Kqeds Forum

Julián Castro is one of just a few Latino politicians with a national presence. The former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development was the only Latino to compete for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Though his bid failed, Castro is still hitting the campaign trail. He’s working to increase voting rates and on turning Texas blue. Castro joins us to talk about housing policy, immigration reform and the latest political news including the final presidential debate.

Protesters around the country have demanded the defunding of police because of excessive force used all too often in situations that critics say could be dealt with nonviolently. Now San Francisco is launching the country’s largest experiment in reform by taking most psychiatric , behavioral and substance abuse crisis calls out of the hands of police. Instead, unarmed mobile teams -- made up of a paramedic, a mental health professional and a peer advocate -- will respond to the calls. We’ll talk about San Francisco’s program, which will be phased in next month, and similar efforts around the country.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden take the stage in Nashville for the second and final presidential debate of the 2020 election. They will participate under new ground rules announced by the Commission on Presidential Debates, where each candidate’s microphone will be muted for portions of the debate. The candidates will face questions on topics including the fight against COVID-19, race in America, climate change and national security. We'll recap the debate and hear your reactions.

Three years after the Trump administration began separating migrant parents from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border, lawyers tasked with reuniting the families say they still haven’t been able to find the parents of 545 children. Amidst an uproar over the “zero-tolerance” policy, a federal judge in 2018 ordered the Trump administration to locate parents and children who had been separated. We’ll talk about the continuing effects of Trump’s policy and how the global pandemic is hampering efforts to reunite families.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday he had a “serious talk” with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, following last week’s confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Schumer refused to defend the former San Francisco mayor, amid calls from liberal groups for her to step down as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Some on the left have criticized Feinstein for being too accommodating during last week’s controversial hearing, which concluded with her praising Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and hugging him without a mask. We’ll talk with KQED politics correspondent Marisa Lagos about the controversy.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley now helps feed about 500,000 people every month -- double what it served before the pandemic. Across the Bay Area, food banks are struggling to keep up with increased demand for food and volunteers. The core Bay Area has lost close to 350,000 jobs during the past year as of September, according to the state Economic Development Department, which has led many more people to rely on food banks. We’ll talk about how food banks are responding in this time of crisis and how you can help.

In an interview for a documentary released Wednesday, Pope Francis said he favors civil unions for same-sex couples, a step toward more inclusion for LGBTQ people in the Catholic church. We’ll talk to Jesuit priest and LGBTQ advocate Father James Martin about the significance of the Pope’s comments.

More than 33 million Americans have already voted as of Tuesday -- roughly 70% of total 2016 early voting. On Monday, the Supreme Court denied a request by Pennsylvania Republicans to shorten the deadlines for mail-in ballots in the state. We’ll get the national picture on voting from NPR’s Miles Parks and hear how voting systems are handling the record turnout. Then, president and founder of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation Kim Alexander joins Forum to take your questions on voting. We’ll cover topics like locating and using official ballot drop boxes, voting in-person after applying to vote by mail and correcting a mistake on your ballot.

Facing a pandemic-induced plunge in ridership and ticket sales, Caltrain is asking voters in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties for a lifeline this November.  If approved by a two-thirds majority, Measure RR would impose a one-eighth cent sales tax increase to fund Caltrain’s operations, maintenance and capital projects. Caltrain says that the tax would generate about $100 million annually.  We’ll break down Measure RR and what’s at stake for the beleaguered commuter railroad.

Advocates of expanding rent control in California are back with this year with Proposition 21 two years after voters turned down a similar ballot measure. Prop. 21 would allow cities to put limits on how much landlords can annually increase rents. The measure would also allow cities to include single-family homes under control provisions, which are currently exempt. In 2019, the state legislature established a statewide rent cap of 5 percent plus inflation on buildings that are at least 15 years old. We look at both sides of the debate on Prop. 21 and what it would do compared with existing laws.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing voting bloc in the country according to Pew Research data. A recent Asian American Voter Survey shows they have strong enthusiasm for this year’s election. Yet, outreach to Asian American voters remains low. The same survey reported that 58 percent of Asian Americans say they received no contact from either Democrats or Republicans this election cycle. In addition to low outreach efforts, a lack of bilingual voting information can discourage turnout for Asian American voters who have limited English proficiency -- especially this year with the increase in mail-in voting. We’ll look at efforts to turn out Asian American voters.

Back in 2019, the city of Mountain View approved a controversial ban of oversized vehicles on narrow streets, citing traffic and safety concerns. Advocates, led by former Mountain View mayor Lenny Siegel, responded by amassing enough signatures for a referendum on this November ballot. Measure C seeks to uphold the city’s limit on where and how long oversized vehicles can park. Proponents of the measure say they're concerned about parking issues and waste hazards. Opponents say the measure does nothing to address the issue of homelessness in the heart of Silicon Valley and the sweeping language of the ordinance puts a blanket ban on RVs. We'll break down the arguments for and against Measure C.

The Oakland City Council is set to vote Tuesday on a plan to clear homeless camps in "high sensitivity areas" near schools, businesses, residences and parks. The policy would also set health and safety standards for encampments. City officials say the policy appropriately balances the needs and rights of the unsheltered with those of their neighbors. But advocates for the unhoused say the rules offer no path to permanent housing and would simply push the homeless out of sight into areas with no schools, grocery stores or other essential services. We'll discuss the proposal and its potential impacts if approved.

No matter which party prevails in November, the next president will inherit an economy in shambles, with the latest jobs report showing nearly 900,000 weekly unemployment claims - the highest number since August. President Trump has been vague about his economic plan, but vows to cut taxes for the middle class, impose tariffs on companies that move abroad and to repeal Obamacare. Joe Biden, on the other hand, has proposed raising taxes on those earning more than $400,000 per year, making four-year public colleges and universities tuition-free for families making less than $125,000 per year and a $2 trillion plan to combat climate change. Jim Tankersley, tax and economics reporter for The New York Times, joins Forum to discuss the candidates’ economic plans, where we stand with COVID relief, and the latest updates on Trump’s taxes.

Two Democrats are competing for the Silicon Valley-based state senate seat vacated by Jim Beall, who termed out this year.  On the ballot are Dave Cortese, a Santa Clara County supervisor, and Ann Ravel, an attorney and former member of the Federal Election Commission under President Barack Obama. We'll hear the candidates' positions on the economy, housing, education and the state's COVID-19 response, and we’ll take your questions.

Women dropped out of the U.S. workforce at a rate eight times higher than men last month, according to CNN. Meanwhile, a recent report from McKinsey and Lean.org found that one in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce due to Covid-19. Women in service industries have seen their jobs disappear, while those who are able to work from home are struggling to shoulder more responsibilities. Many of the pressures women already face in the workforce such as the gender pay gap, barriers to advancement and lack of flexibility have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Some experts warn that the pandemic could wipe out hard-won progress women have made in leadership and wages over past years. The crisis could, however, usher in new policies, standards and support systems for women across industries and income levels. We’ll talk with experts about how working women are faring during the pandemic and how to address the challenges.

Public schools in San Francisco and Alameda county remain closed for in- person learning while some school districts in Marin and Santa Clara county have opened to students. We’ll discuss why counties and school districts with similar rates of Covid are adopting different approaches to reopening and we’ll look at the challenges facing Bay Area schools as they plan to reopen.  And we want to hear from parents, students and teachers. How do you feel about how your school district has handled the pandemic? Are you comfortable with returning to school? If not, what would you like to see before you or your child heads back?

The California Republican Party said on Wednesday that it will continue to use unauthorized vote-by-mail drop boxes, despite a cease-and-desist letter from California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Attorney General Xavier Becerra. The unofficial boxes have been found in districts with closely contested congressional races, and have been widely criticized by state Democrats as an attempt to confuse voters. Republicans argue the boxes are a form of “ballot harvesting,” which allows voters to designate someone else to collect and return their ballot under state law. We’ll talk with KQED politics and government editor Scott Shafer for an update on the situation. We’ll also talk with him about the Trump administration’s decision, announced Friday, to reject California’s request for wildfire disaster relief.

Proposition 19 on California’s November ballot would amend the state’s property tax structure in multiple ways. First, it would allow homeowners who are either age 55 and older, severely disabled or lost their home to wildfire to take their existing property tax rates with them when they move multiple times. Second, it would partly clamp down on what’s known as the Lebowski Loophole, which allows people who inherit homes from their parents to keep the existing tax rate. The measure would also direct some funding to wildfire prevention efforts. We break down Prop. 19.

In 2018, state lawmakers passed the California Consumer Privacy Act, a landmark bill aimed at  protecting consumers and their digital data. The law took effect earlier this year and allows consumers to tell companies not to sell their personal information, among other protections. Now, Proposition 24 wants to take protections even further than those outlined in the existing law. But consumer advocates are divided on the measure. While all are in favor of protecting consumer privacy, there’s disagreement over the best strategy. We'll take up the debate and unpack what a "yes" or "no" vote would mean.