Araceli Martinez on Why She's Running for California State Senate | Talking Downey

In this episode of Talking Downey, former two-time Downey Mayor Mario Guerra sits down with Araceli Martinez, who is running for California State Senate in the 30th District, which includes Downey. Araceli explains what drove her to run: growing up in her family's semi-truck business, she watched small independent truckers get regulated out of existence — citing California's Clean Truck Initiative, which will require all new trucks sold by 2035 to be zero-emission models starting around $450,000, far out of reach for an owner-operator who could previously start a business with a $70,000 used truck. She also discusses a 2017 diesel tax increase she says costs truckers roughly $4,000 a year per vehicle, a cost ultimately passed on to consumers at the store. The conversation covers California's gas tax and refinery closures (and the price increases she says will follow), state spending and a payroll tax increase tied to an EDD loan default, the state's deficit since 2019, and her call for better-funded, better-supported police and fire departments. Araceli shares her own background — the daughter of immigrant parents from Honduras and Mexico, a Downey High School graduate, small business owner, and accountant — and lays out her core message: making the rest of her Senate district (which spans roughly 900,000 people across 15 cities) run more like Downey. Have questions or thoughts? Mario's cell is 562-706-4114. Learn more about Araceli's campaign at AraceliForCA.com or on social media at Araceli_Unfiltered. Thank you for watching Talking Downey. Like, comment, and subscribe for more local conversations that matter. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro with Mayor Mario 00:11 Introducing Araceli Martinez — running for State Senate 00:54 Why she's running — California's regulatory crush on small business 01:29 Growing up in the semi-truck industry 01:51 The Clean Truck Initiative's $450K price tag 03:14 The diesel tax and hidden costs passed to consumers 04:02 Where did $20 billion for homelessness go? 04:58 On blaming Trump for California's problems 05:19 Educating voters on Sacramento's legislation 05:57 The gas tax — a hidden $4,000-a-year cost 06:42 Why not suspend the gas tax now? 07:57 Refineries leaving — gas headed past $8.50 09:54 Her top priority — balancing the budget 10:09 Newsom's deficit versus the prior surplus 10:40 $12 billion on healthcare for non-citizens 11:44 Broken promises — "temporary" taxes and ballot measures 12:38 Her background — the American Dream, immigrant parents 13:44 Starting her first business, then into accounting 14:41 How accounting led her into politics 15:20 The payroll tax default most people don't know about 16:23 Small businesses hit hardest by COVID 17:16 What she wants voters to understand 18:14 Funding police and fire departments properly 19:53 Law enforcement handcuffed by state legislation 20:39 Why Downey works — a model city comparison 22:22 Her district — 900,000 people across 15 cities 23:48 Closing message — making the district run like Downey 24:40 Mario's closing thanks 25:34 Contact info and how to find her