Today we welcome California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of the 16th Assembly District that covers the eastern Bay Area. She starts with how the 2016 election had a profound impact on her and her family, the difference between working in the law and making laws, her bill AB988 that would establish a mental health crisis hotline that would provide a healthcare response instead of a police response for those in distress, as well as her work on transportation, juvenile justice and climate change.   SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

SacTown Talks

Interview with Asm. Rebecca Bauer - Kahan

Today we welcome California Senator Melissa Hurtado of the 14th Senate District which covers parts of the southern Central Valley between Fresno and Bakersfield. She starts the podcast with a lovely tribute to Scott Lay, then talks about how the Great Recession affected her, her road to the senate, and how reelection is shaping up. The majority of the conversation focused on her district and her work fixing water issues in California, and the connection between water, food and environmental security. She also discusses her work on President Biden’s Latino Leadership Committee.  SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Senator Melissa Hurtado

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Blanca Rubio of the 48th Assembly District that covers Baldwin Park and the East San Gabriel Valley. We discuss what a day during the legislative recess looks like for legislators, then how the pandemic has affected her district and her family, and why getting people vaccinated is the key to reopening California fully. The conversation then turns to her legislation focused on seniors, children, and domestic violence victims, and how her next legislation will be banning expulsion for preschoolers. Finally, we finish with her advice on how and when interested parties should be discussing potential legislation with her office.   SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more! 

Interview with Asm. Blanca Rubio

Today we are happy to have California Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva who represents the 65th Assembly District, which includes portions of northern Orange County. She talked about helping to open up Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, and the opening up of the economy in her district. She also discusses her bills for the session including specific funding for projects in her district and priorities for helping build more housing stock and reminding homelessness. Finally, we discuss her role as Chair of the Assembly Arts Committee and the opening up of venues across her district and California. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Asm. Sharon Quirk - Silva

Today we bring you a solemn episode celebrating the life of Scott Lay. Mainly known for his must-read daily newsletter, the Nooner, Scott was also a community college advocate, Buddhist, lover of farmer’s markets and tacos, and passionate about politics and policy. He helped start SacTown Talks and, behind the scenes, was still giving valuable advice and assistance. Our guests are two of his oldest friends, Paul Mitchell and Anthony York, to reminisce about the life and times of Scott Lay.SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Remembering Scott Lay

Today we welcome veteran lobbyist Kristina Bas Hamilton. From 2010 to 2020, she worked as a policy analyst then lead lobbyist for the United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930). We discuss her background, what political changes she’s seen in Sacramento, why she started her own consulting firm, how she adapted to lobbying in the time of covid, and an insightful look into working in a male-dominated field.

Interview with Kristina Bas Hamilton

Today we interview Jaime Zepeda, community organizer, nonprofit and small business advisor and tech leader and candidate for California State Senate District 10. He tells the amazing story of journeying to California by himself as a high school student to live the American dream, how that relates to why he is running for office, how learning to campaign during covid has presented challenges and opportunities, and what he finds fascinating about running for office for the first time. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Jaime Zepeda

Tomorrow is the recall election of California Governor Gavin Newsom so we thought it best to consult an expert. And we found the best recall election expert out there: Joshua Spivak. He’s Senior Fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, the author of Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom, and runs The Recall Elections Blog. We learn the history of the modern recall, especially in California, but also in other states and countries, what is different about the recall of Gavin Newsom, his thoughts on the necessity of changing California’s recall laws, and finish discussing his book.  SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Joshua Spivak

Today we welcome back to the program California State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco. The senator joins us to discuss his legislative priorities, which include housing zoning and development, drug decriminalization, changes to alcohol laws to help restaurants and bars stay open, and a host of investments for his districts.   SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Senator Scott Wiener

Today we interview Rocklin City Councilmember, Joe Patterson. Rocklin, California is a suburb of Sacramento about 30 mins northeast of the California capitol. Joe has been a council member for 5 years, and we discuss all things housing from a local perspective. Joe takes us through all the steps of the building process, how he works to assuage concerns over new building with local residents, and how California can streamline the process for building new housingSacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy, and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analyses by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Joe Patterson

Our guest this week is former California Assemblymember Mike Gatto back with more insight into the inner workings of California politics with an episode on the end-of-session when California passes its budget and all the wheeling and dealing gets done. Listen as he describes some of the things he learned, and what he thinks all citizens should understand about the process. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy, and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Mike Gatto on the End of Session Hijinks

Today we welcome Darrell Review, President of the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers. He takes us through California Senate Bill 296 which would mandate locality to establish training for code enforcement officers which would modernize, professionalize and protect code enforcement officers around California, with no new costs to taxpayers.  SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy, and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Darrell Revier

Today’s guest is labor lawyer and former political candidate Kipp Mueller. Kipp discusses why he became a workers rights attorney, how he ran for California state senate by happenstance, his best and worst experiences campaigning, and his future in California politics. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Kipp Mueller

Today we interview Rodney Wilson, currently an elite realtor and formerly a legislative staffer. Rodney was chief of staff to Assemblymember before starting a career outside of politics and the legislature. He firmly believes that the link between his work in the legislature and in real estate is people, and that working on a common set of goals, communicating clearly, and managing expectations are key aspects to successful client relationships across industries. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Interview with Rodney Wilson

Today we welcome three guests for a labor law regulations panel: Tom Sheehy of the Sheehy Strategy Group, Ashley Hoffman, Policy Advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce, and John Kabateck, California State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business and President of Kabateck Strategies. We discuss new California mandates on worker leave and their effects on employers of all sizes, as well as unfunded liabilities, California’s unemployment fund, and how each of them have been working with clients during covid. SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Labor Law Regulation Panel Tom Sheehy, Ashley Hoffman, & John Kabateck

Weekly News Roundups and Conversations with California’s Leaders in Politics and Policy.

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SacTown Talks

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