>> building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc7 news. ♪ answers" on abc7. every day, we talk with experts about issues important to the bay area and we get answers for you in real time.

today, cannot get a reservation to go camping at a california state park this summer? don't give up. there are ways to score spots. we will have helpf including how to have a safe and fabulous time in nature. also a new campaign is underway in the bay area, and this one is led by 86-year-old. she is pushing -- by a six-year-old. she is pushing for the tunnel to be painted with rainbows, not just the san francisco facing side. we will meet the young activist and her dad. first there has been a rise in new bipartisan groups aiming to fix california's woes, from lack of housing to homelessness. one group that launched this week is called golden together. it is headed by a former fox news host and strategist for the british prime minister, david cameron. ♪ >> there is nowhere better

than california. we can't give up on the california dream. it's too important for all of us. it's too important for the world. we've got to have room. kristen: he's been aised by two familiar names in california politics. lanhee they do have a message. joining us are steve hilton and gloria romero. thanks for your time. what is the vision of golden together? >> the idea is to develop practical, positive policy solutions to the problems we all see around us, we all know what they are. there's a lot of focus these days on the problems. we know the cost of housing is so astronomical it drives up the cost of living. we have seen homelessness, crime. energy costs, on and on. but we don't hear enough about

potential solutions. i think it's time for some fresh thinking around the solutions. what we are try to do is focus on really practical ideas that can help solve these problems but most importantly get support across the political divide. really the point of golden together is to focus on policy, not politics. kristen: are you trying to influence policymakers? lawmakers? >> yeah. everybody who has a part to play in determining how things work in california will be publishing ideas on a range of issues, the ones i have listed and many more. we are really open to ideas from others. people who can suggest what we should focus on. at goldentogether.com, they can go there and join our movement. we are in sacramento. we were there meeting yesterday with lawmakers talking about what our plans are. there's a lot more to come.

and a lot more detail which we hope will shape the debate in positive ways. kristen: why did you sign on to advise this group, gloria? >> i was honored that steve hilton invited me and asked me to join as part of the advisory group. i have served inside the belly of the beast of sacramento. and i recognize that in a one party super majority state, that today, it's probably easiest to go outside the capital and really start away from the pressure of the lobbyists, campaign contributions, reelections, the pressure that exists in that dome to basically follow the party line. so it is a much smoother route to go. they don't care if we have an r or d after our name, they recognize we have problems and they want solutions and are open for the discussion. that is why i am interested. i always worked across the

aisle, respecting even those who didn't vote the same way as i do. i think that's ability -- that civility has broken down nationally and in california over the years and it's time to restore the common humanity that we are all in this together. kristen: we will definitely save some time for what might be some of those practical solutions we might be envisioning. there are a couple of things i think some viewers might be wondering about that i would like to give you a chance to address. you supported republican larry elder in governor newsom's recall. can you explain that choice and what it says about perhaps your views? >> absolutely. remember i was a democratic majority leader of the california state senate. the reason that i supported larry elder in particular was because i recognized, as the former chair of the education committee, that my party, the democratic party was just too tied to the california teachers association for campaign funding. and we will never address educational equity and quality

outc children and latino and african-american kids if we don't have the courage to cut those ties. that is why i stood up and said, you know what? i may not vote the same as larry elder on other issues but on education, i joined him as a democrat in supporting school choice and having the opportunity for poor kids the same way as rich kids. i wish governor newsom would do that, given the opportunities his own children enjoy. kristen: steve, you supported trump locally on your foxpro, "the next revolution," which has since been canceled. he promoted his claims of election fraud. how do you plan to garner supporter collaboratively here that you have a bipartisan effort here -- support or credibility here that you have bipartisan effort here? >> that is false and i hope you

have the ability to retract that, that is completely untrue, i never promoted those claims. i immediately after the election or since. but the other point you made is completely correct. when we talk about bipartisan working, that does mean to parties. so it's not just democrats -- two parties. so it's not just democrats with a politica monopoly right now in california. i think there are voices that need to be heard. the final point i would make is before moving to california 11 years ago, before becoming a u.s. citizen two years ago, i worked in the u.k. for prime minister david cameron as he mentioned and we were there as part of a coalition government where we were working to implement positive and practical solutions. working side-by-side with another party, a liberal democrat party. and we managed of developing policy together.

in one way this is going back to what i was doing there. kristen: steve, i will certainly look into what you said hear more. i will say i have read that out there. >> i just want to correct the record then. i understand why people may say that. that is absolutely correct. it is on wikipedia. but the message here is -- don't believe everything you read on wikipedia because that is a very serious and false allegation. kristen: we also don't have another five minutes to go over things. but i do want you to talk about, what are your practical policy solutions that you referred to in both your video and your mission statement? >> a number of priorities there. the first point is we are at the beginning of developing the specific ideas. the area where we have done the most work so far and we are ready to announce the details in a couple of weeks, i think as i mentioned earlier, it is a really foundational issue, it is one where the politicians really have faith. we have over 100 pieces of legislature on housing since

2016 and still have this massive problem, the fact that people can't afford to get on the housing market. whether you are buying or renting, it is incredibly expensive. we are not building enough. we are looking at all the barriers to housebuilding and the factors that make it so expensive. right now for example, if you talk to house builders and developers and people in the industry, as we have been doing, it costs 45 times as much to build a house with the exact same floor plan here in california as it does just across the border in nevada or arizona. some of that is to do with environmental regulations, some of it is to do with labor regulations. the process, how long it takes to get permits to build. all of those things conspir to make it impossible to deliver the kind of affordable housing that is available to all. we are looking at all of those factors on housing and how we can put them together in a way that can really blast through the barriers and get the

houses we need build here in california. kristen: what can we expect from your group in the next couple of months? the next few months or year even? >> is going to be the first one -- that's going to be the first one, on housing. then we've got some very specific ideas to put out on homelessness, on energy and water. these are big problems for our state. we think we have a practical way through those. but also a new idea that is something i worked on back in the day in the u.k. bringing californians together. we are very polarized these days. there a service program that we developed in the u.k. that i think could be a really great model for bringing young people together of all different backgrounds and geographies across our big and diverse state in service to their community in a way that really will help bring california together in the years ahead. kristen: all right. thank you both, gloria romero and steve hilton with california "golden together." appreciate your time today. coming up next --

california has some of the great state parks in the country. we are getting -- but getting a reservation is not always easy. our next guest shows us how we can arrange a visit at the very last you didn't choose your hairline. hot flashes, the flu, or that thing when your knee just gives out for no reason. you didn't choose your bad back or this. or... that. you didn't choose depression, melanoma, or lactose intolerance. but with kaiser permanente you can choose your doctor who works with other best-in-class specialists to care for all that is you.

kristen: we have two great interviews coming your way, one about snagging a camping reservation at a california state park, which has been so difficult lately -- has been so difficult lately, but there is a trick to it, perhaps an upcoming new law that would help you out as well. and a conversation with a six-year-old. she started this one she was four years old, to try to get a double rainbow going at the waldo tunnel.

we do have some technical issues with the guests. we are working on that. we will take a short break (bell dinging) how's john? oh, much better. that was quite a scare. got us thinking about a lot of things. like life insurance. if something happened to either one of us, we'd really be in trouble. but where can we get coverage with john's health problems on a fixed income? go with a sure thing. colonial penn. friends have been telling friends about coloninial penn guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for more than 50 years, and with good reason. if you're between the ages of 50 and 85, it's a sure thing. your acceptance is guaranteed because full benefits are not paid in the first two years. you don't need a physical exam and we won't ask about your health. you cannot be turned down. and the price? options start at $9.95 a month, less than 35 cents a day. i don't know. what if the price goes up as we get older? with colonial penn, your rate is another sure thing. it will never increase.

that's because it comes with something you won't find in other policies: a lifetime rate lock. the rate you start with is the one you keep, guaranteed. and you should know, this coverage can last a lifetime. some insurance policies end once you reach a certain age. not this one. as long as you pay your premiums, it's yours for life. call the number on your screen now and we'll send you free information by mail. you have nothing to lose, because at colonial penn, your satisfaction is another sure thing. every policy we issue comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. if you've been thinking about getting life insurance to help your family with funeral expenses and other bills you may leave behind, call for free information today. there's no obligation, and you'll receive a free beneficiary planner just for calling. (bell dings) same time next week? sure thing.

kristen: we were talking about how tough it can be to get a reservation at a campsite, your kids want to go to the parks and camp. but never despair. joining us with good news is the public information officer for the california state parks system. thank you for joining us. >> good afternoon. thank you for having me. kristen: why has it been so difficult to get reservations for summer camping? especially this summer, it seems like. >> i think with the pandemic, what we saw was the need for the outdoors. we saw how much people love enjoying nature. the benefits of nature. the mental, physical, emotional well-being of that. i think more people are going outdoors than ever before. kristen: in that

tell us how far in advance to people need to make reservations and when do they open up? >> reservations on reservecalifornia.com open up six months before the date you want to go. if you want to go camping, you would need to book six months in advance starting at 8 a.m. pacific time. we encourage you to make sure you create an account ahead of time on reservecalifornia.com. get your credit card ready. as soon as the window opens, log in and pick up your campsite. it is also important to know that you should have a few alternate backup sites in case you're number one choice is not available. kristen: you're making it sound like snagging taylor swift tickets. do they go within minutes? >> they really do. . i was talking to my coworker about that. what is harder to get, a camping site or taylor swift tickets? i think taylor swift tickets are a lot more expensive. kristen: i wonder why california state parks are so popular.

it's pretty affordable, right? >> it ranges from $35 from your normal campsite to perhaps $125 for a group campsite. it is still a very affordable family vacation where you can enjoy all the amenities of your public lands. kristen: we were talking about demand being high, certainly understandable, but is supply a little lower this year? i'm thinking about all the storm damage to all of the sites. yosemite, california state parks. is there some inventory loss due to storm damage? >> there is some loss. one of the more popular camping since we had was the rv camping spot at sea cliff you saw the damage this past winter. we did lose inventory this year from sc cliff. some campsites are being cleaned up here with a lot of the campsites in the sierra

opening their camp grounds because there is too much snow. unfortunately there are cancellations in that area as well. kristen: what are some tips for us to get last-minute reservations, if you really want to get something this summer? >> i would never give up. there's always people who make cancellations last-minute. you should always just go on to reservecalifornia.com. keep checking. you could find something perhaps for july or august. if you pick perhaps something in the middle of the week, you could have a better chance of getting a campsite. there are also first-come, first-served campgrounds. you can check out some of these websites where you get to show up last minute and they have a cancellation and you could get lucky. kristen: is there a way to call also for those more comfortable using the phone? >> number is 800-444-727

they are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. pacific time. that is definitely a number for people who don't have internet and can still make reservations. kristen: if we do get lucky and snag a reservation, what are some tips for staying safe when we are in the parks? >> the kiosk will usually have tips for you. like, are there any restrictions on using stoves or campfire restrictions? you also want to look and see what is available as well. also, common to get to my campsite before it gets dark because the last thing you want to do is to pitch your tent when it is dark and you are trying to nail and all the campsites and you can't see. getting there ahead of time, bring everything you need, water, everything for camping, and also check our website. know before you go. check our park safety tips

at parks.ca.gov kristen: hey bill recently passed the assembly. what would that do? >> right now, we comment on any pending litigation. but we have heard about that bill. about how we would be able to get a refund if your campsite was canceled or not available. i know that is still in the works. kristen: but right now you cannot get a refund if you were to cancel last-minute? >> i think you can get it refunded if you cancel ahead of time, but you may have to pay for some of the fees. it depends on the reason for the cancellation. normally you get a refund if there was for example a wildfire or a state park canceled your reservation ahead of time. it would obviously get a refund. when there's a wildfire

evacuation, your money would be refunded. kristen: none of us want the refund. we want that reservation. thanks for helping us get some tips for how to get them. adeline thank you so up next, is painted with a rainbow on one side, but why not the other side? up

kristen: it's an iconic site, the robin williams tunnel. lovingly named rainbow tunnel for its rainbow painted over the archways. but only on the south facing golden gate bridge facing side.

that's not ok. with the six-year-old girl from san francisco. joining us now to talk about their campaign for a double rainbow is sarah and her dad greg. thanks for joining us. >> thanks so much for having us, kristen. kristen: definitely. hi, sarah! >> hi. kristen: i think it all started two years ago when you were only four years old. you wrote a letter to the secretary of the california state transportation agency. tell us, what did you ask for in that letter you wrote. >> for? what did we want the secretary to do? make a rainbow on the kristen: that is pretty good that you remember things when you were four. i do not remember anything from when i was four. how did this become a passion

project for her that she wanted to write the secretary, because she wanted a rainbow? >> we went up to marin -- all the time to go to the bay area discovery museum during the depths of the pandemic in 2021. any time we would go northbound, sarah and her younger sister were so happy and every time we would go southbound, there were so sad there wasn't a rainbow on the others of the tunnel. after months of frustration and asking us to do something about it, we told sarah, you can do something about this, you have a voice, you have a strong beautiful voice. so we urged her to write a letter. we collaborated of course. response from the government. it took on a life of its own.

kristen: i love this line here. you wrote, i believe that it would put smiles on the faces of countless californians. do you smile when you see the rainbow on the tunnel? >> you want to tell them? >> yeah. >> she sure does. big beautiful smile. kristen: you mentioned a little bit of the history. we showed video of the two sides. i want to share with our viewers a little bit of the history as well of how that came to be. back then the commute was one way. they got the in string lights on the cable of the suspension spans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge.

giving everyone an idea of how he wanted to bring happiness to the commute. he went sarah, she started this two years ago, how did this start getting renewed attention again? what's happened recently? some actual action? >> i think sarah has a kindred spirit. and bo hayward. a political strategist who sends his daughter to the same school sarah goes to. this emerged independently. bo met with some at the california state transportation agency and they said, we actually heard from this wonderful little girl a couple of years ago on this topic. and then in the last 48 coalesced, linked up. this will sarah two years ago with her mascot collecting signatures at a farmers' market in her ballet tutu. we have linked up with

he's wonderful. we decided to work together to see if we could bring this to fruition. kristen: sarah, you do ballet? >> she does. kristen: i'm sorry, but i cannot say no to that petition. >> we will send it to you. kristen: back then, they gave you a response, thank you very much, take it under advisement -- do you think there's actual action, things happening? >> it was a lot stronger than that. they said first of all that is the most beautiful rainbow that we have ever seen. kristen: aww. [laughter] >> then they said, we really want to do this. we think there's a way to get it done within the state budget. and that it's consistent with the idea of unifying california. and they agree with sarah's sentiment that it will put smiles on the faces of countless californians. i thought they gave it much more than just simply good service. but it will take time as with any government.

it was fate to have life into the efforts. kristen: we are rooting for you. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. kristen: good luck. we want to thank you for joining us for "getting answers." we will be here every weekday at 3:00 p.m. answering questions with experts from around the bay area. "world news tonight" with david muir is next. see you back here at 4:00. bye-bye. ♪ still one tonight breaking news. the 49 page indictment of president trump unskilled. first time in history president is criminally charged for the staggering list of charges laid