1. What do you say to the millions of Californians who polls show are unhappy about the higher cost of living and their perception that quality of life has been declining in their communities?
I hear you — and I’ve released the most detailed affordability plan in this race because I’ve spent my career lowering costs for working families. Making California more affordable must be the top priority of our state’s next governor.
As Assembly speaker, I delivered a $1 billion car tax cut, reinstated the renters’ tax credit, expanded property tax assistance for older adults and cut college tuition nearly 12% across the UC, CSU and community college systems. I authored the Healthy Families Program, extending health coverage to 900,000 children in working families who couldn’t afford private insurance. As mayor of Los Angeles, I invested over $1 billion in affordable housing and produced more than 21,000 affordable units in the middle of a recession — exceeding our goal — while launching a prescription drug discount program that saved residents over $1.6 million.
As governor, I will attack the housing crisis as the economic emergency it is. My plan includes the California Middle-Class Homeownership Act: a $25 billion revenue bond program at zero cost to taxpayers to help working families buy newly built homes. I’ll reform the California Environmental Quality Act so we spend more time building and less time in legal battles, and enforce state housing law so cities that block construction lose state funding.
I’ll also lower gas prices by retaining refinery capacity and reining in the California Air Resources Board regulations that drive up costs at the pump. My health care plan will cap prescription drug spending, create a public option to bring down premiums, and eliminate medical debt for low-income Californians. And I will hold the line on taxes — California families are stretched thin enough already. My full plan is at antonio2026.com/plan.
2. Do you support a bill before the Legislature that would kill the key provision of the 2012 pension reforms championed by Gov. Jerry Brown: the requirement that public employees must pay at least 50% of the “normal cost” of their pension benefits?
The Legislative Analyst’s Office currently projects multiyear budget deficits of $18 billion to $35 billion which the next governor will inherit. The budget has grown by over 60% since 2019, and that kind of growth is unsustainable. We need to live within our means. I do not support increasing unfunded pension liabilities, but I would make an exception for public safety personnel — police officers and firefighters — because currently, it is becoming more and more difficult to recruit the personnel our state needs.
3. Do you support the “billionaires tax” or any other specific proposed tax hikes? Why?
I don’t support the so-called billionaire tax because it will really be a tax on the middle class when all the billionaires leave. California only has 188 billionaires living in the state, and every week it seems there’s news of another one fleeing the state or moving their business on paper. I support a federal wealth tax that makes billionaires pay their fair share, just not at the state level where it can be easily avoided by moving out of California.
California is already one of the worst states to do business in. If the goal is to lower the tax burden on working families, we need to grow the economy so our revenue doesn’t depend on Silicon Valley.
4. Is there a specific issue that you feel does not get enough attention?
Standing up to Donald Trump and ICE. ICE agents have killed American citizens, raided churches and schools, and arrested people without judicial warrants. I’m the first and only candidate to release a comprehensive ICE Accountability Plan. On day one, I will sign executive orders launching unannounced inspections of every detention facility in California, protecting children in immigration custody under state child welfare law, holding ICE agents to the same use-of-force standards as California law enforcement, and safeguarding schools, churches, hospitals and homes from warrantless raids. When I’m governor, fear will not rule California.
Go to antonio2026.com for more information about the candidate.