[MUSIC] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M MAYA TRABULSI.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY IS RECOGNIZED EVERY SEPTEMBER.

THE MONTH ALSO MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE THE LAUNCH OF PUBLIC MATTERS, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN KPBS, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO AND INEWSOURCE.

AND A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEAR TO DISCUSS THAT, I'M JOINED BY KPBS PUBLIC MATTERS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AMITA SHARMA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> VOICE OF SAN DIEGO CEO AND EDITOR SCOTT LEWIS.

>> HELLO.

>> AND INEWSOURCE MANAGING EDITOR JAMIE SELF.

>> HEY, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

AND 2025 HAS BEEN AN EVENTFUL YEAR POLITICALLY.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS SWORN IN FOR A SECOND TERM.

HIS ADMINISTRATION IMMEDIATELY BEGAN IMPLEMENTING POLICIES ALIGNED WITH THE CONSERVATIVE BLUEPRINT CALLED PROJECT 2025.

A NEW DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, OR DOGE, WAS ANNOUNCED, AIMED AT REDUCING GOVERNMENT SPENDING BY FACILITATING MASS LAYOFFS AND DISMANTLING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO CRACKED DOWN ON IMMIGRATION, WITH MANY OF HIS ORDERS BEING CHALLENGED IN COURT, SO THAT IS A LOT TO UNPACK.

AMITHA, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

YOUR REPORTING INCLUDED AN ENTIRE SERIES ON THE IMPACTS OF PROJECT 2025 LOCALLY, ESPECIALLY, ONE STORY SHOWED HOW FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS HAVE HIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND UNIVERSITIES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOW A CLIP OF THAT BEFORE WE GET TO THE QUESTION.

>> SO FAR, PRESIDENT.

>> TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON FEDERAL FUNDING HAVE CANCELED GRANTS AT UCSD THAT FUND PANDEMIC, HIV AND AIDS RESEARCH AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.

AT LEAST 50 RESEARCHERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THEIR FUNDING HAS BEEN DISRUPTED.

UCSD INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR DAVID SMITH SAYS THE UNITED STATES BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING CHANGED.

>> HOW WE FUND RESEARCH WHO'S REVIEWING THE RESEARCH, WHAT WE CAN SAY IN OUR RESEARCH.

I REALLY HAVE TO POINT OUT THIS IS CENSORSHIP.

WHEN YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE OR DEMOGRAPHICS, OR HOW YOU INCLUDE OR NOT INCLUDE VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS WITHIN RESEARCH.

>> SO WHAT HAS THE IMPACT OF YOUR REPORTING BEEN THAT YOU CAN TELL US?

>> WELL, I'M.

>> JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE END SINCE YOU JUST PLAYED THAT CLIP.

AND I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT WAS SAID IN THE PIECE WHEN I LAST CHECKED IN, I REPORTED THAT FEDERAL THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON FEDERAL FUNDING HAD CANCELED GRANTS AT UC SAN DIEGO THAT DEALT WITH RESEARCH IN HIV AIDS AND PANDEMIC UM STUDY.

UM.

IT ALSO DEALT WITH INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE RESEARCH.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, 50 RESEARCHERS HAD BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THEIR GRANTS WERE ALSO BEING DISRUPTED.

WELL, SINCE THEN, A FEDERAL JUDGE IN BOSTON RESTORED THAT FUNDING, SAYING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD OVERREACHED.

AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS SINCE OVERTURNED THAT BOSTON JUDGE'S RULING, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, KNOWN AS NIH, HAS NOT MADE THOSE CUTS.

SO UCSD HAS GOTTEN A REPRIEVE, AND I'M CALLING IT A REPRIEVE, EVEN THOUGH THE FUNDING HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE RESEARCH THAT I JUST OUTLINED.

I'M CALLING IT A REPRIEVE BECAUSE THE NEXT FEDERAL BUDGET HASN'T COME OUT.

SO THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND AT UCSD IS STILL SHAKY.

IF CONGRESS DECIDES IN THIS NEXT BUDGET TO ALLOW PRESIDENT TRUMP TO SET THE AGENDA, TO SET THE SPENDING PRIORITIES, THEN THEY ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

IT'S DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN, AND THOSE CUTS COULD BE RESTORED.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE AIR.

>> INDEED, THERE IS NO SCOTT AND JAMIE.

I'M GOING TO TURN TO YOU, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

WHAT HAVE YOUR REPORTERS UNCOVERED WHEN IT COMES TO THE LOCAL IMPACT OF THESE FEDERAL POLICIES?

SCOTT, WOULD YOU MIND STARTING, PLEASE?

>> SURE.

WELL, I THINK THERE'S THERE'S A LIST OF WINNERS AND THERE'S A LIST OF LOSERS, AND THE LIST OF LOSERS IS A LOT LONGER.

UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY ALL THE IMPACTS TO THE UNIVERSITIES, TO THE RESEARCHERS.

UM, THERE ARE WINNERS IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS BEING MADE THERE.

AND IN THE, UH, HIRING AND FUNDING OF FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LIST OF BUSINESSES STRUGGLING WITH THE TARIFFS.

THERE'S A LOT OF CROSS-BORDER ACTIVITY AND COMMERCE THAT IS BEING WILDLY DISRUPTED.

AND I JUST HEARD FROM HOTELIERS AS WELL, PEOPLE IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT ARE LOOKING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND SEEING A REAL CATASTROPHE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO SAN DIEGO.

AND THE INDUSTRY SUPPORTS A LOT OF JOBS AND GOVERNMENTS HERE.

>> JAMIE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> SURE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TWO BIG THINGS.

ONE, UH, THE CUTS TO SNAP AND MEDICAID, UH, THAT THOSE HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

AND WHAT WE SEE LOCALLY IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SEE ACROSS OUR LOCAL AGENCIES THAT DEPEND ON FEDERAL FUNDING.

RIGHT.

IF THE MONEY IS CUT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THEN IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY ARE GOING TO FILL THE GAP, IF THEY'RE GOING TO MEET THE NEED.

AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SAN DIEGO COUNTY LOOKING INTO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FILL THE NEED OF, UH, FOLKS WHO DEPEND ON FOOD ASSISTANCE AND ALSO MEDICAID.

SO SO THAT'S A HUGE KIND OF DOMINO EFFECT THAT WE SEE.

UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN COVERING CLOSELY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

AND OF COURSE, ONE MAJOR SHIFT I THINK WE'VE ALL NOTICED THIS YEAR, UH, IS THE ENFORCEMENT, UH, ICE ARRESTS IN VERY PUBLIC PLACES.

RIGHT.

WE HAVE, UH, ICE ARRESTS THAT ARE NEAR SCHOOLS.

UH, AND OFTEN THEY ARE ARRESTING PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO ARE PART OF THOSE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT'S JUST INCREDIBLY VISIBLE.

I WAS READING A STATEMENT FROM HOMELAND SECURITY THAT CAME OUT EARLIER THIS MONTH WHERE THEY WERE SAYING, WE ARE NOT ENFORCING IN SCHOOLS.

WELL, THAT MAY BE THE CASE AT THIS POINT, BUT WHEN YOU ARREST PEOPLE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY SEES IT, THEN IT BECOMES SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS NOTICING.

WE ALSO SAW THAT IN SOUTH PARK, RIGHT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES I COULD HIGHLIGHT, BUT I THINK THE SOUTH PARK EXAMPLE, IT WAS ON A WEEKEND BROAD DAYLIGHT.

YOU HAD, UH, HEAVILY ARMED AND MASKED AGENTS COMING IN, MAKING AN ARREST.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT BLEW UP INTO THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT.

AND WE HAD HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIALS, UH, CRITICIZING THE LOCAL RESPONSE.

AND SO I THINK THAT IS A NOTABLE SHIFT THAT WE'RE SEEING DEVELOP, UH, THIS YEAR, IF YOU LOOK INTO THE DATA, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING, YOU ALSO SEE INCREASED NUMBERS OF ARRESTS, DETENTIONS, AND DESPITE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S INSISTENCE THAT THEY ARE GOING AFTER THE WORST OF THE WORST, RIGHT, CRIMINAL OFFENDERS.

UH, IF YOU LOOK AT ICE'S OWN DATA, IT SAYS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN DETENTION DO NOT HAVE CRIMINAL HISTORIES OR PENDING CRIMINAL CHARGES.

THEY HAVE IMMIGRATION OFFENSES ON THE RECORD, WHICH COULD BE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, ILLEGAL ENTRY IS CONSIDERED A CIVIL IMMIGRATION OFFENSE.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND THOSE TRENDS.

BUT, UM, IF YOU LOOK IN THE DATA, THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.

AND, UH, WITH WHAT HAS BEEN A HISTORIC, UH, INJECTION OF CASH INTO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENCIES, WE CAN MOST LIKELY EXPECT TO SEE THIS TREND DEVELOP OVER THE COURSE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

>> THANK YOU.

JAMIE.

NOW, AMITA, YOUR REPORTING HAS GONE BEYOND THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE.

YOU'VE TALKED TO EXPERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND YOU WERE GETTING A GAUGE ON THE STATE OF OUR DEMOCRACY THROUGH THEM.

WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD YOU?

>> WELL.

>> I'LL JUST START WITH THE MOST RECENT INTERVIEW THAT I DID WITH UCSD POLITICAL SCIENTIST BARBARA WALTERS.

SHE ACTUALLY WROTE THE BOOK HOW CIVIL WARS START.

SHE'S WORKING ON ANOTHER BOOK ON, UM, WHAT WHAT THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, POST-DEMOCRACY.

BUT SHE I ASKED HER, WHAT STAGE ARE WE IN, HOW IS OUR DEMOCRACY DOING?

AND SHE SAID THAT WE ARE IN A HIGH RISK ZONE CALLED ANOCRACY.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVE ELECTIONS, PEOPLE VOTE, BUT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WITH FEW CHECKS ON HIS POWER.

WHAT THAT ALSO MEANS IS THAT PARTY AFFILIATION, THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES IN THIS COUNTRY IS NOW CENTERED AROUND RACE, RELIGION AND ETHNICITY, ETHNICITY INSTEAD OF IDEAS, IDEOLOGY.

>> SO IF YOU COULD JUST ANSWER THIS NEXT QUESTION FOR ME, WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND ABOUT THE PAST YEAR THAT'S SHAPED PEOPLE'S VIEWS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT POLITICAL LEADERS?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT.

IT'S VERY MUCH ALIGNED ALONG PARTY LINES.

SO IF YOU TALK TO REPUBLICAN VOTERS, THEY ARE VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR.

MANY OF THEM HAVE HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE PLEASED WITH THE ICE RAIDS AND THE SUBSEQUENT DEPORTATIONS.

THEY ARE HAPPY WITH REINING IN UNIVERSITIES.

THEY'RE NOT SO BOTHERED BY TROOPS IN THE STREETS IN LOS ANGELES OR D.C.

AND THEY DON'T REALLY MIND THE CUTS TO MEDICAID OR SNAP BENEFITS.

IF YOU TALK TO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS, THEY ARE VERY, VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE PRESIDENT'S AGENDA.

UM, FOR THE SAME OVER THOSE SAME ISSUES.

BUT THEY HAVE AN ADDED LAYER OF DISSATISFACTION WITH THEIR OWN PARTY LEADERSHIP, WHO THEY BELIEVE IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY COUNTERING THE PRESIDENT.

WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS.

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR J.B.

PRITZKER, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM AND SOME OTHERS.

>> THANK YOU, AMITA.

AND WE ASKED OUR VIEWERS TO SUBMIT THEIR QUESTIONS FOR OUR PANELISTS ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND THE COST OF LIVING.

HERE IS ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

IS THERE ANY THINKING THAT WE AS A COUNTRY ARE MOVING ONWARD, BUT FORGETTING OR NEGATING THE INITIAL FOCUS OF FOUNDING FATHERS REGARDING FOCUS, VALUES, AND MORALS?

AMITA, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THIS VIEWER?

>> I WOULD SAY, >> UM.

>> THAT DEMOCRATS, CITIZENS, VOTERS, ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN PRESERVING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY HAS TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT THERE ARE TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AMONG US WHO ARE NOT SO SURE THAT DEMOCRACY IS WORKING FOR THEM.

AND I AM NOT SOLELY REFERRING TO WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISTS WHO WANT A WHITE CHRISTIAN NATION.

I AM TALKING ABOUT EVERYDAY AMERICANS WHO STRUGGLE DAILY TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, PAY RENT AND EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, PAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S COLLEGE EDUCATION.

THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT EITHER PARTY IS SERVING THEIR INTERESTS.

SOME OF THEM DON'T BELIEVE THAT DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS SERVING THEIR INTERESTS.

>> JAMIE AND SCOTT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPAND ON ON THAT QUESTION FROM OUR VIEWER?

>> WELL, GOING BACK TO THE FOUNDING, THERE WAS A LOT OF WEIRD STUFF THAT WENT ON, RIGHT?

LIKE WE WENT THROUGH PERIODS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE THAT REALLY MAKE THIS ONE LOOK PRETTY MINOR.

UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT SERIOUS.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THREATS TO THE FREE SPEECH, WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, UNIVERSITIES BEING COWED INTO, YOU KNOW, DECIDING NOT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A PRESIDENT OPENLY MUSING ABOUT RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM DESPITE THE, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION ON THAT, YOU DO START TO WONDER, LIKE, HAVE WE CROSSED OVER INTO A NEW PARADIGM?

BUT I THINK, UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF STUFF.

UM, IN THE AFTER THE INVENTION OF DYNAMITE AND THE, THE, THE ANARCHIST VIOLENCE OF THE EARLY PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY OR 20TH CENTURY, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A THAT WAS A SCARY TIME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND, UH, WE EMERGED FROM THAT.

AND I WONDER, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN TAKE FROM HISTORY AND RECOGNIZE THE POLARIZATION WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, AND REMEMBER THAT WHAT UNITES US IS THAT POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY IS HOW YOU SHARE POWER, HOW YOU LIVE TOGETHER WITHOUT VIOLENCE.

AND AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT BE FRUSTRATED BY IT AND NOT DELIVERING FOR US OR WHATEVER, THE ALTERNATIVE IS VIOLENCE.

THERE IS NO THERE'S THAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SHIFTING GEARS TO OUR NEXT TOPIC.

NOW, THE DOCUMENTARIES.

IT'S A PROGRAM BY INEWSOURCE POWERED BY THE COMMUNITY.

JAMIE, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS?

>> SURE.

IN CASE ANYONE WATCHING US RIGHT NOW NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE, I HOPE.

THAT THIS DELIVERS IT.

YES, YES.

SO THE DOCUMENTARIES IS A PROGRAM AT INEWSOURCE WHERE WE, UH, WHERE WE TRAIN AND PAY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ATTEND PUBLIC MEETINGS.

AND THERE ARE, OF COURSE, HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT MEET REGULARLY.

THEY'RE MEETING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, THERE'S NO ONE THERE WHO'S PAYING ATTENTION.

RIGHT?

UM, NO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO KNOW THEY'RE MEETING AND KNOW WHAT BUSINESS THEY'RE THEY'RE TAKING UP.

AND CERTAINLY NO MEDIA.

UM, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST MEDIA COMMUNITY IN SAN DIEGO.

BUT, UH, EVEN WITH WHAT WE DO HAVE, THERE ARE SO MANY MEETINGS THAT ARE JUST THAT DO NOT GET COVERAGE.

AND SO THE DOCUMENTERS SENDS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THESE MEETINGS, AND WE SAY THEY GET THE QUOTES AND THE VOTES AND THEY WRITE DOWN WHAT HAPPENS.

AND THEN THOSE NOTES BECOME TIPS FOR OUR REPORTERS AND ALSO REPORTERS AT KPBS, WHICH HAS JOINED OUR GROWING NEWS COLLABORATIVE AND SOME OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS IN SAN DIEGO.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR PARTNERS, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE NOTES ARE STEP ONE, BUT GETTING THOSE TIPS TO REPORTERS SO THAT WE CAN WRITE THE STORIES AND GET THEM OUT TO PEOPLE IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT AS WELL.

>> YEAH, IT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CLIP FROM ONE OF THOSE STORIES NOW.

>> FOR DECADES.

>> MANY SAN DIEGANS HAVE ENJOYED TRASH SERVICES FOR FREE.

BUT THAT CHANGED IN 2022 WITH THE PASSAGE OF MEASURE B, THE CITY HOSTED MEETINGS ACROSS EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS AND WITH THE HELP OF OUR SAN DIEGO DOCUMENTERS PROGRAM, INEWSOURCE ATTENDED NEARLY ALL OF THEM AND SPOKE WITH ATTENDEES.

WHILE SOME SAID THE MEETINGS WERE HELPFUL, OTHERS WANTED MORE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY HOW MUCH THEY PAY AND HOW LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS WOULD BE IMPACTED.

>> AND THAT WAS A PORTION OF A STORY BY INEWSOURCE REPORTER CRYSTAL NIEBLA.

SO, JAMIE, TELL US, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT INEWSOURCE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM?

>> SURE.

SO THE CLIP DEMONSTRATES ONE OF THE GREAT BENEFITS OF THE DOCUMENTERS PROGRAM, SENDING PEOPLE OUT TO COVER THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THEN BRING BACK WHAT WHAT RESIDENTS ARE SAYING AND WHAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

THE DOCUMENTERS HAVE ACTUALLY SURFACED VERY IMPORTANT ACCOUNTABILITY STORIES.

SO ONE EXAMPLE, A DOCUMENTER WAS REVIEWING A CITY OF SAN DIEGO RULES COMMITTEE AGENDA AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS DOING AWAY WITH VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND SO WE WROTE A STORY ABOUT IT.

THE MEETING WAS THE NEXT DAY.

THE NEXT DAY PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND THEY PROTESTED, AND THERE WAS MUCH MORE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT SECOND DAY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF DOCUMENTER HADN'T BEEN LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, HOW MANY MEDIA MIGHT HAVE ATTENDED THAT RULES COMMITTEE MEETING?

I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT THAT IS THE POWER OF IT.

THE DOCUMENTERS HAVE ALSO SURFACED.

UM, THEY UNCOVERED THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATION IN A CITY MEETING THAT NO OTHER MEDIA ATTENDED, UH, ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE ON THE CITY PAYROLL THAT WAS GETTING A SIX FIGURE SALARY BUT WASN'T ACTUALLY EVER BUDGETED.

SO THE OFFICIALS WERE ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

WE'RE ADDING THIS POSITION.

IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE'RE MAKING IT OFFICIAL.

UM, WAS THERE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, CORRUPT?

WAS THERE SOME KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, INTENTIONAL, MISLEADING EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY?

I DON'T THINK SO.

IT WAS A IT APPEARS TO BE A MISTAKE.

RIGHT.

UH, BUT WE CAN HELP UNCOVER THOSE THINGS IF WE'RE JUST IN THE ROOM.

AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW POWERFUL THE PROGRAM CAN BE.

>> YEAH.

CAN YOU GIVE US ANOTHER EXAMPLE, SCOTT, ABOUT HOW THE IMPACT OF COVERING THESE SMALLER GOVERNMENT MEETINGS IS TO THE PUBLIC?

>> YEAH.

SOMETIMES YOU SHOW UP AS A REPORTER AT A MEETING WHERE THEY HAVEN'T SEEN AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR A WHILE, AND EVERYTHING CHANGES.

THEY THEY WATCH WHAT THEY SAY.

THEY DO A BETTER JOB EXPLAINING THINGS TO PEOPLE.

UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S COOL AND IT FEELS GOOD, BUT IT'S ALSO ALARMING THAT IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE SO MANY AGENCIES AND SO MANY PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE JUST THE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SO UNACCUSTOMED TO, YOU KNOW, REPORTERS BEING THERE.

AND SO TO, TO GO AND TO SHED THE LIGHT ON IT IS REALLY VALUABLE PROSPECT.

>> AND IT MAKES YOU.

>> WONDER WHAT IS HAPPENING THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE THERE'S SO FEW.

>> OF US.

YEAH.

UM.

>> SO NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN THE COMMENTS, OR USING THE LINK THAT YOU FIND ON YOUR SCREEN.

MANY OF OUR VIEWERS HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED SOME QUESTIONS, INCLUDING JAMES DUPUY AND JAMES DUPUY ASKS WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO ENSURE HONESTY IN POLITICS, AND HOW MIGHT THE PUBLIC PENALIZE A POLITICIAN FOR FALSEHOODS?

SO, JAMIE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR US, PLEASE?

>> SURE.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I SPENT MANY YEARS COVERING POLITICS IN THE SOUTH, AND I COULD EASILY BE VERY CYNICAL, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE CYNICAL ABOUT THIS.

I HAVE CHILDREN, I WANT THEM TO GROW UP IN A WORLD WHERE THE DISCOURSE IS HONEST AND PRODUCTIVE.

UH, I REALLY DO THINK THAT, UH, THE, THE KEY TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND ALSO COMMUNITY.

RIGHT?

COMMUNITY STARTS IN OUR HOME.

UH, IT STARTS IN OUR SOCIAL GROUPS.

IT STARTS AT THE WORKPLACE AND THEN MORE BROADLY INTO, UH, MORE THE MORE PUBLIC ARENA.

AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES ABOUT HOW OUR OWN BIASES ARE, ARE DRIVING OUR PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD.

UH, AND WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY'RE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HOLD SPACE SO THAT PUBLIC OFFICIALS CAN ADMIT WHEN THEY'RE WRONG, RIGHT?

ADMIT WHEN THEY'RE MISLEADING BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY MAKE MISTAKES.

RIGHT?

AND IT'S AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND MOVE ON IN A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE WAY.

UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, NONE OF THAT MATTERS IF WE ARE ALL OPERATING UNDER DIFFERENT SETS OF FACTS.

AND SO I ALSO THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MEDIA LITERACY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO MORE AI TECHNOLOGY ACROSS ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS.

UH, IT'S GOING TO BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT, UH, THE FORCES THAT ARE SHAPING OUR REALITIES AND HOW THEY'RE SO VERY DIFFERENT.

I KNOW IN MY OWN FAMILY I SEE THIS, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO INTERACT IN A FAMILY STRUCTURE JUST HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE WORLD AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND SO I HAVE OFFERED THEM THIS IS MY LITTLE SOLUTION.

PRIVATELY, I HAVE OFFERED THAT IF THEY SEE SOMETHING ONLINE AND THEY AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHETHER IT'S TRUE, THEY CAN SEND IT TO ME AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO FACT CHECK IT AND EMAIL IT BACK TO THEM.

YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN SOME REQUESTS AND IT HAS KEPT THAT INFORMATION FROM GOING ON FACEBOOK, YOU KNOW, FOR MY FAMILY MEMBER.

AND SO, UM, ANY WAY THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN THAT KIND OF CONVERSATION PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY, I THINK, UH, SHOULD HELP US.

I HOPE IT I HOPE IT DOES.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JAMIE.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR LAST TOPIC.

IT'S ONE THAT LOOMS LARGE OVER OUR REGION AND THAT IS THE HOUSING CRISIS, THE ISSUE OF HOUSING FROM AFFORDABILITY TO A LACK OF SPACE TO BUILD NEW HOMES, IS TOP OF MIND FOR SAN DIEGANS.

OUR PUBLIC MATTERS PARTNERSHIP LOOKED INTO WHERE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, WHAT KINDS OF HOMES ARE BEING BUILT AND THE IMPACTS THAT HAS ON NEIGHBORHOODS.

HERE IS ONE OF THOSE STORIES.

>> A NEW ANALYSIS BY VOICE OF SAN DIEGO AND KPBS LOOKED AT WHERE HOUSING IS BEING BUILT.

THE SUPPLY OF NEW HOMES, IT TURNS OUT, VARIES WIDELY FROM CITY TO CITY.

FROM A PURE VOLUME STANDPOINT, SAN DIEGO, THE LARGEST CITY, BUILDS THE MOST HOMES.

BUT WE CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS ON A PER CAPITA BASIS FROM 2018 TO 2024.

WE FOUND EL CAJON PERMITTED THE LEAST JUST UNDER TEN HOMES PER 1000 RESIDENTS IN ALL OF SAN DIEGO.

ONE CITY BUILT MUCH MORE THAN THE OTHERS.

THAT WAS CHULA VISTA.

IT BUILT 38 HOMES PER 1000 RESIDENTS.

>> AND THAT WAS TAKEN FROM A REPORT BY VOICE OF SAN DIEGO REPORTER WILL HUNTSBERRY.

SO, SCOTT, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM THE IN WHOSE BACKYARD SERIES?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AT THE CORE OF IT IS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BUILD HOMES?

THIS THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH THIS GROWTH THAT WE DO THAT WE SEE WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES, WITH OUR INDUSTRY AND THEN THIS RELUCTANCE THAT A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TO ACTUALLY SEE MORE HOMES GET BUILT.

AND SO BOTH SEEM TO WIN OUT.

AND SO WE END UP WITH MORE JOBS, BUT NOT ENOUGH HOMES FOR THOSE FOLKS.

AND WE'RE AT ONE OF THE WORST VERSIONS OF THAT CYCLE IN OUR ENTIRE HISTORY IN SAN DIEGO.

SO WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH IT, THE NUMBERS WERE INCREDIBLE.

UM, LIKE YOU SAID IN EL CAJON, THEY'RE JUST NOT BUILDING HOMES.

AND THE MAYOR'S LIKE, YEAH, IT'S WE'VE BUILT A LOT BEFORE.

AND MAYBE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CHANGE A SHOPPING CENTER OR SOMETHING INTO HOMES, WE'LL SUPPORT THEM.

BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IT.

WE FOUND A REALLY INTERESTING THING.

ENCINITAS HAS HAD A FIGHT WITH THE STATE FOR YEARS OVER, UM, WANTING TO RESTRICT AND KEEP HOUSING FROM BEING DEVELOPED.

THE STATE HAS THREATENED THEM OVER AND OVER THAT THEY HAVE TO ALLOW HOUSING.

IT TURNS OUT ENCINITAS IS ON TRACK TO ALLOW AND BUILD AS MUCH HOUSING AS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.

CORONADO AND IMPERIAL BEACH, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE NOT CONSTRUCTED ONE SINGLE AFFORDABLE UNIT OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS THAT WE ANALYZED.

AND, UM, THESE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT CITIES, SORT OF SIMILAR AREA.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SHOWS THAT THE RELUCTANCE TO BUILD HOUSING THAT THE THAT THE NEIGHBORS FIGHT AGAINST IT AND THE POLITICIANS RESPONSE TO THAT IS STILL VERY POWERFUL.

BUT WE ARE IN A CRISIS SITUATION IN THE SENSE OF AT LEAST AN IDENTITY SITUATION FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE FIRST TIME IN MANY DECADES WHERE SAN DIEGO'S POPULATION WILL PEAK AND WILL REVERSE AND GO DOWN OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, BECAUSE FAMILIES SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE KIDS RAISE THEM HERE, OR WANT TO HAVE KIDS AND RAISE THEM HERE.

AND, UM, THAT'S A THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF SAN DIEGO, I THINK, GOING FORWARD.

>> YEAH.

AND SPEAKING OF KIDS AND AND CHILDCARE, ACHMETHA HOUSING IS A TOP ISSUE FOR MANY VOTERS, LIKE COSTS FOR GROCERIES AND CHILDCARE.

YOU'VE TALKED TO VOTERS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD YOU ABOUT HOW THESE BUDGET ITEMS IMPACT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT POLITICS?

>> WELL, THEY ARE ANXIETY RIDDEN.

I MEAN, THEY, LIKE ALL OF US, HAVE SEEN THE COST OF EVERYTHING GO UP IN THE LAST YEAR IN SAN DIEGO ALONE, FOOD HAS GONE UP 4%, HOUSING HAS GONE UP 5%, HEALTH CARE HAS GONE UP ALMOST 7%, CHILDCARE HAS GONE UP MORE THAN 9%.

UNEMPLOYMENT IS UP.

SO EVERYONE'S FINANCES AT LEAST THE LOWER CLASS, THE MIDDLE CLASS, EVERYONE'S FINANCES ARE STRAINED.

AT THE SAME TIME, UNEMPLOYMENT IS GOING UP.

SO THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS DON'T LOOK SO GREAT.

WE MAY BE AT THE START OF AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SIGNS OF THAT.

UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY COMING UP.

>> UM.

>> JAMIE, OF COURSE, HOUSING IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE COST OF LIVING.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO RIGHT NOW?

>> SURE.

UH, OUR FEDERAL IMPACT REPORTER RECENTLY REPORTED ON THE, UH, THE REMOVAL OF AN EXEMPTION FROM PAYING DUTY ON IMPORTS IF THEY'RE UNDER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.

AND SO THIS IS AN EXEMPTION THAT, UH, THAT WE ALL DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH.

RIGHT?

WE PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT KEPT THE COST OF ONLINE SHOPPING LOW FOR US.

AND SO, UH, TRUMP, UH, HAS DONE AWAY WITH THAT EXEMPTION.

AND SO WE'RE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT IMPACTS, UH, COMMUNITIES IN SAN DIEGO, ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT RELY HEAVILY ON, UM, ON THAT EXEMPTION.

AND I THINK ALSO JUST LOCALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT PARKING, RIGHT.

AND, UH, FEES AND THE WAYS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE CASH STRAPPED CAN MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE AND FILL THE COFFERS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, JAMIE.

AND I THINK, SCOTT, ACTUALLY, WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU THAT QUESTION.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

>> SURE.

>> YEAH.

WELL, UM, WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT GAS.

THE COST TO INSURE PARK STORE AND DRIVE A VEHICLE IS JUST IS VERY HIGH.

UM, PUBLIC TRANSIT IS BEING CUT BACK AT THE SAME TIME.

UM, IT IS THE COST OF LIVING HERE IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST CRISIS.

UM, I THINK THAT SAN DIEGO LEADERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

AND IF THEY DON'T EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH IT, THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEAVE, WHICH WILL CAUSE EVEN MORE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS FOR THEM.

AND, AND SCHOOLS TOO.

UM, WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE AND SCHOOLS STRUGGLE TO, TO MAINTAIN ENROLLMENT AND, UH, THAT PORTENDS BAD THINGS FOR, FOR POTENTIAL CONTROVERSIES TO CLOSE THEM.

>> YES.

>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO END ON.

AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MAIN PROGRAM.

WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

SCOTT LEWIS FROM VOICE OF SAN DIEGO AND JAMIE SELF FROM INEWSOURCE FOR JOINING US.

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HAVE GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY.