Sacramento County Elections & Politics Digest

Robert Rivas tells anyone who will listen that his rise from farmworker housing on the rural Central Coast to Assembly Speaker is wholly unexpected. But many who have watched the Democrat’s climb from an outgoing high-schooler to a San Benito County supervisor to the holder of one most powerful political offices in the state are not surprised.

Galt's new assemblyman wants to build consensus on regional issues.

A divided Stockton City Council voted 4-3 to raise the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag in honor of Pride Month. Earlier this month, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors failed to pass a motion to fly the Pride flag above the county's administrative building.

Most of what Californians experience with homelessness occurs along public spaces and city streets. But what happens when a city council member loses her home? Ojai’s Suza Francina is finding out.

Dwayne Crenshaw, president of the Greater Sacramento Urban League president, says Pride is “not just a party.”

An increasing number of Japanese, Jewish and other non-Black groups are expressing their support for reparations to Black American residents of the state who are descendants of enslaved people.

Legislators threatened to reject Newsom’s infrastructure package if he won’t remove the Delta water tunnel. The issue could be ammunition as the budget deadline looms.

Not a single voting member of the Sacramento City Council, California Legislature or U.S. Congress identifies as ethnically Pacific Islander. A local community group hopes to change that with classes and activities, including visits to the state Capitol.

California lawmakers are poised to consider HR 47, which would rename room 317 in the Capitol as the “Speaker Anthony Rendon Press Room.” The resolution highlights Rendon’s lengthy time as speaker—the longest since California set term limits for state lawmakers.

Two weeks after the state of Florida chartered two planes to take the Latin American migrants to Sacramento, many of the individuals aboard the flights are still questioning the reasons why.

Speaking to the Elk Grove Citizen, Darren Suen talked about his plan to run in 2024. “These past nine years, you’ve seen a lot of transformation for the better, and I’d like to continue,” he said.

The arguments made by the Los Angeles Unified School District to fight a 2021 lawsuit attempting to reopen schools sparked a campaign to enshrine a constitutional right to a high-quality education. Let the politics begin.

California’s state budget is the product of a multi-month, multi-step process that involves the governor, the Legislature, lobbyists, interest groups and the public. Here are the key dates along the way.

Democratic leaders in the Legislature unveiled their California budget agreement, but Gov. Newsom must sign off for a final deal. There are some significant differences with what Newsom proposed in May.

The state’s 2023-24 budget has been subject to a lot of political wrangling this year as California faces a $31.5 billion spending gap. The constant push and pull of balancing the budget means that if one program, agency or proposal receives funding, something else could lose out. The Legislature is expected to pass its budget [...]

The state Assembly has passed legislation to require large cities, counties and school districts to use independent commissions to redraw districts for their governing boards, but the measure exempts five major counties.

In May, a video featured a young woman named Brooklyn imploring viewers to tell the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation about the importance of EarnIn, part of a relatively new app-based industry that provides cash advances to people based on their wages.

California is considering banning the use of “reverse search warrants,” which compel tech companies to disclose the identities of individuals based on the location of their phone and internet search history. Abortion activists call it vital.

The deadline for bills to pass their first house in the California Legislature has come and gone. Most made it. A few failed. And a handful of intriguing bills that didn’t pass may resurface because their authors aren’t giving up.

Governor Newsom has revealed that Elk Grove Unified School District libraries will not be participating in any book bans, and the same will be true around the state. The school district may face legal consequences if they ban books under the new mandate.

The California/Hawaii NAACP lobbied legislators in Sacramento in support of four priority bills that address racial injustice and discrimination in California.

As she delivered the keynote address at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.’s Day at the Capitol, Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber stood behind a lectern that read “Advocate for Social Justice”—something she says “most African American legislators are doing.”

The Galt City Council recently approved midterm budget adjustments that accounted for tax revenue that came in higher than expected. This has allowed for the development of new jobs, as well as expanding parks and recreation amenities.

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to give themselves a 36% raise. Only Sue Frost voted against the move, which was one of more than 50 items on the consent calendar and thus did not involve any public discussion.

Vice Mayor Bret Daniels formally announced that he will again run for the congressional seat held by Ami Bera. Daniels, a Republican, said he will fight to lower taxes, reduce “unnecessary regulations,” champion manufacturing, and strengthen the military.

Elk Grove City Councilman Sergio Robles was arrested for driving under the influence. He was found impaired and unresponsive early in the morning when police came to his vehicle.

Shasta County Supervisor Kevin Crye is the target of a recall campaign launched by residents angry and embarrassed over what they think is the extreme far-right turn their county has taken.

In their twice-a-year exercise, legislators killed hundreds of California bills in the process known as the suspense file. They included ones on abortion access, climate and homelessness. The state budget deficit also made an impact.

The Citrus Heights City Council reviewed the budget proposal for the next two years, and also approved the hiring of a consultant to manage grants. The city’s sales tax is no longer going to Sacramento County, which has allowed for a surplus.

California may be a Democratic stronghold, but it has also become a hotbed of right-wing, white supremacist and antisemitic activity, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL report found more incidents and collaboration between groups.

Social Justice PolitiCorps for Sac County, founded by community advocate Kula Koenig, is asking residents to give local government and elected officials marks on their performance in upholding social justice values and community needs.

Each of the five Black women serving in the California Legislative Black Caucus talk about the importance of diversity and seeing others who “look like them” in the political space. That has added meaning for Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), featured in the fourth installment of the Sacramento Observer’s “A Powerful Sisterhood” series.