Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Ted Nordblum
Current job title: Local Small Business Owner
Political party affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Not a career politician!
City where you reside: Newbury Park
Campaign website or social media: https://www.tednordblum.com/
It’s no secret that California will play an outsized role in AI development and regulation. That was a big topic for the legislature this year, but what is one way you’d like to see the legislature tackle concerns about bias or transparency in the AI space or encourage innovation and start-ups? (Please be specific in your response, and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
As long as AI content is clearly disclosed, I believe in innovation and that the government needs to allow the market to work.
Before California voters this year is a proposition to increase the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour, the nation’s highest, by 2026. Do you support increasing the minimum wage in this way? Why or why not? (Please keep your answer to 150 words or less.)
No. I’m generally not in favor of excessive government intervention into the economy because of the negative impact it can have on small businesses.
This year, California faced a large budget deficit that put a strain on lawmakers’ ability to fund certain programs and projects going forward. What is one thing you believe the state should do to avoid such large deficits in the future? (Please be specific in your answer, and limit it to 150 words or less.)
We need to get our spending under control. Period. We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.
Speaking of the budget, there are multiple proposed bond measures before voters this year. Is the state in a good place to issue bonds for state programs and infrastructure projects? Should certain programs or projects be prioritized over others? (Please be specific in your response, and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
I do not believe we need more bonds. California voters have been promised projects paid for with bond money for years, and those projects still are not finished. Spend the money we already have.
Cost of living is high on the list of concerns among voters, particularly among younger people. What is one bipartisan proposal you have to alleviate concerns about high prices or the cost of living in California? (Please be specific in your response, and limit it to 200 words.)
Tax cuts across the board. Even a one-year suspension in the gas tax would save working families thousands of dollars per year. Cutting regulations on farms and small businesses will also help a lot. As a small business owner, I have seen firsthand how difficult it is to do business here. We need to change course on economic policy, because the Sacramento regulatory machine isn’t working. We also need to allow for more energy development in state rather than relying on expensive foreign imports.
The legislature this year considered recommendations from a first-in-the-nation task force that considered how California could atone for past racism and discrimination against Black people, including potential compensation. What do you believe is the role of the state in atoning for the atrocities committed against Black people? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
I believe California has done a good job righting the wrongs of the past. But I do not believe that California taxpayers should have to pay for the actions of slave states.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently ordered state agencies to remove homeless encampments on state property and urged cities to follow through. What else do you propose the state do to help eradicate homelessness? (Please limit your response to 200 words or less.)
We need to address both affordability and mental health. The state has been passing law after law that has only resulted in raising the cost of everything (housing, gas, etc). We need to change course on economic policy in this state. We also need stronger public-private partnerships to address mental illness and drug addiction. There is nothing compassionate about letting people overdose on drugs while living in tents
Similarly, Gov. Gavin Newsom has urged county leaders to take advantage more of a new state law that makes it easier to place someone with severe mental health or substance abuse issues into conservatorships, an effort to keep more people out of homelessness. But local leaders in Southern California have said they need more time and resources to build, fund and staff more mental health facilities. Is there anything the legislature could — or should — do to aid communities struggling to find the resources to properly provide this type of mental health support? (Please be specific in your answer, and limit the response to 200 words or less.)
I don’t believe that Sacramento has all the correct answers. Local governments need to be able to address these issues their own way without being controlled by the State.
What’s the No. 1 song on your playlist while you’re on the campaign trail?
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
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