By Edward Henderson, California Black Media\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a former mayor of Stockton and a nationally recognized advocate for economic equity, Michael Tubbs has built his political career on challenging the status quo and advancing bold, people-centered policy solutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rising from a childhood marked by housing insecurity to becoming one of California\u2019s most prominent young leaders, Tubbs gained national attention for launching one of the first guaranteed income programs in the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now running for lieutenant governor, Tubbs is positioning himself as a champion for affordability, opportunity, and systemic reform. In a recent conversation with California Black Media (CBM), Tubbs discussed how his lived experience shapes his policy agenda, his plans to tackle homelessness and economic inequality, and his vision for a more inclusive and functional California.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve spoken about your upbringing in South Stockton and how it shaped your path to public service. How does that experience inform your priorities as a candidate, particularly for Black Californians facing systemic barriers?<\/p>\n
I tell people all the time\u2014my lived experience is my first bridge to other experiences I may not have had. It also gives me a clearer perspective and a greater willingness to bet on people.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t learn about poverty from Stanford or from being mayor. I learned from being housing insecure, from sleeping in shelters and motel rooms. Those are things I lived.<\/p>\n
That gives me empathy as a policymaker and urgency to fight for a California where everyone has the basics\u2014where people can afford to live and where government works for us, not against us.<\/p>\n
It also shapes my belief in people\u2019s ability to rise despite circumstances\u2014if government gives them the tools and opportunities.<\/p>\n
As mayor of Stockton, you launched a guaranteed basic income program that gained national attention. What lessons did you take from that, and how would you apply them at the state level?<\/p>\n
The biggest lesson is that things always seem impossible until they\u2019re done.<\/p>\n
When we launched it, people said we were crazy. Now there are over 100 pilots across the country, and over $300 million has been distributed. What started in Stockton is now part of a global conversation about affordability and AI.<\/p>\n
It taught me you have to be bold. You can\u2019t just accept the status quo\u2014it exists because no one has challenged it.<\/p>\n
As lieutenant governor, I\u2019d push for a California that builds enough housing, ends homelessness, and explores guaranteed income. To do that, you have to take risks, build coalitions, and be willing to go first.<\/p>\n
Speaking of homelessness and poverty, what specific policies would you prioritize in your first year as Lieutenant Governor and how do you propose funding them with current budget constraints?<\/p>\n
First, we must raise revenue. I support Prop 13 split-roll reform, extending Prop 55, and implementing a data dividend\u2014because data powers AI and tech profits.<\/p>\n
As Lieutenant Governor, one major role is serving on higher education boards. My top priority would be building student and workforce housing across UC, CSU, and community colleges.<\/p>\n
We can fund that through housing bonds and new revenue streams.<\/p>\n
I would also work with the legislature on guaranteed income programs focused on people exiting homelessness, as well as eviction prevention efforts.<\/p>\n
In Stockton, you saw reductions in violence and improvements in economic conditions. What strategies drove that change, and how can they scale to Black communities across the state?<\/p>\n
We used data and avoided simplistic explanations.<\/p>\n
We found that about 80% of violent crime was driven by less than 1% of the population\u2014mostly young men dealing with poverty, homelessness, and repeated incarceration.<\/p>\n
Lieutenant Governor is the second-highest office in the largest state economy in the country\u2014and when elected, I would be the highest-ranking Black elected official.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead of just locking people up again, we focused on creating opportunities for change. That led to reductions in violence.<\/p>\n
We need to move away from being \u201ctough and dumb\u201d on crime and toward being smart on crime. That includes prevention\u2014like youth jobs\u2014and targeted interventions that actually work.<\/p>\n
The Lieutenant Governor role is often seen as limited. How would you use that office\u2019s authority to deliver measurable results for Black Californians?<\/p>\n
Being Lieutenant Governor in California comes with responsibility.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d work with the Legislative Black Caucus to advance policies that improve quality of life. I\u2019d also use my role on education boards to ensure Black-owned businesses have access to procurement opportunities.<\/p>\n
And just as important, I\u2019d use the platform to make sure Black Californians are not an afterthought\u2014but central to what makes California thrive.<\/p>\n
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