SacTown Talks

We welcome Mary Creasman of the League of Conservation Voters to the show. The League is the oldest grassroots environmental organization in the United State with the goal of building political power for the people and the planet. We start by discussing the history of the League and her personal history with environmental justice and labor organizing. Then she discusses the intersection between cl...

On this episode we welcome Dan Dunmoyer, President and CEO of the California Building Industry Association (CBIA). After a short discussion of his background as a native Californian, assembly staffer and work before the CBIA, the conversation turns almost completely to a focus on housing in California. They discuss everything from skyrocketing new home cost, housing shortages, why multifamily hous...

Today’s interview is with Lisa Calderon, candidate for the 57th Assembly district. They discuss campaigning during covid, and the necessary changes to retail politics, her unique background, and how working for Willie Brown gives her a different perspective from most candidates. The discussion then turns to her priorities including wildfire management and climate change, and her fears of disinform...

We welcome back Tom Sheehy of the Sheehy Strategy Group for an in-depth discussion of AB 5 and this year’s legislative changes to the law. The discussion starts with background: the 2018 CA Supreme Court’s Dynamex decision and Assemblymember Gonzalez’s introduction of AB 5. Then they discuss the changes and carve-outs that happened in the fall of 2019, including an intriguing part where a senator...

We welcome Assemblymember Ash Kalra of the 27th Assembly District. The conversation begins by discussing the South Bay fires, then the conversation backtracks to March to discuss coronavirus and his bill package focusing on his Racial Justice Act. Then they discuss how covid has affected San Jose and the Bay Area, and his background as a public defender. The Assemblymember then dives deeply into c...

Today we welcome Scott Graves of the California Budget and Policy Center. The CBPC provides independent fiscal and policy analysis of the California budget with the goal of improving the lives of low and middle income Callfornians. Scott begins by discussing how the legislature set up a rainy day fund in anticipation of future recessions and how accessing the fund helped soften the fiscal blow cau...

SacTown Talks returns from the end of session break with a strong episode. Senate Lena Gonzalez returns to discuss broadband access and how California needs to close the digital divide, the way the state can save money by using technology, and why she felt safe returning to the Capitol. The conversation then focuses on her chairpersonship of the Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Respo...

SacTown is pleased to welcome Assemblymember Kevin McCarty to the show. The show starts with a bang with the real time reaction to Kamala Harris being chosen as the Democratic vice presidential candidate. Kevin gives his reaction both as a California politician and a bi-racial person. The episode then flies through a range of topics including covid and school reopening, his reduced bill package, p...

SacTown Talks welcomes Speaker Pro Tempore Assemblymember Kevin Mullin to the podcast. They discuss this sober time in government and what it was like representing one of the first areas in the US to shut down due to COVID. The conversation moves to his unique background: working for Rep. Jackie Spear and how he influenced his father’s decision to run for office, and how he now holds that same off...

Today we welcome Assemblymember Shirley Weber to the program. We waste no time and start directly on her bill package, which was paired down to 3 major issues all of which focus on social justice in California. The first was ACA 5, which will be on the November ballot as Proposition 16 and would repeal Proposition 209. Dr. Weber discusses the details of political maneuvering both inside and outsid...

Today we welcome Ann Ravel, candidate for State Senate District 15. She and Jarhett start by discussing her background. She has been at every level of government from the Santa Clara city government, to being appointed by Jerry Brown to the California Fair Political Practices Commissions, then to the Federal Elections Commission by President Obama and why she decided this was the right time to try...

We welcome today Assemblymember Jose Medina, of the 66th Assembly District, which covers  Riverside California. They started by discussing what it's like being back in the legislature, how everyone’s bill package went on a “covid diet,” but as chair of the higher education committee he still gets to hear important bills. They discuss his background as the son of immigrants, becoming a school teach...

SacTown Talks welcomes Senator Bob Archuleta of the 32nd Senate District, or as he calls it “the fightin’ 32nd.” They discuss his path to the senate, from the 82nd Airborne to county commissioner and his belief in the rewards one gets from serving the community. They discuss his belief that COVID brings communities and families together, especially in his district. Then they discuss his bill prior...

SacTown Talks is pleased to welcome Senator Lena Gonzalez of the 33rd Senate District. Please note that due to technical difficulties this podcast is audio only. She discusses a very interesting first year in the Senate and her background on the Long Beach City Council. Then the discussion pivots to her role as chair of the special committee on pandemic emergency response, the need for more data o...

SacTown Talks welcomes Mark Guillen of Crown Castle to the program. Crown Castle is a nation large infrastructure provider in the telecommunications space - fiber, small cells and towers. They discuss the geographic and digital divide both across the nation and specifically in California, how COVID has shone light on digital divide and how legislators are thinking about how to close the gap, the f...

This week SacTown Talks welcome Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of the 66th Assembly District. The discussion includes how he got into politics, his coming back to win his seat after a loss, and what drives him in politics. Then he and Jarhett discuss anti-Asian racism both in his district and across California, how the legislature can respond both to COVID and systematic racism, and how environmenta...

  Social Media handles: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/californiaeventscoalition/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/caeventscoal Instagram: http://instagram.com/californiaeventscoalition

SacTown Talks welcomes Senator Steve Glazer, of the 7th Senate District, to discuss the resurgence of COVID in California, the role and responsibility of the Governor, the Legislature and the citizens of the state, and his recent op-ed in the Sacramento Bee. The senator discusses the positive steps the governor took at the beginning of the crisis, and where the state went wrong last month. He argu...

SacTown Talks is pleased to introduce the host of our new upcoming podcast Politcal-ish, David Quintana. In this episode we discuss his backstory, how he got into lobbying, his passion for interior design, his view that lobbying is akin to sales, his work creating the Back to Session BASH party, and how COVID had changed the nature of lobbying. Then they discuss what the new podcast is going to be...

Today on SacTown Talks we have two guests: Assemblymembers Todd Gloria and Jacqui Irwin.   Assemblymember Todd Gloria joins us to discuss constituent service and campaigning during a pandemic, and the changing nature of San Diego politics. Then they talk about housing and homelessness, how his bill package went on a diet, and how funding for mental health services can be better spent. They finish...

Today we have a special live in studio conversation edition of SacTown Talks with Assemblymembers Heath Flora and Jim Cooper. The discussion points include changing law enforcement, overcriminalization, next tier solutions such as after school programs and early childhood education, ACA 5, discussing the political process and how bills develop or devolve supports, the Central Valley, water rights,...

Dr. Colin Mangham, Director of Research, Drug Prevention Network of Canada joins the show to discuss Vancouver’s Safe Injection Site and his study of drug prevention policy. He explains the flaws with safe injections sites, passive treatment of drug dependency and politicization of science. He continues by discussing the necessity of mandatory addiction treatment and examines different treatment c...

Senator Holly Mitchell rejoins the program for a wide ranging discussion including COVID legislation, the California budget, Black Lives Matter, protesting and police reform and how her legislation is part of a broader effort to bring racial equity and justice to California. As the chair of the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee she discusses the challenges of creating a budget under unprecedented...

SacTown Talks welcomes Vincent Oliver, gaming attorney and cardroom expert, talking about the history and future of gaming in California. They discuss the history of regulation in California, how the different gaming interests came to loggerheads, why he disagrees with SCA 6 and the state's approach, why tribal casinos have issues with cardrooms and how he would change gaming regulation in Califor...

SacTown Talks has Fred Topel of the California Freelance Writers United. Fred discusses how he got into freelance writing, what freelance writing looked like before AB5, his worry that AB5 mistakes will be duplicated on the national level, his view on the changing nature of the media, and his hopes for changes to AB5 that will help both freelance writers and musicians. Note between recording and p...