Groundbreakers Q&A with State Senator Scott Wiener

California Groundbreakers

** This discussion was recorded on June 26, 2019** State Senator Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, has made waves since he came to Sacramento in 2016. His efforts to build more housing around public transportation and in wealthy suburbs have made his legislation the most talked-about so far this year at the Capitol, and in the media. He’s also famous for his proposal to “keep the bars open till 4 a.m.”, citing the cultural and economic benefits of nightlife. Wiener compares San Francisco politics to “a knife fight in a phone booth,” and says getting his start there had made him steely enough to handle politics at the State Capitol. Join us at Ruhstaller as we talk with Wiener about housing, homelessness, education and LGBTQ legislation, as well as his past, present and future as a politician and a groundbreaker in California. PODCAST PLAY BY PLAY * 0 to 1:35 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 1:35 min - Intro to Senator Scott Wiener * 6:30 min - How many Senate committees Wiener sits on, and why this year's planned summer vacation is an important one for him * 8:50 min - His first political experience (which involved a threat of burning a cross on his lawn) * 11:40 min - On coming out nearly 30 years ago in North Carolina * 14 min - On moving to San Francisco, moving from corporate law to the City Attorney's office, and making the decision to run for office * 16:50 min - Why San Francisco politics is like a "knife fight in a phone booth" * 20:40 min - What issues he has decided to focus on at the Capitol in order to "push the envelope" * 23:40 min - His efforts on housing legislation to date -- and the controversy over Senate Bill 50 * 30:50 min - How to deal with NIMBY -- and your housing bill being held up by one person * 37:50 min - Lowering the voting threshold to a 55 percent majority from a two-thirds vote * 41 min - Building affordable high-density housing that you can buy instead of just rent * 47:05 min - Tying transportation to construction, and explaining the reality of gentrification * 52 min - Where Wiener stands on the "split roll" revise of Proposition 13 * 58 min - Regarding Google devoting $1 billion to building housing, what is the private sector's role in alleviating the housing crisis? * 1 hr, 2 min - Improving education * 1 hr, 4:15 min - The controversy over housing the homelessness in San Francisco * 1 hr, 7:30 min - Legislation on LGBTQ issues and gender equity in the workplace * 1 hr, 11:20 min -A lot of the housing in California is bought for investment purposes (rentals, Airbnb listings) -- is there any way to change that? * 1 hr, 16:15 min - Wiener's predictions (and hopes) for what will happen at the Capitol after summer break, and in Election Year 2020