Globe Interview: Gubernatorial Candidate Jon Slavet

The Globe caught up with State of Gold creator and Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Jon Slavet this week for a face-to-face.

His State of Gold is a show and citizens’ movement about reclaiming California’s promise. Slavet explores what’s gone off track in California and what it will take to fix it, and talks to Californians from all walks of life and profession. “It’s for anyone who believes California is worth fighting for,” he says.

Slavet has had a diverse career, but started in media.

Jon went to work at NPR right out of college, and even worked with Roger Ailes in an early media venture. He worked at E! and Wired, rounding out 10 years of media chops.

An innovator and entrepreneur, Jon co-founded Guru.com from a San Francisco apartment and helped invent the online freelance marketplace to match independent contractors with “gigs” or jobs, years before most people had heard the term “gig economy.”

Slavet grew WeWork’s West region to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. As CEO of Sentral, a full-service management company offering apartments across the country for any length of stay, he said he grew one of the nation’s leading flexible-living companies to billions of dollars in assets under management, all across America. But it took a lot of travel, and Slavet wanted to get back to his roots – civic entrepreneurialism.

Slavet said that even though he was raised in an East Coast Democrat family, he changed parties along the way. Last year he went to two CAGOP conventions and was welcomed.

Then he started State of Gold, and has interviewed such diverse Californians as Willie Brown, Harmeet Dhillon, former Assemblyman Ian Calderon, current Assemblymen Carl DeMaio and David Tangipa, political commentator and activist Kevin Dalton, Chairman of the Orange County GOP Will O’Neill, Congressman Vince Fong, Civil Liberties Attorney Laura Powell, and even yours truly.

Slavet’s goal is to get under the surface of California issues.

“California’s problems are government made,” Slavet told the Globe. “Then Proposition 50 happened – the Big Rig.”

While California is headed in a downward spiral, Slavet says it will take attracting Democrats, moderates, center-left, center-right, Independents, and Republican voters to win the Governorship. And then governing for all Californians, “which is what you do with companies,” Slavet said.

This is why Jon is talking to the left, who are skeptical of Republicans, to bypass the “steady diet of propaganda” and bad press.”When you talk facts – how groceries, agriculture, energy are more expensive – immigration, Independendts and Democrats are open to voting for the right kind of Republican.

Slavet said he frequently stands on big city streets wearing a sign that says, “I’m running for Governor – Ask me anything.”

He talks to groups around the state, and recently heard from family farmers how they are being run out of business.

He is asked if he’s muddying up the waters for the Republican field, but says it’s still early, and right now the undecideds register prominently in polls.

Recently Jon participated in the 34th Empowerment Conference debate, and said he was the only Republican who accepted. He said those on the left offered the usual Democrat talking points. “I couldn’t get out of the lobby – young African American and Latino men wanted to talk. I just talked and said what I believe,” which resonated.

“I’m focused on issues, not partisanship. I’m focused on Democrats who are fed up, but fear Republicans.”

Slavet said he’s the only Republican calling balls and strikes on the Trump Administration. “I called for calm on immigration, for the feds to show restraint and discipline. I called for same for the agitators on the left impeding them.”

“We need to end Sanctuary states and cities, and for a path to citizenship for longterm immigrants in the country, addressing respect and dignity.”

Slavet said government leaders stopped thinking long term. He’s looking at 2027 and 2037 and 2047.

As governor he said his plan is to “reduce the cost of everything; lower the tax rates on business to spur job growth; create a plan for 2047…. water, roads, infrastructure – where our kids can live – can they afford to live here?”

“Everything is on the table.”

Slavet says to restore California:

• Make housing affordable through increasing supply
• Lower the cost of gas & electricity by ending Climate Taxes
• Fully fund law enforcement & Prop 36
• End burdensome regulations on businesses of all sizes to jump-start hiring
• Get homeless off the street with real solutions
• Give parents real school choice, and paying our best teachers more

Slavet said 2027 will be a “pure steel cage match.”

He says as Governor he will wants all meetings and dealings recorded/televised “for as much positive disruption a possible.”

Slavet wants to lower the cost of everything, including government, with zero-based budgeting. “Since Newsom was elected, his own staff has gone from 150 to 380 people. We will make an example of that staff first, and then do the same with the rest of state government.”

“We will be matching the cost to the priorities.”

Visit Jon Slavet Announces for Governor for more.