UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Former California governors Pete Wilson (left) and Gray Davis at the Luskin Summit on April 22.
Former California governors Pete Wilson and Gray Davis headlined the closing session of Luskin Summit 2022: Research in Action on April 22, often tackling political issues from starkly different perspectives.
In a session moderated by UCLA Blueprint Editor-in-Chief Jim Newton, the former governors explored topics such as the economy and inflation, housing, environmental issues and rising crime during a discussion that mostly reflected a tone of respectful disagreement.
The governors spoke during a half-day event at the Luskin Conference Center at UCLA to close out the summit, which featured a series of explorations of the major issues facing Los Angeles and California. The day's agenda also included the unveiling of the annual Quality of Life Index, which is led by Zev Yaroslavsky, a former Los Angeles elected official who is now a faculty member associated with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Davis said solving society's problems will require innovation, a strength of California. "If you want to invent something, this is the place to do it, in California," he said. "We invent, we design, we create."
