| Christine Sarmiento

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]This this is my first time doing this on my phone. I my camera is not working.

[00:00:05]So, my setup is a little bit u compromised, I guess. So today we're just going to do a quick one since I already went on my rant yesterday and my short video, but I wanted to talk to you guys about um just the the capital the California capital annex that was, you know, they're they're fixing it and they're creating new office spaces and I've just been doing some research about it and it's very concerning. You know, I did an interview recently with one of the local channels and and I'm trying very very hard to not sound like a conspiracy theorist, you know, because as management, I know that there's a lot of things that happens and the in and the in the office and there's a lot of things that you can't discuss for a lot of different reasons.

[00:01:00]It doesn't always mean almost always means that it's something malicious. Um, but it's just you can't say it. So, I know that already like I I've already learned that from my my over a decade of experience. But with that being said, this capital annex is really pretty concerning. So the first one is that it was approved 2018 and the plan is to have to spend 500 million which seems a lot but no they're building an eightle story you know an eightle um building so it's understandable new parking and better visitor experience for the people that are trying to visit the state capital those I understand but right Now we are at 1.2 billion. We're at 1.2 billion estimated and with that um it's only 55% done. So it's expected to already be done but it's not. And in addition to that it's going to be um it's going to be 2.2 billion already. But you know from from now to 100% we still have 45% left to go. So it's there's a high probability they would increase again. You know how you know how all the things go. Um, but my biggest concern outside of the money because you know I it is kind of inflated just like everything else just like what I've been talking about with all this projects that the government have. Outside of that there's um there's um there's a there's a lot of concerns in terms of where this money is actually going. And I've been researching cuz you know I know I don't know anything about building a building a building. So I've been researching the usual cost for these type of facilities cuz of course it's going to have a better security system and all the things. But that 1.2 billion is pretty concerning. It it's a lot. It's a lot for a project like that.

[00:03:17]And the biggest thing outside of the money cuz again, you know, as I mentioned yesterday, I can kind of understand the money when it comes to us trying to be fancy cuz California is, you know, we tend to be fancy and we we like our stuff pretty, which is I understand it's a it's the Hollywood mentality. So, I understand that there might be some some spending that might be too much. But the problem though is this.

[00:03:48]We have um we have NDAs. We have non-disclosure agreements for over 2,000 employees. Yesterday, I thought it was like 200. I guess I was missing a zero.

[00:03:58]Over 2,000 employees signed a non-disclosure agreement, which is not very common for something, you know, it's not very common from for a project that is getting paid by our tax dollars.

[00:04:11]And I don't know, maybe it's just me, you guys. So, I do want to admit that I I've been pretty skeptical lately. So, outside of doing all this research, you know, now that I'm running for governor.

[00:04:23]So, before, you know, it was one thing that I'm like, okay, um, you know, maybe they know what they're doing, but all the news that are coming out in terms of fraud and just where our money is going.

[00:04:33]And then in addition to that, you see things like this and I can't help but to be suspicious. And I really it concerns me like like I did the news interview yesterday and I don't know if it's I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing but I actually said that after doing a lot of these research starting January. It scares me a little bit. It scares me a little bit that there seems to be a lot of stuff that potentially are going on in Sacramento.

[00:05:06]So that's the concern. So there's a lot of other politicians that tried to remove the non-disclosure agreement because again, you know, even though they claim that, hey, you know, we're just trying to protect security, which could be reasonable.

[00:05:22]Um what they usually do cuz cuz of course, you know, if they're doing like um like escape escape escape room of sorts, it's it's understandable for them to not have that project or plan out in the public, right? So th this is a pretty high level security facility. So I understand that logic. But usually what they do is that they have another group you know so so the state assessor for example they can look at the financials and make sure that everything is kosher. Um but unfortunately that's not happening here. It's like completely closed. And so this has been happening for years and people and media had been looking into and they would they've been like looking into it and they've been talking about it and then but it's doesn't happen. So yesterday, one of the bills that they're proposing to remove the NDAs from this 2,000 people, they disappeared and they they just died on the floor, which means is that when when someone put a bill on the floor to be discussed, right, to be voted, so they they have time of day to kind of state their case. It's kind of like a debate.

[00:06:31]This bill, they just put it on the disc they just put it on the discard pile.

[00:06:36]They didn't they didn't give it a time of day, so it just died. the bill just died. And the other problem with this is that guess who approved for the bills to be discussed on the floor? The same people the same people that's handling this bill. So they did this uh investigative journalism recently or not that recently but they found out that we spent something crazy like like a billion dollars in what is that graphite.

[00:07:08]So that's what we did. And then so they looked at it further. Oh, it's it's like Italian Italian graphite, right? So they look at it further and guess where they got the graphite? In California.

[00:07:20]In California. So we mine it here and then the these are pretty heavy natural materials, right? So we we we got it from California and then we ship it to Italy and then they got the mark of Italy and then we ship it back and then so you know a lot of Californians or a lot of like watch watchd dogs are are saying yo you already got it from here doesn't doesn't it make sense for you to just process it here because they will have to cut it and stuff and I I guess it's really heavy and then they said, "Oh, no, no, no. They said that California don't have the materials to do that type of service." But it's not true. It's not true. I mean, again, I guess I will leave some room for I don't know exactly what type of project, you know, they're imagining this to be, but for the most part, we do have we do have like the capacity California to do it.

[00:08:25]This is the biggest thing which is even though it's not a biggest thing because I've been saying biggest thing but even though um it might be a little bit not as common for California factories or whatn not to handle this type of project the biggest thing is that we can still make the people in California get that money. you know, it's still the money still get goes to our community members and our state, right? Because you're conducting business here. But the fact that they have to ship it all the way to Italy just so it can get a Italy stamp, it's so silly. You know, you hear about that when they talk about, you know, those designer bags or designer whatever that they send it there to put a button or and whatnot just so you can kind of have the illusion of fancy. But the problem is um I didn't know state government is doing the same thing.

[00:09:22]So, that part is like pretty concerning uh to me. And yeah, it seems like there's no one who has the authority to look into this books and they keep saying, "Yo, we're going to show you where where the money is going." But currently, we're still not seeing it, especially since um Oh, sorry. I I think I misspoke earlier in terms of how much we spo we spent in that Italian Italian graphite. Um but but with that being said, it's it's um there's a lot of those happening right now. And the interesting part is that we can see how lately a lot of politicians, not just politicians, but nonprofit groups and private groups are getting a lot of um you're you're we're realizing a lot of the fraud is going on in here. So that's the that's the concerning part. And I guess the fact that everything is behind closed doors and everything is hush hush makes it so that it worries me that there's something else. I mean if I win governor I think I have the power to look at it. I think so. Do you guys know? So I think I I have the power to do it. So we'll look at it and then I'll tell you guys. Uh let me see. So the last thing I want to say is that you know when they have these type of projects they usually do what they call um bidding. So for them to get that project or that contract or a state a state funded um initiative then they have to bid just so it's fair. But even the bidding process was not very open. So even that is um part of the non-disclosure which is the most concerning part. So there are you know because I've been researching is this a common practice for projects like this one and the answer is no from both the federal and the state level. Usually when they're using our money there has to be like a a big oversight. I mean it's one.

[00:11:39]That's a lot. So usually there's a big oversight when it comes to that. So we need to we need to see where this this money is going. So that's that's the concerning part. And so far there's no plan to show us anything at all. Um I think the co-chair we have two people that are co-chairing co-chairing the the project. So I think they mentioned something like they're going to try to keep us in the loop, but we'll see.

[00:12:08]We'll see if they actually do that because they did promise it. But I mean, you know how you know how politicians are. You know how they go. But I hope that it is true. I hope that they're just worried about security. I hope that that is the case and that eventually we will know how much um where this money is going. So, I think we deserve to know. And I think that it's a it's a pretty poor practice to just hide that big of a money. Another thing, you guys, is that there's a lot of those you know, like like right now with like the the heaviness in the taxes, um, we all feel it. People are upset. People are mad. I know this because random people call me and email me and send me messages in Instagram and wherever and they're mad.

[00:12:59]Like most of the time they're not mad at me. Sometimes they're mad at me, but most of the time and I I just feel so bad. you know, there's a lot of fights and there's a lot of, "Oh, increase more taxes." By the way, if you're voting California, no to all the taxes. You guys know, um there's a lot of money already. They're just going to have to figure it out. But, um my my point is that people is not even thinking where this budget is going. Overall, what we're doing is just pointing at each other pretty much and saying, "Hey, that group does this and that group does that." That might be still some partly the case, but you guys, there's a lot of mismanagement when it comes to the budget, like a lot, scary, a lot. And so hopefully it change. hopefully with, you know, all this advancement in technology and media that we can push a little bit harder to make sure that the politicians actually show these things. Election is June 2nd. So, just FYI. So, if you're in California and um you're please vote June 2nd, I'd prefer you to vote for me, but you don't have to um at least vote, participate because they actually want you to not vote. So, so that's the thing. Um but anyway, so I um we need to fix it. We need to fix it cuz it's a scary amount in terms of how much is getting wasted and I'm afraid that there is a lot of fraud that are not um exposed just yet. But but yeah, so um that's kind of my rant for the California capital annex. Now I'm excited to see it. Now I want to see I want to see if it was worth the $1.2 2 billion. But hopefully they do finish it 2017. Let's see. I I I don't know if it's actually going to happen. But yes, um if you guys have any questions, email email me or add comment. But thank you all for hanging out. This is my first time recording on my phone. So, it's a little intimidating. I don't know about just holding it the entire time, but I think it's time to go to work. So, I'll see you guys around. I'll see you tomorrow. Um, I might just use my phone again tomorrow. But have a good day, you guys. And thank you for joining me. Nice to meet you guys all. Sorry I couldn't comment back because I don't know how to do it with one hand. But but but anyways, I'll see you guys. Have a good day. Bye.