California Black Media

Six Questions for State Controller Candidate Ron Galperin

As Controller of California’s largest city since 2013, Galperin has led audits that uncovered billions of spending that he deemed ineffective and launched a website that tracks city spending. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed Galperin. So have six of the city’s councilmembers, 16 current state legislators and nine members of California’s delegation to the U.S. Congress.

Published

2 years ago

May 29, 2022

Oakland Post

Ron Galperin. Facebook photo.

By Tanu Henry, California Black Media

Attorney, businessman and Controller of Los Angeles Ron Galperin (RG) is a Democrat running for California State Controller.

The son of immigrants — and a Holocaust survivor — Galperin is also the first LGBTQ+ person elected to citywide office in Los Angeles.

As Controller of California’s largest city since 2013, Galperin has led audits that uncovered billions of spending that he deemed ineffective and launched a website that tracks city spending.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed Galperin. So have six of the city’s councilmembers, 16 current state legislators and nine members of California’s delegation to the U.S. Congress.

Galperin recently told California Black Media (CBM) about how his experience prepares him to be Controller and his priorities would be if he is elected to the job.

CBM: From your perspective, what is the State Controller’s main function?

RG: The Controller is the chief fiscal officer of the fifth-largest economy in the world. In addition to serving as the state’s finance watchdog, the Controller is responsible for responsibly disbursing the state’s financial resources, independently auditing government agencies that spend state funds, issuing financial reports, and administering the payroll system of state employees.

The Controller also serves on more than six dozen boards and commissions, including the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, State Lands Commission, California State Teachers’ Retirement System, California Public Employees’ Retirement System, Board of Equalization, Franchise Tax Board, and more.

CBM: Why are you running for Controller?

As the Chief Financial Officer and elected watchdog of the nation’s second-biggest city, I have been on the forefront of bringing unprecedented transparency, innovation and accountability to how public dollars are spent – putting every city expenditure and salary online – and I have a proven track record of government reform and challenging the status quo.

I’ve transformed the role of the Controller in Los Angeles, launching independent, hard-hitting audits – rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse; exposing misspent funds to address homelessness.

My reports have called for reforms on infrastructure, housing, homeless spending, climate change policy and more. And, my office and I have been recognized internationally for introducing open data, dashboards, metrics, mapping and other tools to make government more accountable.

With the fifth-largest economy in the world and an annual budget of more than $250 billion, California needs a Controller with the experience and credibility to safeguard the people’s dollars – and to strengthen the financial health of all Californians.

CBM: Do you feel being a Democrat is an advantage or disadvantage?

RG: I’ve been a Democrat ever since I started voting at age 18. I’m proud to serve on the Democratic National Committee and as an executive officer of Democratic Municipal Officials. I’m also proud of our party’s commitment to equity, diversity, justice. I am grateful we live in the state of California with a strong base of Democratic voters who believe that diversity and equity are our strength.

CBM: What experience do you bring to this position?

I have the record and experience doing the job of Controller – unlike any other candidate.

Voters want someone for a job like Controller in whom they can have confidence to oversee the finances of our vast state. They also want someone who has stood with our friends in labor, who has taken on corruption at City Hall, and who has fought to improve the livability of our communities. I am the only candidate with the experience to do this job on day one.

CBM: If you win, what will be your first priority?

RG: I have multiple priorities, but my top three would be:

Transparency and Accountability: As City Controller, I have served as the watchdog for Los Angeles, making sure public dollars are spent efficiently and effectively. I will do the same for all of California.
Addressing Homelessness and Housing: The issues of housing and homelessness are interconnected, and there are no issues more pressing or more daunting. We cannot accept more of the status quo. When it comes to both issues, audits and reports from my office have shown that Los Angeles is spending billions of dollars directly and indirectly to solve these issues, and we’re getting inadequate results.
Promoting Equity and Opportunity: We have a long way to go to ensure economic and racial justice for people of color in California. As City Controller, I produced the LA Equity Index, a first-of-its-kind online mapping tool to illustrate the level of equity and opportunity in each neighborhood of Los Angeles so that city leaders and all residents have a data-driven understanding of community needs throughout Los Angeles.

I’ve also examined inequities that exist in City government. As City Controller, I found that people of color and women were being paid significantly less than their white/male counterparts. My maps, data stories and reports have been adopted by policy makers and communities throughout L.A.

CBM: A lot of Black and Brown people work for state government. What is your view on unfunded pension liabilities?

RG: One of the more crucial roles of the State Controller is as an ex-officio member of the CalPERS and CALSTRS boards. It is crucial that we both keep our commitments to our retirees and government workers, and that the pension systems be solvent and properly funded. We need to be both realistic about assumed rates of return and to invest strategically and safely to yield the best returns.

CBM: How would you describe your leadership style? And how does that match with the demands of being the State Controller?

RG: I like to lead by example, with an unwavering commitment to championing transparency, innovation, and diversity.

Too often, government gets labeled as slow and inefficient. It can be true at times, but I want to show people that government innovation is not only possible, but necessary to create a better organization and a better society.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Community Fights to Keep Parker Elementary Open as ‘Liberated’ Community School

Don't Miss

Anchoring Organizations for Reparations Task Force Hold Public ‘Listening Sessions’

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌

More Segregated Than Deep South: ACLU Releases Report on Calif. Public Schools

The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action). It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.  Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.

Published

2 days ago

June 13, 2024

Oakland Post

Asm. Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) was a guest speaker at the State of Black Education report card briefing at the State Capitol on May 29. CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌, California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action).

It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.

Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.

“For every state in the Deep South, California (schools) are more segregated,” Whittaker said. “People often think that California is not segregated or unequal as Deep South states and others. The inequalities here (in California) are actually wider.”

New York and Illinois are ahead of California regarding the racial diversity of their student bodies. According to a report May 2022 report by Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City school districts are in the top 10 most racially segregated districts for White-Black, White-Hispanic, and White-Asian segregation based on the average levels from 1991-2020.

In bigger school districts, segregation between low-income (students who are eligible for free lunch) and non-low-income students increased by 47% since 1991, according to the Stanford Graduate School’s report.

“That’s why it’s important to look at this data,” Whitaker said. “When you have millions of people living in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the urban areas are a lot more segregated than the south. That’s a big part of it.

A number of factors contribute to the segregation of schools in California such as parents sending their children to private schools, others optioning for homeschooling, and other reasons, Whitaker said.

The Brown v. Board of Education case declared that separating children in public schools based on race was unconstitutional. However, Whitaker pointed to cases after the landmark decision that circumvented that federal law.

According to a 2014 report by the Civil Rights Project, in the 1990s, decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court decision ended federal desegregation orders in San Francisco and San Jose. In addition, court decisions in the state that ordered desegregation in the 1970s were overturned by the 1990s. Legally, California has no school integration policy to adhere to.

“This is why we did this report. There needs to be a report just on this issue (of school segregation),” Whitaker told California Black Media. “Right now, there’s no task force or anything addressing it. I have never seen the California Department of Education talk about it. This is a pandemic (and) a crisis.”

ACLU Northern California hosted an overview of the report and panel discussion at the State Capitol on May 29. California Black Legislative Caucus member Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Steven Bradford were the guest speakers. Parents, students, educators, and Black education advocates from all over the state attended the 90-minute presentation at the State Capitol.

School segregation is the No. 1 issue listed in among the report’s “24 areas of documented inequality,” along with problematic trends of racial harassment, a continuous decline of Black student enrollment, school closures, connection with school staff, chronic absenteeism, low Black teacher representation, and parent participation.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

L.A. Pilot Program Addressing Asian American Hate Could Be California Model

Californians who are Asian American or Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were the targets of an escalated number of hate crimes and hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many AAPI people, particularly the elderly, reported being too scared to leave their homes. Others experienced firsthand hateful incidents stemming from deep-rooted prejudices and stereotypes — such as verbal or physical assaults in public.

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2024

Oakland Post

Shutterstock

By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Californians who are Asian American or Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were the targets of an escalated number of hate crimes and hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many AAPI people, particularly the elderly, reported being too scared to leave their homes. Others experienced firsthand hateful incidents stemming from deep-rooted prejudices and stereotypes — such as verbal or physical assaults in public. Yet, too many of them were hesitant to voice their emotions, according to Yu Wang, an associate marriage and family therapist at the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center in Los Angeles.

“A space for healing is critically needed,” Wang said, also noting that some Asian cultures don’t put a heavy emphasis on sharing feelings and vulnerabilities. “It makes it difficult to talk about experiences related to racism. Also, many of us lack to the language to express emotions, which exacerbates feelings of isolation and fear.”

The Asian/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Equity Alliance in collaboration with other Asian American community groups recently launched the Healing Our People through Engagement (HOPE) pilot program in Los Angeles County geared at healing racial trauma experienced by Asian American community members by providing healing spaces and reducing isolation. Based on the successes of the initiative, supporters and organizers believe the “culturally centered” program could become a model for other cities around the state.

Ethnic Media Services hosted an hourlong Zoom press conference on the last day of May, which was AAPI Heritage Month, to allow HOPE program facilitators and allies the opportunity to provide details of the initiative to the media.

HOPE is a healing space for five distinct Asian American communities — Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and Korean — created to make sense of their experiences with racism and recent surges in hate crimes. The psychology of the program is radical healing, a framework that has aided Black people in dealing with years of prejudice-caused trauma. HOPE is funded by a grant from the California Department of Social Services.

More than 11,000 stories of hate have been reported to the California-based online resource, Stop AAPI Hate, since 2020.

AAPI Managing Director of Programs Michelle Sewrathan Wong called HOPE vital and said Asian Americans endured episodes of brutality on a scale not seen in generations.

“They were scapegoated by politicians for transmission of COVID-19, targeted for violent physical attacks, made to feel unsafe and unwelcome in their own communities and bullied and ridiculed by neighbors and strangers,” she stated.

HOPE opened healing spaces in Los Angeles County that offer six two-hour sessions conducted in groups by facilitators, who are staff from partner community organizations.

DePaul University Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Anne Saw said the radical healing framework promotes healing over coping.

“Healing may be lifelong because racism is ongoing, yet a program like ours reminds people of the cultural, community, family, and individual strengths they have to resist racism,” Saw said. We believe that healing in a group can be more powerful than an individual engaging in healing on their own because of the support they receive.”

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.