State of Gold California’s First Millennial Majority Leader: "The System Is Broken" | Ian Calderon
Guest:
Candidate for Governor of California Ian Calderon
Guest Bio:
Ian Calderon was the first millennial elected to the California State Assembly and later served as the Assembly Majority Leader. During his time in office (2012–2020), he was deeply involved in major budget and policy negotiations. After leaving office, he became a small business owner, giving him a dual perspective on both governance and entrepreneurship. Now, as a candidate for Governor of California, he’s focused on fixing California’s housing crisis, improving affordability, and restoring common sense to state government.
Show Summary
Is California still a place where families can thrive? Former Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon joins Jon Slavet for a candid conversation about what it would take to restore affordability, unlock housing, and lead the state into a more hopeful future.
Calderon shares his experience navigating budget negotiations, the unintended costs of overregulation, and why he believes single-family homeownership must be restored as a priority. He outlines a path to fiscal responsibility and explains how technology could revolutionize state government.
Chapters
00:00 – Why He’s Running: From Majority Leader to Governor
01:35 – What Legislative Experience Brings to the Governor’s Office
03:45 – California’s Affordability Crisis Explained
05:55 – Single-Family Housing, Zoning & Choice
08:11 – What He’d Do to Lower Costs
09:45 – How to Incentivize Developers and First-Time Buyers
12:00 – Tackling Institutional Investors & Housing Supply
14:18 – Budget Reality: What He’d Cut
16:00 – Using Blockchain to Modernize Government
17:50 – Revenue, Taxes & the Role of the Governor
19:55 – Could AI Shrink California’s Government Workforce?
20:34 – Rapid Fire: First Priority as Governor
20:41 – Leader He Most Admires
21:18 – What Outsiders Get Wrong About California Politics
22:21 – California Is…
Connect with Ian Calderon
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianforca2026/
- X: https://x.com/iancalderon
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ianforca2026
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