In abstract
Gov. Newsom desires the California Legislature to arrange for the Trump administration, however its leaders additionally say they heard voters’ message on reducing the price of dwelling.
The leaders of the state Legislature have a message for voters: We all know you’re pissed off with how costly California is — and we’re going to repair it.
After a painful election that sparked recriminations and soul-searching amongst Democrats throughout the nation, state Senate President Professional Tem Mike McGuire and Meeting Speaker Robert Rivas are returning to Sacramento recommitted to addressing the affordability points that seem to have pushed extra voters towards the Republican Celebration in November.
As a brand new two-year legislative session kicks off at the moment on the state Capitol, McGuire and Rivas advised CalMatters in separate interviews that the precedence will likely be advancing insurance policies that decrease the price of dwelling for working Californians, together with by constructing extra housing, making power cheaper and enhancing public infrastructure.
“Our only way forward is to acknowledge that we have to do better,” Rivasa Salinas Democrat, mentioned. “It’s clear — we haven’t done enough.”
Simply don’t anticipate any dramatic adjustments below the dome. Regardless of dropping a handful of seats, each leaders are adamant that returning Democratic supermajorities sign that voters are nonetheless on board with their values, if not at all times the outcomes of their governance.
As an alternative, probably the most vital distinction in Sacramento subsequent 12 months is prone to be the shadow of a brand new president, Republican Donald Trump, who made California a punching bag on the marketing campaign path and has repeatedly threatened the state.
With many in state authorities resuming the resistance posture that outlined California’s relationship to Trump throughout his first time period from 2017 to 2021 — a concurrent particular session known as by Gov. Gavin Newsom to present as a lot as $25 million for anticipated litigation additionally convenes at the moment — it’s unclear how the Legislature will stability these competing pursuits and whether or not responding to Trump will finally distract from the work that the leaders say must occur on affordability.
“I firmly believe that we have to fight the damaging and destructive policies that Donald Trump is going to advance,” McGuirea Santa Rosa Democrat, mentioned. “We’re going to need to fight the Trump administration, but we can’t take our eye off all the challenges we need to fix.”
Taking losses in stride
The November election was undoubtedly a disappointment, although not a catastrophe, for legislative Democrats in California.
The Meeting caucus defended all of its incumbents however picked up not one of the Republican districts it focused and misplaced two open seats that had beforehand been held by Democrats. The Senate caucus additionally did not flip its goal districts, and members are fuming after a union ally helped the GOP take out one among their very ownthe primary sitting Senate Democrat to lose in a presidential election in additional than 4 a long time.
“Do we need to reflect? Absolutely. But the numbers don’t lie. The Senate Republican Caucus still fits into a minivan.”
senate chief mike mcguire
It was the finest displaying in a decade for legislative Republicans — all of the extra outstanding as a result of Trump, who California Democrats have efficiently used as a foil for years, was on the poll. The social gathering has celebrated it as proof that voters are fed up with how the Democrats in cost have dealt with affordability, homelessness and crime.
“As Californians grow increasingly frustrated with the failures of Democrat leadership, they are shifting toward Republican solutions,” Senate Republican Chief Brian Jones of San Diego mentioned in an announcement final week.
Democrats nonetheless keep complete management in Sacramento, together with 60 out of 80 seats within the Meeting and 30 out of 40 seats within the Senate. McGuire and Rivas insist these outcomes refute the notion that they’ve fallen out of step with what Californians need.
Rivas known as it a “clear mandate” for Democrats — to give attention to the problems that matter to voters, show they’re critical about governing and comply with by way of with higher outcomes.
“No, I don’t think we are out of touch,” he mentioned. “It’s not about changing who we are, but it’s about changing our approach to addressing these many challenges.”
McGuire was much more resolute that legislative Democrats had received in a landslide.
“Do we need to reflect? Absolutely. But the numbers don’t lie,” he mentioned. “The Senate Republican Caucus still fits into a minivan.”
Crime not a precedence
The leaders have few particulars but about how precisely they may tackle the price of dwelling within the coming session, as members proceed to develop their legislative agendas.
McGuire mentioned his caucus would advance an affordability plan “that makes the lives of working Californians and seniors better” and “go to the mat to fix our homelessness crisis.” Rivas mentioned he anticipated housing to be on the prime of the listing for his caucus, in addition to reviving a package deal of payments to decrease power costs that fell quick final session.
One subject that doesn’t look like a precedence is crime, a supply of rising anxiousness and frustration for a lot of Californianseven after voters overwhelmingly handed Proposition 36which strengthens penalties for some drug and theft offenses.
Legislative Democrats largely backed Newsom earlier this 12 months as he unsuccessfully tried to barter the measure off the November poll. It finally received approval from greater than 68% of voters, reversing a decade-long pattern of the voters loosening California’s legal justice legal guidelines.
McGuire and Rivas defended their method, which included passing a dozen payments cracking down on retail theft this summer time as negotiations over the poll measure fizzled — a legislative package deal that McGuire argues will do much more to unravel the issue than Proposition 36.
Although he mentioned lawmakers “need to listen” to the truth that voters needed to go even additional, McGuire didn’t decide to any further motion.
Rivas mentioned he’s critical about holding individuals who break the legislation accountable, however added that it is very important guarantee extra providers, similar to drug rehabilitation, can be found to forestall a return to an earlier period the place California’s prisons had been deemed unconstitutionally overcrowded.
“This is more than just sending people to jail. This is about alternatives to incarceration,” Rivas mentioned. “There is a pendulum. It swings hard left, hard right. We want to do an adequate job where that pendulum does not swing at all.”
The Trump issue
The Democratic leaders’ plans might be upended by what Trump decides to do when he takes workplace on Jan. 20.
Preventing again towards the president grew to become an inescapable focus of California officers throughout Trump’s first time period. Whereas the Legislature handed legal guidelines to guard the atmosphere, stop cooperation with immigration enforcement and even attempt to pry free Trump’s tax returnsthe state sued his administration greater than 120 instances over coverage disputes.
Simply two days after Trump received the presidency once more final month, Newsom known as a particular session in search of further funding for the state Division of Justice and different state companies as officers put together one other barrage of litigation. Battles are anticipated this time over entry to abortion remedyCalifornia’s dedication to phasing out gas-powered vehicles and protections for immigrants dropped at the nation illegally as kids.
McGuire mentioned the particular session is essential in order that California can transfer with velocity to “build a legal firewall” because it did earlier than.
“The United States of America is in the calm before the storm. The hurricane is about to hit,” he mentioned. “And shame on us if we’re not battening down the hatches.”
Whereas he’s “all in” on any real alternative to work with Trump to profit California, McGuire mentioned “there’s also a dark red line” that he received’t settle for the president crossing.
“I take Donald Trump at his word. He’s coming for those who don’t agree, and California is in the bullseye,” McGuire mentioned. “If the president-elect tries to undermine our state, undermine our democracy, he’ll quickly see how determined the people of California truly are.”
However they will not be as decided as they had been eight years in the past. Trump’s second victory, together with within the standard vote this time round, has been met by many Democrats extra with resignation than defiance.
Even Rivas appears disinclined to leap again into the fray. He mentioned California would defend its values, however with a lot of that work already accomplished, lawmakers might focus as an alternative on higher serving working individuals and Latino communities who’ve felt left behind.
“This is not 2016,” he mentioned. “Find an area in the last eight years where California hasn’t Trump-proofed already. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves.”
