Issues

As a father of three young children, I see California’s future through their eyes. The decisions we make in the next few years will shape this state for decades to come — and I intend to make them count.

The Lieutenant Governor position has long been treated as California’s most ceremonial office — a title you hold while waiting for something better. I’ve never been interested in titles for their own sake. I’m interested in what you can actually do with them.

California is the 4th largest economy in the world. But for whom? Too often, it’s not working for the everyday people who need affordable housing and groceries. Sacramento isn’t delivering results for average Californians — and that’s exactly why I got into this race.

Housing Affordability

The housing shortage affects communities across our state — and it hits young people especially hard. I’m 35 years old, and I watch people I grew up with struggling with housing costs, wondering whether they can afford to stay in the state they love.

The average age of first-time homebuyers in California is now nearly a decade older than it was in the 1980s. The share of 35-to-45-year-olds who own their own home has fallen roughly 10 percentage points since 2000.

California’s housing crisis demands an all-hands-on-deck response — including using levers that have been gathering dust in the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The Lt. Governor sits on the governing bodies of both the UC and CSU systems and chairs the State Lands Commission. These are positions of real authority over some of the most valuable public land in America — land that can be leased and developed into affordable housing for teachers, students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and our unhoused neighbors.

Higher Education Affordability

The Lieutenant Governor sits on the boards of the UC, CSU, and community college systems. That’s not ceremonial — that’s real authority, and I intend to use it as the state’s higher education czar.

My commitment is simple: I will not vote to raise tuition — period.

But affordability goes beyond tuition. More than 70% of California community college students, more than 50% of Cal State students, and 42% of UC students report being food insecure. That is unacceptable. I’ll push to connect CalFresh enrollment directly to the financial aid system, and I’ll work to identify unused land across UC, CSU, and community college campuses to build housing for students, faculty, and staff.

Transparency matters too. At a CSU Board of Trustees meeting last year, I learned there’s no email address, no phone number — the only way to reach publicly appointed board members is to attend a monthly meeting in person. That has to change.

Economic Mobility

As founder of End Poverty in California, I’ve traveled up and down this state and witnessed firsthand how many Californians are living on the edge. That is not an acceptable status quo.

Universal basic income is gaining real momentum — 44 California mayors have signed on to Mayors for Guaranteed Income, the nonprofit I founded following Stockton’s landmark guaranteed income pilot. 

I worked with Governor Newsom to make California the first state to fund basic income programs. I’m deeply committed to making economic opportunity — through guaranteed income and beyond — a reality for more Californians.

Environmental Protection

As chair of the State Lands Commission, I’ll push to accelerate offshore wind development and wetlands restoration, and I’ll stand firmly against the Trump Administration and oil companies seeking to drill off California’s coastline.

On the Coastal Commission, I’ll work to streamline housing approvals while maintaining strong environmental standards — updating regulations for sea level rise, establishing clear permitting timelines, adopting pre-approved design standards, and bundling environmental reviews for infill and transit-accessible projects so homes actually get built.

And through the higher education boards, I’ll support putting campus land assets to work for renewable energy — because transitioning off fossil fuels isn’t optional. It’s urgent.