Potential benefits, challenges of Governor Newsom' plan to build up state’s gasoline reserves
It’s been weeks now since California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a special session, to get legislators to plan ahead of any future gasoline price spikes. In the process, Newsom had proposed for the state to take up the task of mandating California-based refineries to dedicate storage for gasoline, to limit any future supply issues that could lead to surge pricing. The plan has garnered criticism, particularly from state petroleum companies, who would be on the hook for building the storage capacity the state is looking to require. Today on AirTalk, Larry will get into this suggested plan, as well as the most burning questions around it. Joining us are LA Times energy technology and policy reporter, Russ Mitchell, Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court, and Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president & CEO of Western States Petroleum Association.
How are political polls conducted? And should we trust them?
With the presidential election right around the corner, it seems like everyday there is a new poll out about which candidate is ahead or which issue will define the ticket this year. Polling skepticism has plagued the public since the 2016 election when the majority of surveys failed to predict former President Donald Trump's victory. So, how trustworthy are political polls? And how can the general public tell if polling data is accurate and representative of their community?
Today on AirTalk, we'll delve into the process of conducting polls and the challenges in collecting and analyzing the data with Ruth Igielnik, New York Times polling editor who works on The New York Times/Siena College Poll and John Couvillon, president and founder of JMC analytics and polling.
Prop 6: Will California voters ban forced labor in prisons?
California voters will decide if the state constitution should be changed to ban slavery in any form, including forced labor for incarcerated people, which is currently carved out as an exception. The End Slavery in California Act was originally introduced as ACA 3 in 2020, but it died in the Senate about two years later. Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson, who represents Sacramento and Solano counties in Northern California and is chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, introduced ACA 8 last February, and it cleared a critical hurdle in the Senate Public Safety Committee earlier this month. The California Constitution bans slavery and involuntary servitude — “except to punish crime.” If approved by voters, the state constitution would be amended to ban slavery in any form, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation wouldn’t be able to discipline people in prison for refusing a work assignment. Joining us today on AirTalk to argue in favor of Prop 6 is Carmen-Nicole Cox, attorney and director of government affairs for ACLU California Action and against Prop 6 is Susan Shelley, vice president of communications at Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here.
Should non-US citizens be able to vote in municipal elections? Santa Ana residents will decide
Santa Ana is asking voters to decide whether non-U.S. citizens residing within Santa Ana should be allowed to cast ballots in local municipal elections, including city council and mayoral races. Official title on the ballot: Measure DD. You are being asked: Shall the City of Santa Ana City Charter be amended to allow, by the November 2028 general municipal election, noncitizen City residents to vote in all City of Santa Ana municipal elections? If the measure passes, Santa Ana will become the first city in California to allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in its municipal elections. (Voters in San Francisco and Oakland passed measures allowing non-U.S. citizens to vote in school board elections, although Oakland has yet to implement it.) Joining to discuss is Ron Hayduk, political science professor at San Francisco State University who's studied noncitizen voting, Carlos Perea, executive director of the Harbor Institute for Immigrant and Economic Justice and Santa Ana police oversight commissioner, and Jim Lacy, attorney who led lawsuits in San Francisco and Oakland when they implemented similar voting measures, he also filed a successful lawsuit earlier this year challenging the original language being used on Santa Ana's ballot measure. Questions about Measure DD? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Do teenagers need real jobs over fancy internships?
What is the best kind of summer work to enhance a teenager's future prospects? That may depend on who you ask. In one camp, you have those who believe a prestigious internship in the big city is the most advantageous pathway to a successful career. Those in another camp might argue that scooping ice cream for a measly paycheck is just as advantageous. This is the topic of a new Wall Street Journal piece that asserts that teenagers are better off with that “real job,” the one where they learn how to wait on tables and ring up customers. Some life experiences can’t be recreated elsewhere. Joining us today on AirTalk is Katie Roiphe, columnist at the Wall Street Journal and director of the Cultural Reporting and Criticism program at New York University's Arthur L Carter Journalism Institute. We also want to hear from you. Do you think teenagers would benefit from real jobs over elite internships? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
