Steyer: “I’m Trying to Restore the California Dream”
Steyer joined The New Republic to discuss how his plan on affordability is key to making the state work for families
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, Tom Steyer joined The New Republic’s Perry Bacon Jr. for a conversation on his progressive agenda rooted in affordability. Steyer ran through how his campaign’s plan for a progressive agenda is rooted in one goal: making the California dream affordable again.
On his progressive track record:
“I've been working on progressive causes. So from my standpoint, I've put in my time. I know this state… I have always been representing working people. I have always been working for fairness and justice… I understand why people are angry at the high profile, arrogant billionaires who seem to think they should run everything…”
On housing being the number one issue:
“We've had a government failure in the state of California for decades where we have way underbuilt housing, which means that there's way too much competition for every house, which means rents are too high, and the ability to purchase a house has moved beyond most people. So when we talk about the ability to afford living in California, it starts with housing.”
On closing the Trump tax loophole:
“I'm talking about closing a multi-decade corporate real estate tax loophole that's worth $22 billion to the state of California. I've asked all the other candidates to please sign on to that because it's important for us that we do that to fill in some of the holes that the Trump administration is trying to punch in our budget. No one has signed on.”
On restoring the California Dream:
"It's not fair what's gone on […] People are at the breaking point. Affordability is just a way of saying, ‘We can't afford to pay to live here. And we're not really living. We're trying to just survive.’ That's not good enough. People are supposed to be able to live and have the California dream. And that's what I'm trying to restore."
Listen to the full interview here.