The Maddy Forum Program Archives - 2009 Saturdays at 1:00 PM / Sundays at 11:00 AM
90.7 KFSR and The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at Fresno State present a new public affairs program - The Maddy Forum. The weekly program features conversations about the important public policy issues facing the San Joaquin Valley, and interviews with local leaders and elected officials. It airs Saturdays at 1:00 PM and Sundays at 11:00 AM. 2009 Season Audio Archives 2008 Season Audio Archives
11/21/09 - Health Care Reform – The Right Prescription? - Part II
Although a final legislative outcome is far from being decided, the direction of emerging health care legislation could have a significant effect on all Americans. After months of debate, the House of Representatives passed its version of comprehensive health care reform a month later, on November 7th. Attention now shifts to the Senate which could debate on its version of legislation soon. So while a lot has happened, there is a lot left to do. And given the historic significance of the health care reform proposals being debated, we are devoting two shows to health care reform with a distinguished panel of experts: Ken Jacobs, Chair of the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center; Patrick Johnston, President/CEO of California Association of Health Plans; Dr. John Capitman, Executive Director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute; Dr. Mark Smith, President of the California Healthcare Foundation; Martin Gallegos, Senior VP/Chief Legislative Advocate for the California Hospital Association; and Diana Dooley, CEO/President of the California Children's Hospital Association.
11/14/09 - Health Care Reform – The Right Prescription?
Although a final legislative outcome is far from being decided, the direction of emerging health care legislation could have a significant effect on all Americans. After months of debate, the House of Representatives passed its version of comprehensive health care reform a month later, on November 7th. Attention now shifts to the Senate which could debate on its version of legislation soon. So while a lot has happened, there is a lot left to do. And given the historic significance of the health care reform proposals being debated, we are devoting two shows to health care reform with a distinguished panel of experts: Ken Jacobs, Chair of the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center; Patrick Johnston, President/CEO of California Association of Health Plans; Dr. John Capitman, Executive Director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute; Dr. Mark Smith, President of the California Healthcare Foundation; Martin Gallegos, Senior VP/Chief Legislative Advocate for the California Hospital Association; and Diana Dooley, CEO/President of the California Children's Hospital Association.
11/7/09 - Water Agreement in Sacramento: Expedient Political Fix or Bi-Partisan Breakthrough?
California lawmakers recently negotiated an ambitious upgrade of the state's water delivery and storage system. The magnitude of the problem and proposed solutions have left a lot of people asking a lot of questions, including, how much of the solution will be addressed by above ground storage verus below ground storage? What will the agreement do to address the problems in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta—a vital source of water for farms in the Valley? And what about conservation? We’ll ask Dr. David Zoldoske from the California Water Institute, one of the state’s and the Valley's water experts, those questions and more.
10/31/09 - The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley: A Status Report
In the summer of 2005, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order establishing the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. The Partnership was an unprecedented effort to focus attention on the needs of the San Joaquin Valley by bringing together public and private leaders and resources to address the top challenges faced by the region—from air quality, to economic development to water. The goal of the Partnership was, among other things to "…identify projects and programs that will best utilize public dollars and most quickly improve the economic vitality of the Valley… and recommend to the Governor changes that would improve the economic well-being of the Valley and the quality of life of its residents." The result was a Strategic Plan for the Valley that, according to one veteran political reporter, "was an historic achievement." But will the Strategic Plan—with over 150 specific actions that address the critical challenges facing our region—actually happen? Mike Dozier, the lead executive of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley is our guest. Is the Partnership's Plan just "another government study"—or are we witnessing something historic here?
10/24/09 - Reforming California Government—Are we at the Tipping Point?
The Sacramento Bee recently asked a question a lot of Californians have been asking themselves about state government: "Could it get any worse?" This week, a new Field Poll found only 13 percent of the state's registered voters approve of the Legislature's performance, the lowest rating since the survey group started measuring opinions of that institution in 1983. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't fare much better. His approval rating is 27%--his lowest numbers since he took office. And with the exception of Gray Davis—who was at 22% two months before he was recalled and replaced with Schwarzenegger—no other governor dating back to Pat Brown in 1961 has been the object of so much disapproval. According to the Field Poll, Californian's frustration with state government, has resulted in support for a variety of changes in the way we govern ourselves. A majority believe it shouldn't be so easy to change the state's constitution at the ballot box through propositions—with 56% favoring raising the threshold for approving a constitutional amendment from 50% + 1 to a two-thirds super-majority. 51 percent said they thought that "fundamental changes" were needed to the state constitution and a like number said they would prefer that a constitutional convention—rather than an appointed commission—take on that task. This week on the Maddy Forum host Katie Stevens talks with Pete Weber, a retired CEO, civic activist and consultant to California Forward, a non-partisan organization whose mission is to create a more responsive, representative and cost-effective state government, is our guest. Reforming California government—are we at the tipping point?
10/17/09 - The Uncivil War: What Happened to Civility in Politics?
When Senator Ken Maddy, the namesake of the Maddy Institute, passed away in 2000, the California Journal noted that "...he was forever courteous and seemed the very essence of civility in public office…."The article went on to note that although he was the Senate Republican leader from 1987 to 1995, he was passed over by party members,"…because he was not partisan enough, as though the spirit of cooperation that he exemplified was unseemly." They summarized Senator Maddy as "…the embodiment of what an ideal legislator could be: pragmatic, forthright, principled, a problem-solver." What has happened to our coarsen our political discourse in just 10 short years? Our guests this week are Joseph McCormick, Co-founder of Reuniting America, Debilyn Molineaux and Peter Hwosch, a member of the Transpartisan Alliance—an informal network with a mission to motivate and inspire Americans to work across political lines by practicing and teaching the principles of transpartisanship. Can we re-introduce civility back into our political discourse?
10/10/09 - High Speed Rail: Is California On the Right Track?
Back in November, voters passed Proposition 1A to allow the State to borrow almost $10 billion to start construction of a sleek, high-speed railroad connecting Northern and Southern California—and one that would get Valley residents to LA and SF in a little over an hour. And while the Prop 1A money only funded a portion of the $40 billion dollar plus project, the possible addition of federal stimulus dollars may push this project further and faster along than many imagined even a few short months ago. What is the likelihood that we’ll see high speed rail in California in the next few years? Specifically, what is the status of the State’s $4.7 billion application to the Federal Railroad Administration for engineering, design and construction of the state’s high speed rail system? Is California likely to secure that funding? What impact will the voter-approved Prop. 1A money have on securing those federal dollars? Where will the first track be laid? When will the system be operational? And what is the status of the planning and building of High Speed Rail stations in Stockton, Modesto, Merced, Fresno and Bakersfield? And what about the high speed rail maintenance facility—will it—and its hundreds of good-paying jobs—end up in the Valley? And if so, where? Carrie Bowen, Regional Director, California High Speed Rail Authority and Ed Graveline, consultant to the City of Fresno are our guests.
10/03/09 - Smart Growth and Sustainable Communities: Valley Vision or Washington Mirage?
Housing and transportation costs are two of the largest expenses for most American families—eating up nearly 60 percent of a typical family’s budget. Recently, the Secretaries of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and US Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that they are focusing their efforts on creating affordable and livable communities by both promoting sustainable surface transportation programs and expanding access to decent, affordable housing. DOT and HUD have created a high-level interagency task force to better coordinate federal transportation and housing investments and identify strategies to provide more choices for affordable housing near employment opportunities; more transportation options—with the goal of lowering transportation costs, shortening travel times, and improving the environment; and safer, more livable, and healthier communities. Where is the Central Valley on the issue of sustainability? Will we be able to overcome the regional inertia and community sprawl that has historically plagued planning in much of the Central Valley? What’s on the drawing board for cities like Visalia, Fresno and Stockton? We’ll find out from a regional leader in this effort, Rollie Smith Field Office Director for the HUD in Fresno.
California lawmakers ended this legislative year dominated by an unprecedented fiscal crisis without an agreement on their top policy priority — an ambitious upgrade of the state’s water delivery and storage system. The Democrats offered a package that would have included $12 billion in bonds, half of which would go toward reservoirs, underground water storage and restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the heart of California’s water-delivery system. The bonds would be divided over two elections — one next year and one in 2014. About $3 billion would be dedicated to increasing water storage, but the money would be awarded by a commission based on a competition between potential projects.
Republicans said the Democrat’s proposal contained a loophole that would prevent additional dams from being built. They worry that a commission would favor underground storage. Republicans also oppose splitting the bonds over two election cycles, saying voters should have a chance to vote on a single package intended to solve the state’s water problems. They also criticized a Democratic proposal to create a new bureaucracy to oversee how farmers could use water they receive from the Delta. In short, Republican lawmakers and Schwarzenegger have been adamant that any water legislation include dedicated funding for new dams and create a process by which the state will consider building a canal to route fresh water around the environmentally sensitive delta.
Despite their disagreements, Democrats and Republicans believe there was enough momentum to try again and vowed to continue meeting in a yet-unannounced special session. Each side said they are determined to fix a problem that has bedeviled lawmakers and governors for decades. The Democratic leaders of the Assembly and Senate said they would ask Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to call a special session so the water negotiations could continue. What is the state of water in California? We’ll ask two of the state’s and the Valley’s water experts, Dr. David Zoldoske and Sarge Green from the California Water Institute.
09/12/09 - Higher Ed In California: Are We in Danger of Going From First Rate to Third World? For decades, other states and countries have looked to California's system of higher education as a model for access, affordability and academic excellence. Its 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education opened college to all residents and helped make the state an engine of economic growth and technological innovation.The state's financial crisis, however, is battering its world-renowned system of higher education, reducing college opportunities for residents and threatening California's economic recovery. To close its massive budget deficit, the state has slashed funding to higher education, including over $580 million in cuts to the 23-campus California State University system. CSU is the nation's largest four-year university with 450,000 students, and plans to turn away 40,000 students over the next two years. Nearly all of its 47,000 employees have agreed to take furloughs two days per month, and fees for in-state undergraduates will rise 32 percent to $4,827 a year. An April study by the Public Policy Institute of California projected the state would face a shortage of nearly 1 million college-educated workers by 2025 and warned that funding cuts would worsen the skills gap. Our guest is California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty. What is the state of higher education in the California and the San Joaquin Valley? How will Fresno State’s share of this year’s shortfall—pegged at almost $45 million—be met? And, in the face of unprecedented fiscal cuts brought about by dwindling state support, how do we enhance—or even maintain— access, affordability and academic excellence? Higher Ed in California: Are we in danger of going from first rate to third world?
08/29/09 - Preventative health care: Is a ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure? Controlling the spiraling costs of health care is at the core of the current health care debate. One popular component of most health care proposals involves greater promotion of preventive health care. Prevention may indeed save money and improve health. According to a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, preventable causes of death, such as tobacco smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and misuse of alcohol have been estimated to be responsible for 900,000 deaths annually — nearly 40% of the total number of deaths in the United States each year. Moreover, some preventive measures identified by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, such as counseling adults to quit smoking, screening for colorectal cancer, and providing influenza vaccination, reduce mortality and generally save money. Is preventive care cost effective? Our guests are John Capitman, the Executive Director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute and Consultant to the Health and Human Services Work Group of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and Glen Beatrez, the Supervisor of the Clovis Area Recreation Center. Preventative health care: Is a ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?
08/15/09 - A Practical Approach to Health Care Reform: Finding A Common CAUSE
In many ways, the San Joaquin Valley is ground zero in the health care debate. We have among the highest rates of uninsured in the nation and we have a woeful lack of primary care physicians and specialty care provides. The highly regarded Institute of Medicine has recommended that any reform of the health care system be Continuous, Affordable, Universal, Sustainable and Efficient -- better known by its acronym as CAUSE. The Health Policy Institute at California State University Fresno has taken the lead nationwide in fashioning a health care plan that has meets the goals of the CAUSE approach. Our guest today is Dr. Dr. Steve Chooljian, practicing physician and consultant to the Central Valley Health Policy Institute. What would a CAUSE approach to health care look like? Do the proposals under consideration in Washington achieve these goals? And what national policy changes have to happen so that CAUSE health systems emerge in places like California's San Joaquin Valley? Designing a practical approach to healthcare that would work for everyone.
08/08/09 - Quality of Life: Are Cultural Arts a Luxury or a Necessity?
In 2006, Mayor Autry's Creative Economy Council released its report, Making the Grass Greener: Recommendations to Retain, Attract, Develop, and Support Knowledge Workers. The report's recommendations set forth several strategic goals and a number of recommendations to civic leaders on how the region can become part of the "Creative Cities" movement as a way to attract and retain the knowledge workers of tomorrow. The report's goal was "…to stimulate civic leaders in the city of Fresno to develop a place where creative professionals and knowledge workers will want to call their home." A big part of those recommendations centered around providing the quality of life in a community that knowledge workers expect—specifically, arts and culture. Two organizations that have emerged in the last several years to help grow the cultural arts sector are the Fresno Coalition for Arts, Science & History, or FCASH, and Creative Fresno. Their leaders are with us today: Cynthia Cooper is the Executive Director of FCASH and Travis Sheridan is the Chairman of the Creative Fresno Board of Directors. What economic and educational impact do the cultural arts have on our community? Does promoting vibrant public spaces improve our quality of life? What about unique activities and events—what impact do they have on instilling a sense of community pride? And if the cultural arts improve a community's quality of life, what role does or should the government play in promoting culture and the arts?
08/01/09 - Mediation Instead of Litigation: A More Civil Way to Resolve Civil Rights Disputes?
Historically, civil rights enforcement has been anything but civil. To many, the legal system seems to exacerbate the problem by encouraging protracted litigation. For employers, discrimination lawsuits have increasingly become a serious threat to the bottom line. For employees, too often it has been a case of justice delayed is justice denied. Perhaps those most aware the system had broken down was the agency entrusted with enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
To address this problem the EEOC has been promoting mediation – rather than litigation – over the last decade as a way to resolve many of the civil rights claims that are filed each year. As someone who has mediated numerous civil rights claims, I have first-hand knowledge of its value to both employers and employees. Many employers and employees, however, have little knowledge of this option to resolve their workplace disputes. Why did the EEOC begin to offer mediation as an alternative to litigation? What are the advantages to mediating civil rights cases? How specifically does the mediation process work? And how has mediation worked? Would the parties use it again? Is it a viable way to reduce litigation while achieving better results for the parties? Our guest on this edition of The Maddy Forum is Cherry Rojas, the Coordinator of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program at the EEOC’s Regional Office in Los Angeles that covers the central and south San Joaquin Valley.
The San Joaquin Valley significantly underperforms the State when it comes to access to medical care. Here, due to the lack of primary care physicians, access to health care is 31% lower than the rest of California. As a result, the region has the unenviable position of leading the state in infant mortality, teen births, and late access to pre-natal care. A solution, however, may be on the horizon—the establishment of a medical school at UC Merced. Last year, the University of California Regents voted to authorize UC Merced to proceed with planning for a School of Medicine. The original goal was to submit a full proposal and business plan by the end of this year and have a medical program up and running within ten years. The state’s budget crisis may, however, derail this project. A coalition of more than 200 elected officials, health-care providers, community leaders and citizens is working to push the project forward—despite the state’s current difficulties . Two leaders of the Coalition are with us on this edition of the Maddy Forum. Bryn Forhan is co-chair of the Valley Coalition for UC Merced Medical School. Luisa Medina is a Board member of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and Co-Chair of the Outreach Subcommittee for the Valley Coalition for UC Merced Medical School. What is the likelihood that a Valley medical school will move forward given the state’s current fiscal and economic situation? What are the health care needs of the region and how would a medical school at UC Merced address those needs in Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield? And how would such a program coordinate its efforts with the current UCSF-Fresno Medical Education Program? Will a medical school at UC Merced be a cure for what ails the Valley’s health care challenges?
7/04/09 - Air Quality The San Joaquin Valley is home to some of the dirtiest air in the nation—ranking us in the top 5% in the United States for air pollution-related health risks. The human costs are real—higher incidents of asthma attacks, lung cancer, heart failure. And the results are profound—460 deaths and 192,000 missed school and work days each year—costing our region $3.2 billion dollars annually….or $1,000 per year for every man, woman and child. Why can’t this problem be solved? Is it lack of political will? Or is it simply due to a combination of factors outside of our control? And what does all of this mean for the future health of Valley residents? We will talk with Dr. A.M. Aminian, a member of the Fresno-Madera Medical Society. Dr. Aminian is a well-known speaker and teacher regarding allergy and asthma issues about the health challenges posed by the Valley’s poor air quality, as well as the likely health impact of current federal, state and regional policies being proposed to clean our air. Will the costs of such regulation outweigh the health benefits? Or will the costs be more than offset by reduced incidents of asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks and other ailments?
06/27/09 - Civic Engagement: What Can Students Tell Us About the Dropout Crisis? The UC Santa Barbara Graduate School of Education reports that, in Fresno County and most of the Valley, almost one-third of students drop out before graduation from high school. Other reports indicate that almost 50% of Hispanic, African-American, Southeast Asian and Native American students dropout annually. The UC Santa Barbara report estimated that the lifetime economic costs from one year’s class of dropouts costs the State of California over $24 billion—and Fresno County alone over $550 million.
The cost to our communities is seen in:
• Higher rates of unemployment
• Lower earnings
• Poorer health and higher rates of mortality
• And increased dependence on public assistance.
Could the answer to the dropout crisis come from those who witness its effects first-hand—the fellow students of dropouts? And can we engage them to help meet the challenge of improving schools so more of their fellow students graduate? We will discuss the causes and potential solutions to the dropout crisis that will be offered at the Youth Youth Graduation Empowerment Summit this month with John Minkler, Executive Director of the Center for Multicultural Cooperation and students involved in the Youth Graduation Empowerment Project.
06/20/09 - Labor Unions: What is Their Political Agenda?
Some think the Obama Administration has the most workplace-focused political agenda in memory with changes to employee benefits, unemployment, and pay discrimination laws already on the books and major changes to health care and how unions are organized in the offing. At the state level, unions are gearing up to fight budget cuts to popular programs that fund parks, health care and provide for the sick, blind and disabled, as well as defend pay and pension agreements that they have negotiated for public employees that some think the state and local jurisdictions can no longer afford. Our guest this week is Randy Ghan, chief executive officer of the Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings Central Labor Council.
05/16/09 - The May Propositions: If No, Where Do We Go?
Despite bi-partisan pleas from the Governor and the legislature, California voters look like they are about to reject the May 19 ballot propositions - potentially leaving a gaping $21 billion hole in next year's budget. What are the budget compromises the voters will be asked to approve on Tuesday—and would they solve the problem—or merely kick the can down the road? And if these propositions fail, will we see a new round of State budget cuts? How severe will they be and what will they mean for State and Local services that we all depend on—like police, fire, education, health care? And regardless of what happens on Tuesday, what does California have to do to deal with its structural deficit? Would an open primary system help? What about lowing the 2/3rds voting requirement to pass the state budget? Should we return to a part-time legislature or relax or eliminate term limits? And what about campaign finance reform? Our guest for the next half hour is Jeff Cummins, professor of political science at Fresno State. The May Propositions—if the voters say no, where do we go from here?
05/09/09 - California: A State of Denial?
It's looking increasingly likely that the state will have massive budget shortfalls for the foreseeable future. The Legislative Analysts Office released a report this week that the state my need to borrow over $20 billion in order to pay its bills next year. Yet the budget compromises proposed in this month’s ballot propositions look likely to go down to defeat next week. Indeed, two conservative Republican leaders, State Sen. Dave Cogdill and Assemblymember Mike Villines have both been ousted as the leaders of their respective legislative caucuses because they made the cardinal sin of placing state fiscal solvency over party politics. And as we continue to bicker, California problems continue to mount—from energy and water shortages to environmental problems to stagnant business growth. What happened to our once "Golden State?" Is this a problem of under-regulation or over-regulation? Are the State's revenues too low or are the State's expenses too high? Is the California Dream about to turn into a nightmare—or can we summon the courage and conviction to address these problems head on? Our guest today is business leader and community philanthropist, Bill Lyles, who has, among other things, helped establish of one of the region's most successful companies, Pelco, and given back to the Valley by making major gifts to endow both the Lyles College of Engineering and the Lyles Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno. What will it take to turn California’s fortunes around? A view from one of the Valley’s most successful and respected business and community leaders.
05/02/09 - Is Fresno the New Hooverville? - Dealing with Chronic Homelessness in America’s Breadbasket
Recently, an article appeared in the New York Times entitled “Cities Deal With a Surge in Shantytowns.” The focus of that article was the shantytowns that have sprung up in Fresno—making the homeless in our region a national, and even international, story. As the Times article points out, Fresno is like a dozen or so other cities across the nation, dealing with an unhappy deja vu: the arrival of modern-day Hoovervilles—illegal encampments of homeless people that are reminiscent, on a far smaller scale, of Depression-era shantytowns. The Times article went on to note that “The problem in Fresno is different in that it is both chronic and largely outside the national limelight. Homelessness here has long been fed by the ups and downs in seasonal and subsistence jobs in agriculture, but now the recession has cast a wider net and drawn in hundreds of the newly homeless — from hitchhikers to truck drivers to electricians." Our guest is Gregory Barfield, the City's Homeless Policy and Prevention Manager, who is leading Fresno's 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.
04/25/09 - Maddy Legislative Intern Program: Experiencing Democracy In Action
Each year we select approximately 30 University students from the major public regional universities as Legislative Scholar-Interns. Legislative Scholar-Interns are placed on assignment in government offices throughout the Valley, as well as in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The Legislative Scholar Internship Program provides students an opportunity to develop public leadership skills and gain practical knowledge of the day-to-day operations of government and the political process. Many alumni of the Maddy Legislative Scholar Internship Program have gone on to prestigious graduate schools such as Johns Hopkins or law schools such as UCLA—ending up at top law firms or working in various government positions, including at the U.S. State Department in Washington and the Office of the Speaker of the California Assembly in Sacramento. Our guests are two recent alumni from the program, William Oliver and Joel Saldania, who will share their experiences in the program, and Jennifer Johnson, the coordinator of the Legislative Scholar Internship Program.
04/18/09 - Will Newspapers Still Be Black and White and Read All Over?
Newspapers and the media – typically referred to as the "Fourth Branch of Government" – are critical to a vibrant democracy. Lately, however, there seems to be an explosion of political corruption at the very time that the newspaper industry in general, and political reporting, in particular, are beginning to show serious signs of stress with layoffs and downsizing as major newspapers are increasingly going into bankruptcy or out of business entirely. Should newspapers embrace the new world of free information or should they begin charging money for content distributed online? And will any new business model impact the media's significance a factor in our democracy? Our guests are Jim Boren, Editorial Page Editor of the Fresno Bee and Bill McEwen, columnist for the Fresno Bee, will discuss the who, what, when, where, why and how of newspaper Editorials and political reporting. Do editorials and newspaper endorsements really influence public policy or election results? And what about the impact of new technology like blogs, podcasts and twitter on political reporting? Will they make political reporting more detailed or more superficial?
04/11/09 - Come Fly with Me: The Future of Air Travel in Fresno
While Fresno Yosemite International Airport continues to rank in the top ten U.S. airports for on-time flight performance, now has the largest solar power installation of any airport in the nation and has undergone a major facelift. This week, Russ Widmar, the Director of Aviation at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport is our guest and will discuss the future of air travel in Fresno.
04/04/09 - The Valley's Small Cities: Stories From the Front Lines
Small cities face many of the same challenges faced by their larger urban brethren—and some unique challenges—all with vastly limited financial and human resources. To the folks who live in these communities, the "government" isn't some far away politician in Sacramento or Washington, but the local official who they see at the grocer or at the gas station. In a true sense, all other politics and public policies are built on the work of local politicians and city officials. José Antonio Ramírez, the City Manager of Firebaugh and Amarpreet Dhaliwal, Mayor of the City of San Joaquin, will address these and other challenges faced by those on the front lines of politics and public policy in the smaller cities in the San Joaquin Valley.
03/28/09 - Connie Conway & Danny Gilmore
Assemblymembers Danny Gilmore & Connie Conway talk with hosts Mike Lukens and Katie Stevens about their experiences as new state legislators, budget reform and more.
03/21/09 - Press Secretary: A Day In the Life
This week on The Maddy Forum, we get an insider's view of the intersection of politics and the press. Hosts Mike Dozier and Katie Stevens talk to Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin's press secretary, Mike Lukens. Prior to his appointment as the Mayor's Press Secretary, Mike was the director of communications for the Office of Community and Economic Development at CSU, Fresno, with primary responsibility for coordinating the communications efforts of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. Mike's past includes being the first host of this very program—The Maddy Forum. He has also served as press secretary for Congressman George Radanovich and deputy press secretary in the Pennsylvania Governor's office. How does a press secretary help craft a politician's message? Is there a strategic plan as to when key talking points will be rolled out—or is it a matter of simply putting out the latest fire? And what are the rules when press secretaries deal with the media? Are those "off the record" conversations ever really off the record?
03/14/09 - No Longer A House Divided: The Valley Takes A Coordinated Approach to Federal Stimulus Funding
No longer a house divided, the Valley, with the assistance of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, is working to compile a list of economic stimulus projects and is working in unison to see that the entire region benefits. The San Joaquin Valley Regional Recovery Work Plan is intended to help the region identify and seize opportunities for economic recovery and sustainable growth throughout the Valley that may be available from the federal stimulus package. Mike Dozier, the lead executive of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley recently sat down with Katie Stevens to discuss the who, what, when, where, why and how of the Work Plan and how it plans to increase the "bang for the buck" of federal stimulus dollars spent here in the Valley.
03/07/09 - Obama’s Economic Stimulus: A Green Light For Green Energy in the Valley?
President Barack Obama has signed a $787 billion economic stimulus package. Proponents of green business are celebrating the fact that a large portion of the money will be directly targeted at environmental initiatives. For example, there is almost $33 billion in funding for clean energy projects, $27 billion for energy efficiency initiatives and $19 billion for green transportation—for a total of $79 billion directly earmarked for green projects. But what does this mean for the Valley? Paul Johnson, Executive Director of the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization recently talked with hosts Mike Dozier and Katie Stevens to discuss the impact and opportunities the economic stimulus bill will have on the clean energy sector in the San Joaquin Valley.
02/28/09 - Water
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency on Friday February 27th due to the ongoing drought conditions in the Golden State. Earlier this month, water officials announced that growers on the Valley's west side will not receive any surface water this year. This week, hosts Mike Dozier and Katie Stevens talk about California water issues with David Zoldoske, director of the California Water Institute at Fresno State, and Sarge Green, program director at the Institute.
02/21/09 - New Strategies to Improve the Economic Vitality of the San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley has struggled with an under-performing economy for decades. For years, the San Joaquin Valley has been plagued with high levels of unemployment and poverty. The average per capital income of Valley residents is almost a third lower than the rest of the state. The Economic Development Work Group of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley has been tasked with developing creative and collaborative solutions to the region’s infrastructure challenges, focusing on the growth of target industries with comparative advantages, and promoting the region as a business and tourism destination. Bobby Kahn, a leader of the Partnership’s Economic Development Work Group and the Executive Director of the Madera County Economic Development Corporation and Chair of the Central CA Economic Development Corporation is our guest.
02/14/09 - Downtown and Older Neighborhoods: Rewriting Fresno's Tale of Two Cities
Newly elected Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, has stated that "revitalizing Fresno's distressed neighborhoods and ensuring sustainable growth patterns…is a major concern for me." In one of her first acts as Mayor, Ms. Swearengin appointed Craig Scharton as her director of downtown and community revitalization and Elliot Balch as Downtown Revitalization Manager to focus the city's efforts on downtown and the older parts of the community. What are their plans to revitalize downtown and older neighborhoods—and who would pay for them? What proof do they have that their ideas will work? And when can we fairly expect to see progress?
02/07/09 - Campaigning and Governing: Where Rhetoric Meets Reality
Did you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in a political campaign? What is the role of campaign managers and political consultants? How do politicians craft a campaign message? What new techniques are being used to involve and excite voters? And how does all that translate into action once a candidate is elected? Our guest today, Professor David Schecter, has a unique perspective on these issues being both a professor of political science and campaign director and special advisor to newly elected Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin.
01/31/09 - State Budget Woes Come Home to Roost
Governor Schwarzenegger recently called California’s $42 billion deficit a "rock upon our chest" and said the state can address no other public policy issues until the current fiscal crisis is resolved. That rock may be even heavier on local governments—with federal and state mandates colliding with plummeting revenue from local property and sales taxes. Recently, Kathy Millison, City Manager of the City of Clovis and Jeff Cummins, political science professor at Fresno State, sat down with Mike Dozier and Katie Stevens to talk about what the State's current fiscal crisis means for local governments.
01/24/09
Republican Party: At the Crossroads?
With a Democratic President and big Democratic majorities in both Congress and the California legislature, is our nation and state at a political crossroads? How will the Republicans respond? Will they become more centrist or more ideological? What will it mean for politics and policies in the Valley? Dan Schnur, the director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California is our guest. In addition to his work at USC, he has also taught politics at Harvard, UC Berkeley and George Washington University. Mr. Schnur has also worked on three gubernatorial campaigns and four presidential campaigns and was the national communications director for John McCain’s Presidential Campaign in 2000. Mr. Schnur writes a regular column for the New York Times’ political opinion website, Campaign Stops.
01/17/09
Valley Schools: Who Gets an A+?
Student achievement in the Valley has historically trailed other part of the state and nation in measurements such as the Academic Performance Index and college attendance. For the last couple of years, however, the Education Work Group of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley has been engaged in a concerted effort to improve the academic performance of Valley schools. Dr. Walt Buster, the former Superintendent of the Clovis Unified School District and the current Director of the Central Valley Education Leadership Institute recently sat down with host Mike Lukens to discuss the many programs that are being launched throughout the Valley and give us a preview of some of the findings that will be reported at the upcoming conference entitled "Exemplary Practices in Education: Achievement Gains in the Valley."
01/10/09
UC Merced Medical School: On Life Support?
Lt. Governor John Garamendi, a UC Regent, talks with host Mike Lukens about the future of the proposed medical school at UC Merced, amid the financial meltdown. Garamendi favors the creation of "a stripped down version that would turn out new doctors quickly." -- warning that, if UC Merced fails to eliminate its proposed research programs, the state’s budget problems will stall progress on the medical school.
01/03/09
San Joaquin Valley - "No Way LA?"
Keith Bergthold and John Wright join host Mike Lukens to discuss the future of planned growth in the San Joaquin Valley, and an innovative proposal for a regional multi-modal transportation system called the Metro Rural Loop, that will help accomodate future growth, and preserve ag land.
