVERNORS HAVE, THAT WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER. AND EVEN IF WE DIDN’T AGREE ON THINGS, WE’D FIND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER. AND BY AND LARGE, WE’VE DONE THAT TOGETHER. WE HAVE CREATED PRESCHOOL FOR EVERY FOUR YEAR OLD, A FREE PRESCHOOL, BY THE WAY. UNIVERSAL MEALS FOR EVERY HUNGRY STUDENT, YOU KNOW, $4 BILLION FOR MENTAL HEALTH $6 BILLION TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. WE HAD A MILLION KIDS WITHOUT COMPUTERS. AND NOW WE HAVE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE COMPUTERS AND HIGH SPEED INTERNET. THIS GOVERNOR HAS DONE REALLY WELL FOR CALIFORNIA KIDS IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND SUPPORTING EDUCATION. AND WE’VE PARTNERED ON JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE. AND SO I’M NOT SURE WHERE THERE WOULD BE ANY DAYLIGHT BETWEEN US ON WHAT KIDS NEED OR WHAT WE’RE DOING FOR KIDS. KIDS ARE READING, SCORES ARE GOING UP. OUR MATH SCORES ARE GOING UP. THERE’S A LOT MORE THAT WE HAVE TO DO, BUT WE ARE SEEING IMPROVEMENT FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. AND SO I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO SOLVE. BUT WE’RE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT KIDS NEED. AND THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THEY LEARN TO READ BY THIRD GRADE AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS I’D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU. BUT SORT OF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, CALIFORNIA IS SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN EVER ON EDUCATION. BUT CRITICS HAVE NOTED, I MEAN, REPUBLICANS IN RESPONSE, THE GOVERNOR’S STATE OF THE STATE SAID THAT MANY CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, MORE THAN HALF, ARE STRUGGLING IN READING, ARE STRUGGLING IN MATH, ARE NOT PREPARED FOR COLLEGE. WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT’S BAFFLING TO ME THAT THIS SO-CALLED ACHIEVEMENT GAP HAS EXISTED PROBABLY MY WHOLE LIFE. I’M 57 YEARS OLD. WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN TALKING ABOUT CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP. WHEN I CAME TO THIS OFFICE, I NOTICED EXTREMELY LOW SCORES IN READING AND MATH AND GRADUATION RATES, AND THEY’VE GONE UP NOW. ALONG THE WAY, WE’VE HAD TO NAVIGATE A PANDEMIC WHICH SET SCHOOLS BACK. BUT THIS STATE HAS INVESTED MORE IN THE COMEBACK TYPE OF PROGRAMS TO HELP KIDS LONGER DAYS OF SCHOOL, MORE TUTORING, MORE COUNSELING. THIS STATE HAS DONE MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE TO HELP KIDS OVERCOME THE LOSSES OF LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC. BY THE WAY, EVERY STATE HAS EXPERIENCED THAT. AND SO WHILE WE DO HAVE MORE WORK TO DO, CALIFORNIA STILL FALLS SOMEWHERE IN THE 30S IN TERMS OF PER PUPIL SPENDING COMPARED TO OTHER STATES. THAT SHOULD NOT BE. WE SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE IN WHAT WE GIVE OUR KIDS. WE SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE IN THE TECHNOLOGY WE PROVIDE FOR THEM. IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO GO INTO THE PANDEMIC AND TO SEE A MILLION KIDS WITHOUT A COMPUTER OR ACCESS TO THE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET. HOW WERE THEY SUPPOSED TO LEARN IN THAT MOMENT? WE’RE COMING BACK THIS YEAR. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE’RE MAKING WE’RE WORKING TO MAKE KINDERGARTEN A REQUIREMENT. SO EVERY STUDENT STARTS SCHOOL WITH THE RIGHT STRUCTURES. WE HAVE THIS TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN AND MORE SUPPORTS AROUND READING AND MATH. AND SO CALIFORNIANS ARE SHOWING THAT THEY’RE ON THE RISE, AND WE’RE GOING TO KEEP DOING THE WORK TO HELP ENSURE THAT THEY GET THERE. YOU MENTIONED THE PANDEMIC, AND I’M NOT JUST PICKING ON YOU WHEN I ASKED THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE I’VE ASKED IT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT ESSENTIALLY EVERY CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE REALLY GAVE GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM THE POWER FOR A LOT OF THINGS. AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD HAVE EXERTED MORE POWER WHEN IT CAME TO HOW CHILDREN WERE BEING EDUCATED DURING THAT TIME, WHEN IT CAME TO THE RESOURCES THAT WERE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS DURING THAT TIME, COULD YOU HAVE DONE MORE TO AVOID THE SITUATION THAT YOU’RE IN NOW, WHERE THE GOVERNOR IS PITCHING THIS PROPOSAL TO TAKE POWER AWAY FROM YOU? YOU KNOW, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, YOU KNOW, THE POSITION OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT DOESN’T HAVE ANY DIRECT POWER, DOESN’T HAVE ANY DIRECT AUTHORITY OVER ANY BUDGETARY LINE ITEM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN OTHER STATES, THE APPOINTED SECRETARY OF EDUCATION HAVE MORE DIRECT AUTHORITY THAN THE CURRENT POSITION DOES HERE IN CALIFORNIA. BUT WHAT I’VE LEARNED IS THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO FACILITATE AND USE YOUR LEADERSHIP TO GET THINGS DONE. I’VE HAD TO WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE. I SPONSORED 20 BILLS EVERY SINGLE YEAR, INCLUDING THE LEGISLATION THAT GOT US TO $6 BILLION TO GET THOSE KIDS ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND COMPUTERS, I HAD TO GO TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO GET DONATIONS OF COMPUTERS. CALIFORNIA SHOULD NEVER BE BEGGING. WE ARE THE TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER OF THE WORLD. WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD THESE THINGS IN PLACE. BUT SEEING THAT I WENT OUT AND DID THAT WORK TO HELP KIDS GET WHAT THEY NEED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE’S NOTHING THAT WE DIDN’T DO THAT I WISH WE COULD DO DIFFERENTLY. I WISH WE DIDN’T HAVE A PANDEMIC. PEOPLE WERE DYING, AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND TO SAY THAT KIDS DESERVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO AN EDUCATION. BUT UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, EDUCATION WAS AFFECTED. AND NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN US WORKING HARD TO HELP KIDS RECOVER AND BOUNCE BACK. AND OUR STUDENTS ARE SHOWING THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. I’M COMMITTED TO DOING THAT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, AND I’M PROUD OF WHAT OUR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, AND WE HAVE TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT THEM. I ALSO SPOKE WITH SUPERINTENDENT THURMOND ABOUT WHAT HIS DEPARTMENT IS DOING TO GET ANSWERS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, AND HOW THIS COULD IMPACT HIS RUN FOR GOVERNOR. OUR FULL CONVERSATION IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 6.COM. WELL, LAWMAKERS ARE LOOKING INTO A NEW FEE BASED ON HOW MUCH YOU DRIVE. I SIT DOWN WITH A LAWMAKER BEHIND THE PROPOSAL. HER REASONING FOR EXPLORING THE OPTIONS AND HER RESPONSE TO THE WE’RE THE LAW BROTHERS. CALIFORNIA IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO REPLACING ITS GAS TAX WITH A MILEAGE BASED FEE SYSTEM, BUT LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING A STUDY TO LOOK INTO ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT. I SAT DOWN WITH THE LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY’S TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER LAURIE WILSON. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. LET’S START WITH THE ROAD USER CHARGE FEE THAT CRITICS ARE CALLING THE MILEAGE TAX. YES. AND WE’VE WE’VE MADE CLEAR THAT THIS IS A STUDY. IT’S NOT A TAX RIGHT NOW. AND THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU’RE YOU’VE PRESENTED, BUT PEOPLE ARE ASKING WHY STUDY THIS NOW. WE’VE ACTUALLY BEEN STUDYING THIS SINCE 2014. AND WHEN I CAME IN AS CHAIR TWO YEARS AGO, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING US AS A STATE AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN MAKE SURE DURING MY TENURE AS CHAIR THAT WE SOLVE THEM. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES, IS THAT WE’VE HAD A DECLINING GAS TAX REVENUE THAT WE HAVE SEEN PRIOR TO 2014 FOR DECADES, AND YET WE STILL HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT. AND SO FOR ME, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND START THIS CONVERSATION AS CHAIR AGAIN. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS BILL DOES, IS IT SAYS THAT, HEY, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE. LET’S BRING THAT STUDY TO COMPLETION BY PUTTING ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER, NOT JUST WHAT WE’VE TASKED. THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO DO, BUT WE’VE HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM OUR UCS TO OTHERS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE SPACE. WE’VE HAD THREE ROAD USER TOWN HALLS, SO I MEAN, SORRY, THREE ROAD USER PILOTS. AND SO NOW IT’S TIME TO BRING THAT INFORMATION TO THE LEGISLATURE SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLY BEING DOUBLE TAXED. AGAIN, REITERATING THIS IS NOT A TAX THAT WILL LIKELY PASS OR HAVE ANYTHING THIS YEAR. BUT DOWN THE LINE, I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THAT. WHAT WILL THIS STUDY DO TO PREVENT THAT? WELL, ACTUALLY WHAT WE LEARNED IN OUR TOWN HALLS IS THAT PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. WE DID AT LEAST THREE REGIONAL TOWN HALLS ACROSS THE STATE. WE STILL HAVE THREE MORE TO DO. AND THAT WAS A COMMON THEME. AND SO WE MADE SURE WHEN WE WERE DOING THIS BILL AND WE HAVE SENTIMENTS COMING THAT MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THIS IS NOT ABOUT BURDENING FAMILIES ALREADY BURDENED BY OUR CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND SO ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A STUDY, NOT A TAX. AND IF THE LEGISLATURE CHOOSES TO ACT AT A FUTURE DATE, THEN BASED ON THIS STUDY THAT WE’VE TOLD THEM TO LOOK AT, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE’RE NOT OVERBURDENING OUR FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PAYING THE GAS TAX THAT THEY DON’T? IN SOME WHATEVER FORM WE CHOOSE, IN TERMS OF WHAT’S NEXT, THAT THOSE PEOPLE DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TO ACTUALLY PAY THAT AS WELL. PENNSYLVANIA LAST YEAR ENACTED A ROAD USER CHARGE SPECIFICALLY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLES, OR PLUG IN HYBRIDS. I SHOULD SAY, JUST WITH A FLAT FEE. LIKE, I MEAN, IS THAT WHERE THIS IS POTENTIALLY HEADED? IS THAT MAYBE THE FOCUS OF THE STUDY? OR WHY NOT JUST SAY, LET’S FIGURE OUT HOW TO COLLECT SOME OF THESE NEEDED RESOURCES FROM EV DRIVERS? THAT’S PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR REGIONAL TOWN HALLS WAS THAT YOUR AVERAGE GAS POWERED VEHICLE WAS PAYING AROUND 3 TO $600 IN TAXES FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE STATE. BUT AN EV USER, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEIR CAR WAS MANUFACTURED, WAS PAYING ANYWHERE FROM 0 TO 117 FOR THAT SAME TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THERE’S A DISPARITY THERE. AND SO THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS TO LOOK AT IS, WELL, WHO SHOULD BE PAYING MORE BECAUSE IT’S AN EQUITY ISSUE. IT’S A FAIRNESS ISSUE. AND OF COURSE IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IT IS A USER PAY PRINCIPLE. MEANING IF YOU USE IT, YOU SHOULD PAY FOR IT. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT PAYING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THEY USE, PRIMARILY THOSE WITH EV AND ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE MORE FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES THAN OTHERS. IS THE TIMING OF THIS CONVERSATION TOUGH, THOUGH? JUST GIVEN AFFORDABILITY? A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY AND THEN CONCERNED ABOUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING. OVERALL. I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS A LEGISLATURE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY FOR A MOMENT. AND I GET IT. WHEN YOU GO TO YOUR SHOPPING CART AND YOU’RE DECIDING WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO INCLUDE AND WHAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO INCLUDE, I GET IT WHEN YOU GET THAT BILL IN THE MAIL AND YOU’RE LIKE, WHICH BILL AM I GOING TO PAY? SOMETHING’S NOT GOING TO BE PAID. A LOT OF CALIFORNIANS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT. WE’RE NOT DOING A MILEAGE TAX. BUT WHEN THEY HEAR THAT, I CAN SEE WHY THEY’D BE ALARMED. BUT HERE, HERE’S THE DEAL. I YOU KNOW, MY BACKGROUND IS IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE. I KNOW BUDGETING THROUGH AND THROUGH. I WAS AN AUDITOR AT SOME POINT, AND I KNOW TO BE PROACTIVE. AND WE ARE FACING A CLIFF WHEN IT COMES TO OUR RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. AND WHAT I DON’T WANT IS SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW, EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN IT’S CRUMBLING AND WE DON’T HAVE A WAY TO PAY FOR IT. PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHY DIDN’T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? OR NOW YOU HAVE TO CHARGE ME WAY MORE TO COVER IT. SO I WANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW IN THE FORM OF A STUDY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO. SO THEN WE CAN PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. SO FOR ME, THIS LOOKS LIKE BEING PROACTIVE AS A LEGISLATOR, WHICH IS WHAT I HOPE PEOPLE WOULD WANT FROM US. WE ALSO SPEAK AT LENGTH ABOUT ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON’S PROPOSAL TO KEEP SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT SECRET. OUR FULL CONVERSATION IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 60.COM. WELL, 30 YEARS INTO THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT AND NO TRACK FOR THE BULLET TRAIN HAS BEEN LAID JUST YET, NOW IT’S LOST BILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDING. THE CONCERNS RAISED BY LAWMAKERS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, WHERE IT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM TOUTED THE WORK TO BUILD THE HIGH SPEED RAIL. DISCUSSIONS ON THE PROJECT STARTED 30 YEARS AGO, BUT IT’S STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH A LOT OF WORK TO DO. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I SPOKE WITH REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MEMBER ALEXANDRA MACEDO, WHO REPRESENTS PART OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME FOR US. IT’S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE, ASHLEY. SO SOME ARE JUST I WANT TO GET YOUR RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR NEWSOM GOING DOWN TO KERN COUNTY THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE SOUTHERN RAIL HEAD. HE SAYS THIS IS A MILESTONE IN THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT. I JUST SAW YOUR EYES WIDEN. WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THAT? I JUST WANT TO PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE THE PROCESS OF THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL STARTED IN 2008. I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I HAD TO DRIVE PAST THE STONEHENGE. THAT IS THE STRUCTURES WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH SPEED RAIL IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. FOR A LARGE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE, I’VE ALSO LIVED IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY MY WHOLE LIFE, AND WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH FUNDAMENTAL THINGS OF NOT HAVING GOOD ROADS TO DRIVE ON. WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT DON’T HAVE CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING WATER. WE HAVE AGRICULTURE UNDER ATTACK AND LEAVING THE STATE, AND HE WANTS TO SHOW UP FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE TO CELEBRATE A FAILED PROJECT THAT HE HAS SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT WE HAVE SHOVEL READY PROJECTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THE CENTRAL VALLEY HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED BY SACRAMENTO FOR YEARS, AND FOR HIM TO SHOW UP AND ACT LIKE HE’S GIVING US A GIFT IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE AND DISRESPECTFUL TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY. SO YOU DON’T SEE THAT AS A MILESTONE AT ALL IN THE PROJECT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. LET’S GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO JULY OF 2019, WHEN THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR BID FOR TRACK WAS PUT OUT, AND IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN OCTOBER OF 2020, TRACK WOULD BE LAID. IT’S NOW 2026. NO TRACK HAS BEEN LAID. AND THEN HE STOOD IN FRONT OF FREIGHT TRAIN AND FREIGHT TRACK SAYING, THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF HERE IN THE VALLEY. IT’S NOT. IT’S ELECTRIFIED TRACK, HIGH SPEED TRACK, AND WE’RE NOT ANY CLOSER TO THAT HAPPENING. ADDITIONALLY, THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS FAILING FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF THE VALLEY, AND ONCE AGAIN, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW JUST HOW BAD OUR BUDGET SITUATION IS. AND WE’RE ALLOCATING $1 BILLION A YEAR TO THIS PROJECT. YET WE’RE NOW DOING STUDIES AND ENCOURAGING A MILEAGE TAX TO FIX THE ROADS, BECAUSE WE CAN’T EVEN AFFORD TO DO THAT. BUT WE CAN AFFORD A PRIVILEGED PROJECT LIKE THE HIGH SPEED RAIL. LET’S TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER. WE DON’T HAVE COMMUTERS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY LIKE YOU DO IN THE BAY AREA. IN LOS ANGELES, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AMERICA THAT HAVE TO TRAVEL ON ROADS TO GET TO RESOURCES, NOT TO GET TO JOBS. YOU KNOW, CEO IS NOT GOING TO LIVE IN FRESNO AND HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE IN BAKERSFIELD. THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO DO. THEY TARGETED THE CENTRAL VALLEY BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD TAKE PRIME FARM GROUND TO DO IT. THEY KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE, BUT THEN THEY HAVE THE AUDACITY TO STILL SELL THE TAXPAYERS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FROM LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO. THESE AREN’T MY WORDS. THESE ARE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S WORDS. THERE IS NO VIABLE PATH FORWARD FOR THIS PROJECT. THE CEO OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND I ASKED HIM, HEY, YOU’RE PUTTING THIS IN THE VALLEY? HAVE YOU DONE ANY SURVEYS OF THE VALLEY OF WHO’S ACTUALLY GOING TO RIDE THIS? NO, WE PROBABLY SHOULD DO THAT. BUT WE HAVEN’T, LIKE, WOW, 15 PLUS YEARS. WE DIDN’T FIND TIME FOR THAT. OKAY, HOW ABOUT HOW MUCH A TICKET IS GOING TO COST TO RIDE THE HIGH SPEED RAIL? BECAUSE I REPRESENT ONE OF THE POOREST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. YEAH, WE DON’T HAVE THAT INFORMATION EITHER. SO WE HAVE A TRAIN THAT WE DON’T KNOW HOW WE’RE GOING TO BUILD. WE DON’T KNOW WHO’S GOING TO RIDE IT OR HOW MUCH THEY’RE GOING TO PAY TO BE ON IT. SO WE DON’T KNOW HOW WE’RE GOING TO MAINTAIN IT ONCE IT’S HERE. BUT YEAH, LET’S CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THAT. THE CENTRAL VALLEY NEEDS THIS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS MADE CLEAR THEY DON’T WANT TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, CLAWING BACK $4 BILLION IN FUNDS. YOU WANT A UPDATED SPENDING PLAN FROM PROJECT LEADERS. DID YOU GET A RESPONSE TO THAT LETTER THAT YOU SENT THIS WEEK? ASHLEY, YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, AS DO MOST PEOPLE. BUT LET’S TAKE IT BACK EVEN FURTHER. SO I ACTUALLY WROTE A LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NO, THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NO. YES. LET’S GO BACK THOUGH, TO LAST YEAR. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, SEAN DUFFY, AS WELL AS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, SAYING, HEY, WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING BECAUSE THIS PROJECT IS NOT ANY CLOSER TO COMPLETION. AND THAT’S WHEN SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY CAME OUT. AND I THINK YOU KNOW HOW THAT WENT. I ENDED UP GETTING A TOMATO TO THE FACE. I SURVIVED THAT, BUT IN THAT PRESS CONFERENCE, WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE GOING TO AUDIT AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY WERE IN THE CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FEDERAL MONEY. SO LET’S FLASH FORWARD. I HAVE THE CEO IN FRONT OF ME, AND I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN IF THIS $4 BILLION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO YOU? AND HE GOES, ROB BONTA IS GOING TO SUE ON IT AND WE’LL GET THE MONEY. I SAID, OKAY, THAT’S A PERFECT WORLD. LET’S JUST IMAGINE WE’RE NOT IN A PERFECT WORLD. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? AND HE GOES, BASICALLY HE DIDN’T HAVE ONE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD AS MUCH AS THEY COULD WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY HAD, BUT THEY WERE VERY CERTAIN THEY WERE GOING TO GET THIS $4 BILLION. LET’S FLASH FORWARD THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE VERY QUIETLY. THIS LAWSUIT WAS WITHDRAWN BY NEWSOM AND BONTA. NOBODY HAS TOLD US WHY. IF THEY FELT SO STRONGLY THAT WE WERE ENTITLED TO THAT $4 BILLION, WHY THAT IS. AND THAT IS SIMPLE. THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE FAILED ON ALL OF THE DELAYS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROJECT. THEY HAVE FAILED ON THE PROMISES OF THIS PROJECT. THEY’RE WAY OVER BUDGET AND NOW THEY’RE GOING TO TRY TO SAY THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. ABSOLUTELY NOT. THIS IS YEARS OF FAILURES BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT THAT HAS LED THIS PROJECT TO ABSOLUTELY BE AT A DEAD END, AND WE CONTINUE TO THROW BAD MONEY AFTER IT. ASSEMBLYMEMBER MACEDO WEIGHS IN WITH HER PERSPECTIVE ON THE STUDY TO IMPLEMENT A MILEAGE TAX. OUR FULL CONVERSATION IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 6.COM. IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE MAJOR GAMES HOSTED IN CALIFORNIA. IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. MICHELLE DAPPER LOOKS BACK AT THE BIG GAMES IN CALIFORNIA. WELL, CALIFORNIA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF HOSTING THE SUPER BOWL. IN FACT, TODAY’S BIG GAME IS THE 14TH TIME CALIFORNIA HAS HOSTED A SUPER BOWL. LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM HOSTED THEIR FIRST SUPER BOWL IN 1967. THE GREEN BAY PACKERS BEAT THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 35 TO 10. THE COLISEUM WELCOMED THE SUPER BOWL AGAIN SIX YEARS LATER. IN 1977, THE ROSE BOWL HELD THEIR FIRST SUPER BOWL AS THE OAKLAND RAIDERS WON THEIR FIRST TITLE IN SUPER BOWL 11. THE ROSE BOWL WOULD HOST FOUR MORE GAMES SUPER BOWL 14, 17, 21, AND 27. IN 1985, SUPER BOWL CAME TO STANFORD, WHILE THE SAN FRANCISCO 40 NINERS WON THEIR SECOND TITLE. SAN DIEGO WOULD HOST THREE SUPER BOWLS, THEIR FIRST IN 1988 AT THE JACK MURPHY STADIUM. TEN YEARS LATER, THE BIG GAME WOULD BE AT THE NEWLY RENAMED QUALCOMM STADIUM. THE CITY WOULD HOST AGAIN FOR SUPER BOWL 37. LEVI’S STADIUM, HOME TO SUPER BOWL 50, AS THE DENVER BRONCOS BEAT THE CAROLINA PANTHERS BACK TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR SUPER BOWL 56 AND SOFI STADIUM AS THE LOS ANGELES RAMS WON IN THEIR HOME STADIUM. THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY, SUPER BOWL 60. THE RETURN TO LEVI’S STADIUM AS THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BATTLE THE SEAHAWKS FROM. ASHLEY. THANKS BACK TO YOU. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS 36

California Politics 360 Full Episode | Power shift proposal impacting schools

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Superintendent Tony Thurmond after he sent a letter to state legislators asking them to carefully weigh the decision.

Updated: 8:25 AM PST Feb 8, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a shift in power at the California Department of Education.The governor is proposing shifting responsibilities from the state superintendent of public instruction, which is an elected position, to the state’s Board of Education, which is a group of people the governor chooses and oversees.On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Superintendent Tony Thurmond after he sent a letter to state legislators asking them to carefully weigh the decision. Lawmakers are considering a study to investigate the potential impact of replacing the gas tax with a mileage-based fee system. We hear from the leader of the Assembly’s transportation committee, Assemblymember Lori Wilson. This week, Newsom touted the work to build the high-speed rail.Zavala sits down with Republican Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, who raises concerns about the project’s finances after the loss of billions in federal funding. It’s Super Bowl Sunday. Michelle Dapper looks back at the games held in California. KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a shift in power at the California Department of Education.

The governor is proposing shifting responsibilities from the state superintendent of public instruction, which is an elected position, to the state’s Board of Education, which is a group of people the governor chooses and oversees.

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with Superintendent Tony Thurmond after he sent a letter to state legislators asking them to carefully weigh the decision.

Lawmakers are considering a study to investigate the potential impact of replacing the gas tax with a mileage-based fee system. We hear from the leader of the Assembly’s transportation committee, Assemblymember Lori Wilson.

This week, Newsom touted the work to build the high-speed rail.

Zavala sits down with Republican Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, who raises concerns about the project’s finances after the loss of billions in federal funding.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday. Michelle Dapper looks back at the games held in California.

KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.