In a recent interview organized by American Community Media, Matt Mahan, current mayor of San Jose and candidate for governor of California, presented his political proposal focused on accountability, technological innovation, and an ideology far removed from extremes.
Mahan, who emphasizes that he is the only millennial candidate in the race, proposes bringing his data-driven management model from the heart of Silicon Valley to the state capital.
Problems with young people who cannot afford to live in California
One of the key points of his campaign is the affordability crisis facing the state of California. In this regard, Mahan emphasized that the housing shortage is the primary driver of Californian migration to other states. He even mentioned during the interview that his own sisters had to leave California due to the high cost of living.
His proposal to address this problem includes drastically reducing administrative construction fees and reforming liability laws, which, the candidate said, have almost completely halted the construction of new condominiums and sunk the homeownership rate in the state.
Immigration: Don’t eliminate ICE, but reform it
Regarding immigration, Mahan proposes a balance between two important pillars: border security and humane treatment of residents. While he does not support the elimination of ICE, the candidate does believe that a profound structural reform is needed, beginning with recognizing the dignity of all inhabitants of the country.
During the conversation, Mahan highlighted his work in San Jose on this issue. He asserted that he has taken proactive measures, such as prohibiting the use of city property by federal agents and massively increasing funding for legal defense for immigrants—actions he plans to scale up statewide to protect working families.
Modernize and strengthen public health
Regarding public health, the candidate is focusing on operational efficiency and the use of technology to close access gaps. Mahan questioned why almost a third of the health budget is lost to administrative bureaucracy and encouraged modernizing the system to allow for telehealth with providers in other states.
Similarly, he emphasized the need to strengthen the medical workforce in rural areas. To this end, he suggested loan forgiveness programs for doctors and nurses who agree to work in underserved regions such as the Central Valley.
Technology as a tool to improve public services
Matt Mahan is emerging as a pragmatic regulator who, due to his proximity to Silicon Valley, claims to understand both the potential and the risks of technology. As mayor of San Jose, he spearheaded the Gov.AI coalition to establish ethical frameworks for the use of artificial intelligence and has implemented measures to require technology companies to cover the infrastructure and sustainability costs they generate.
His approach rejects special privileges for donors in the sector and proposes instead strict regulations such as banning cell phones in schools and requiring parental consent on social networks for minors.
Faced with the risk of job displacement, Mahan proposes investing industry tax revenues in a fund dedicated to retraining and upskilling workers. Finally, the candidate advocates for always prioritizing human well-being in critical health and justice decisions.