Assembly candidates propose solutions to ongoing state controversies

Assembly candidates (from left): Elizabeth Alcantar, Blanca Pacheco, Dr. Robert Cancio, Rose Espinoza and Raul Ortiz Jr. (Photo by Vincent Medina)

LA MIRADA – Candidates for the 64th State Assembly District explained how they would solve California’s housing crisis, gas prices and address controversial senate bills during the La Mirada Chamber of Commerce’s recent candidate forum. 

Elizabeth Alcantar (D), Robert Cancio (D), Raul Ortiz Jr. (R ), Blanca Pacheco (D) and Rose Espinoza (D) discussed their views on creating affordable housing in the 64th district. 

Pacheco proposed that the main issue to housing was cost, citing her experience as the former chair of the Housing and Economic Development for the League of California Cities. She offered to provide funding for affordable housing if elected. 

“I tell everyone that we are dealing with the housing crisis, but it's not just a housing crisis, it's an affordability crisis,” Pacheco said. “In the city of Downey, we have created an inclusionary ordinance in the city. So this is something that needs to be done in other cities.”

Cancio cited his experience working for “the largest mortgage industry company in the world,” and proposed to make loans in California more accessible. 

“As of 2008, and even with the COVID pandemic, we saw people’s credit suffer. It was significantly difficult to have good credit scores,” Cancio said. “We have to think about housing in terms of the industry market by itself and then also the housing market and construction by itself. Buying a house means building the middle class, that's how we build wealth here in the Golden State.”

Espinoza proposed that each city should build affordable housing for different levels of income. 

“We have to streamline the process wherever you allow people to purchase the home and make it affordable for them properly. But there is a supply and demand, there's not enough supply,” Espinoza said. “The government is mandating every city to build affordable homes for medium and low income. A percentage of each home has to be identified.”

Ortiz said that reducing taxes would help Californians afford homes. The La Mirada Republican said he has seen taxes increase over time and that lawmakers want to continue to increase taxes. 

“The taxes were at 13.3% and legislators want to increase that to about 17%,” Ortiz said. “So with all these taxes, it's becoming harder and harder for middle class Americans to go out there and look for homes.”

Alcantar said the issue is the lack of homes available, which is making them more expensive. 

“There are zero homes available in my city,” Alcantar said. “That means homes will cost more money, and it will go that much quicker. “In that we're making it so difficult to build, that it's expensive on the person that's building it.”

The candidates also covered the controversial state proposal for a 32-hour work week and Senate Bill 1044, where any California employee could refuse to arrive to work regardless of health and safety precautions taken by employers. 

Espinoza admitted that she was unfamiliar with SB 1044, but reasoned that if an employee could refuse to arrive at work their boss can fire them.   

“Common sense that the individual leave and hire another person. I mean, this is a great renegotiation. And you're at a point where you're going to have to negotiate with the person that you're hiring and firing,” Espinoza said.

The La Habra Democrat also argued that companies should determine the length of a work week. 

“For the 32-hour work week. I like local control. I like to draw where the companies can take charge of what they want. I know that in our city hall, they do work four days a week, 10 hours a day,” Espinoza said. 

Cancio shared that his siblings work in law enforcement to illustrate his feeling toward the bill and reduced work week. 

“There is absolutely zero return on investment when it comes to SB 1044,” Cancio said. “Just like there is zero benefit in having my brother not patrol the streets and make sure they're safe. And my sister not be at the jails and make sure that they're safe for the inmates and also safe for the other officers.”

Pacheco agreed that a work week should be determined by the company. She also disagreed with SB1044, arguing the need for a reliance on first responders. 

“Only, you know, as a business owner, what makes sense to you. If it doesn't make sense for you and your business, then it doesn't make sense to make it a uniform bill that would apply to all types of business,” Pacheco said. “We need to make sure that people show up unless it's a health concern. And we need people for first response, health care providers and people that are employed by restaurants by our businesses, we need for them to show up.”

Alcantar and Ortiz admitted they were unfamiliar with SB 1044, but indicated they would be against a bill that allowed employees to refuse to arrive to work regardless of health and safety. 

The five candidates also addressed the issue of rising gas prices, as the cost per gallon continues to rise in the state.

Cancio encouraged companies to produce more gas and provide more jobs as a way of business innovation. 

“We need to be producing more gas, so it's affordable for people to be able to fill their gas tank,” Cancio said. “So we need to be able to perform, we need to be able to provide more jobs in the industry. So folks are able to have a good paying union job.”

Espinoza explored the idea of utilizing clean energy, and the idea of creating homes closer to workplaces to reduce the drive or so people can walk to work. 

“And we also have to look at our carbon footprint and reduce the carbon footprint we have. We have to build housing close to the workplaces and make it more walkable instead of having to drive their cars,” Espinoza said. “This pandemic opened up the opportunity for people to stay at home and work at home. That's less of a carbon footprint, which means less gas demands.”

Ortiz continued to advocate for lower taxes as a solution to reduce gas prices. 

“With all the hyperinflation that's going on right now the cost of just going to the grocery store, we walk out with a bag of groceries, it's $100, because of the delivery, because the gas prices are all in control right now,” Ortiz said. “To have an immediate impact on all of our lives, we need to suspend that tax right now.”

Alcantar brought attention to utilizing clean energy, and encouraging Californians to use vehicles that do not rely on gas. 

“We can say as much as we want that it's a natural resource in California, but the reality is that it is a finite resource. So we have to address the issue of climate change,” Alcantar said. “That means also subsidizing and promoting and ensuring that our communities are able to utilize the equipment and the vehicles that don't rely on finite resources like this, that means moving forward to other types of energies.”

Pacheco agreed that the state needs to move toward cleaner energy, and transitioning employees in the fuel and gas industry. 

“We need to start getting away from our reliance on fuel, but we need to be mindful of all of the working class families that do have jobs in the gas and fuel industry,” Pacheco said. “We need to make sure that it's a transition. We need to make sure that it doesn't impact our businesses as well.”

The last day to vote for a state assembly member is June 7. Californians are already receiving their mail-in ballots, which are valid so long as it is postmarked on or before election day and received no later than seven days after election day.