Meet Joel Ventresca, progressive running in the California governor recall election

Name: Joel Ventresca

Political party: Democrat

Residence: San Francisco

Occupation: Retired airport analyst

Education: Masters in public administration, University of San Francisco

Experience: 34 Years of exceptional award-winning public service: Administrator, analyst and safety security risk expert building the industry-leading San Francisco International Airport into an economic powerhouse creating 300,000 jobs and $62.5 billion in business sales annually (1987-2018); Aging specialist, San Francisco Aging Commission (1981-1984). Prior leadership positions: Democratic Party runner-up for San Francisco mayor in 2019; City and County of San Francisco environmental commissioner.

Website: www.joelventresca.com

What precautions, if any, should California continue to take to cope with COVID-19 and its variants?

I will reopen the economy and the schools with safety precautions based on indisputable facts, evidence, and science. As a highly skilled and trained safety, security, and risk expert, I will weigh risks, benefits, and consequences on a continuous basis and determine what law, regulation, and policy changes are needed to keep as many people safe as possible. I will communicate with the public, the legislature, and the business community what the science is showing and what strategies the government will pursue to get through the pandemic.

California provided cash support to individuals and small businesses during the pandemic. To what extent should that assistance continue?

If the resources are available, I will continue support until individuals and businesses are back on their feet.

What more would you do to address California’s housing crisis?

I will end homelessness and poverty with comprehensive programs. I will build large-scale multi-unit permanent affordable housing in major cities near transit services. I will campaign for the adoption of a statewide ballot measure so counties and cities can have rent control to stabilize and reduce rents. I will push to reduce evictions, displacement, and gentrification. I will change laws, regulations, and policies to bring down the cost of building new housing and to significantly expand the supply of housing.

What should California do to build up its middle class?

I will advance groundbreaking opportunity, sustainability, and majority electoral support. Here is my platform:

Create just, livable & flourishing California for all. Enact high quality health care & education, cradle-to-grave, for all residents. Raise minimum wage to $16-an-hour. End homelessness and poverty with comprehensive programs. Pass best tenant protection laws in the nation. Increase taxes on wealthy individuals & corporations. Eliminate taxes & fees on small businesses for 5 years. Reverse growing economic inequality & expand economic democracy. Disempower top 1% economic elite. Empower nonviolent mass movements. Reduce inequities, disparities & the gap between rich & poor. Rejuvenate inclusive & diverse participatory democracy. Remove corrupt influence of private money from politics by mandating 100% publicly-funded candidate campaigns & elections. Halt government waste, fraud, abuse, inefficiency, mismanagement & corruption.

Would you propose any new policies to address climate change?

I will reinvent California into the first zero-carbon emissions state in the nation. I will restructure energy utilities into a full-service consumer-owned statewide public power system that operates efficiently, reliably, sustainably & safely with 15% lower rates. I will cease fracking & oil drilling. I will convert to non-nuclear 100% clean renewable energy. I will establish free public transit.

What should California do in the long term to address wildfire and drought conditions?

The state needs to increase resources to fight wildfires and limit the damage to our land, buildings, businesses, and air. Removal of dead trees from forests should be a top priority. There needs to be buffer zones, meaning no trees or vegetation, around cities, towns, and power lines. For the drought, water conservation strategies need to be implemented across the board. Impacted stakeholders need to be included in the decision making process for minor and major changes to law, regulation, and policy.

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Meet Joel Ventresca, progressive running in the California governor recall election."