Housing remains the hottest topic in California policy, and our guest today is Sanjay Wagle, who heads up the Governmental Affairs team for the California Association of Realtors. The Realtors' Gubernatorial Forum was a hot ticket in Sacramento last week, and we discuss the topics raised there, and many others. And, of course we tell you who had the Worst Week in California Politics.

1:32 CAR Gubernatorial Forum

6:55 Single Stair reform

7:58 Insurance Commissioner's Race

9:53 Ticketmaster

11:43 TV picks?

17:06 Sanjay Wagle

18:05 The state of the housing market

20:30 Home prices: California vs. rest of US

23:03 You need an average income of $213K to afford a home in CA

24:35 How many houses does California need?

30:28 Cost of permits and fees is a de facto block on housing

34:58 Insurance

38:52 Impact of Fire Hardening on curb appeal

42:40 Housing bond

43:48 #WWCA

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This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

This is the Keynote: Asm. Buffy Wicks in conversation with Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen.

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Our guest Jennifer Barrera has been President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce since 2021. The venerable institution - founded in 1890 as the California State Board of Trade - advocates for pro-business policies and investments. Barrera is well known and well respected in the capitol community, and has been an effective messenger for the CalChamber's many causes, including reform of the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). She spoke with us about the Chamber's approach to the state's affordability crisis, the increasing calls to tax the ultra-rich and a ballot measure to reform CEQA. 

1:27 What's on Capitol Weekly?

4:00 February 25, 1942: The Battle of Los Angeles

5:30 Jennifer Barrera

6:08 Thoughts and expectations for 2026

8:10 Affordability

10:28 CEQA ballot measure

19:29 Ballot measure process

24:39 PAGA reform

31:49 AI - Boon or bubble?

35:42 Taxing the ultra-rich

41:13 #WWCA

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Today we welcome Clint Kellum, the new (as of November 2025) Director of the California Department of Cannabis Control.  The CDCC licenses and regulates cannabis businesses, including regulation of cannabis growers, manufacture of cannabis products, and sales, transportation and tracking of cannabis goods. Kellum took the helm just after Governor Newsom signed AB 564, a bill to reset the state’s cannabis excise tax rate at 15% until 2028, giving California's struggling legal cannabis market hope after a rough few years. Kellum explains what AB 564 means for the industry and the state, and looks at challenges and opportunities ahead. And, as always, we tell you who had the Worst Week in California Politics.

1:03 Bill introductions and lobbying reports

3:42 The Top Two Simulator

6:04 Clint Kellum

6:45 AB564

8:09 The taxation environment

12:42 Complexities of descheduling

13:30 Startups?

15:02 Illegal cannabis seizures

19:46 Direct to consumer sales

21:54 Biggest challenges and opportunities

25:49 How did you get into this?

29:03 #WWCA

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This week we're joined by lobbyist Jennifer Fearing of Fearless Advocacy.  Fearing was a key player in the negotiations to pass SB 54, a landmark bill that regulates plastic waste in California. Governor Newsom signed the bill in 2022, but as we all know, passing legislation is one thing, implementation is another. Fearing walks us through the bill's complicated journey, and gives us an updates on it, and other environmental actions in the state.  Plus - Who had the Worst Week in California Politics.

:42 Sports tix for electeds

7:06 Jennifer Fearing

8:55 Regulating SB 54

12:13 How often do regs change?

13:50 SB 54 has legs outside of California

16:57 The steps

19:39 Some environmental good news

24:54 "Deals are a bunch of trades"

26:21 Recycling: not a new idea

29:01 #WWCA

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The race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom has taken up most of California's political oxygen so far this year, but there are other statewide races coming up, including Lt. Governor, State Insurance Commissioner, and - potentially - a slew of Ballot Measures. Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen, reporter Leah O'Tarrow and podcast co-host Tim Foster take a look at the 2026 ballot. Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.

1:42 Gubertorial debate

3:23 Not talking about the Governor's race

5:46 Top Two: Republicans for Governor?

10:01 Lt. Gov's race

12:32 Tim Myers

17:25 The Insurance Commissioner's race

24:20 Ballot Measures

28:21 Polling - the Herding Effect

30:16 Auto accident liability payouts

32:27 Child safety - AI and smartphones

34:43 Liability for rideshare companies

40:30 Gratuitous Alex Vassar mention

44:43 #WWCA

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We're joined today by longtime capitol consultant - now retired - Brian Green, who worked in communications for the Senate Dem Caucus from 2011 until last year. As principal consultant, Green prepared talking points and issue updates, recorded videos, set up press conferences and hosted the “Then There’s California” podcast featuring in-depth interviews with Democratic senators. He began his career at 16, working as a DJ at a Redding radio station, parlaying that experience into talk radio gigs at high-power southern California stations KABC and KTMS. One year into retirement, he has launched his own podcast, "California Voices, with Brian Green."

1:32 What if Matt Mahan gets in the race for governor?

4:00 Housing Conference

5:44 Sacramento Bee article on tiny homes

6:18 Brian Green

8:28 Reading Lou Cannon

10:28 Memorable figures in #Caleg

12:08 "The voice of God"

12:37 Willie Brown's weekly radio broadcast

16:32 "Then There's California"

23:03 Sen. Leland Yee

24:53 "You are lucky if you can influence legislation on the fringes of public policy"

26:20 "California Voices with Brian Green"

31:07 A sit down with Sutter

34:16 Celebrities at the capitol

38:51 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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Jack Ohman has been a political cartoonist for 48 years; he got his start at the Minnesota Daily when he was still a college student, and at 19 he became the youngest-ever syndicated cartoonist in the United States. He has worked at major papers across the US, including The Detroit Free Press, The Oregonian and The Sacramento Bee, where in 2016 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. Since 2023 he has been the editorial cartoonist and a political columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle, and also publishes at his Substack, Jack Ohman's You Betcha.

He joined us to talk about his history in the news biz, the state of editorial cartooning, the death of Scott Adams, and much, much more.   Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.

1:00 Sports betting update

3:27 The Prop. 50 court decision

5:41 Clarissa Laguardia podcast

6:47 Jack Ohman

7:46 Origin story

9:23 Collapse of the afternoon papers

11:53 Substack

14:04 Political cartooning vs. comic strips

15:30 "I never really wanted to be a cartoonist, I wanted to be governor of Minnesota"

16:00 Kate Brown

18:27 Youngest syndicated cartoonist

23:46 Are we in a new Yellow Journalism era?

26:58 "In some ways we're fighting the same battles of the Civil War"

33:27 The Death of Scott Adams

36: 39 Bacchi Decision

40:21 Where is cartooning right now?

48:46 Thomas Nast

49:43 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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We're joined today by Clarissa Laguardia, Executive Director of the California Center for Civic Participation (CalCenter). CalCenter is a non-profit organization that works to engage young people in the democratic process. Their approach to civic participation centers youth voices, demystifies the process, and equips and connects young people with opportunities to create impactful change in their communities.

Laguardia is passionate about CalCenter's projects - she knows firsthand the importance of engaging in the poltical experience. She grew up in El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War and migrated to the United States after high school, speaking no English. She navigated the immigrant experience largely on her own, mastering the language and gaining a profound understanding of the importance of communication. Her background has helped her connect with young people statewide.

While CalCenter's programs have always been the heart of the organization, it is probably best known for producing The California Roast. For decades, the Roast was one of the highest-profile fundraisers on the Capitol calendar, with Governors, Attorneys General, Speakers, Pro Tems and other well known California pols flaming each other in a bawdy evening of - mostly - good-spirited fun. The Roast ended nearly a decade ago - and backfilling that fundraising is a challenge in itself.

1:33 A Conference on Housing

4:39 PSA: Op-Eds

5:55 Clarissa Laguardia

7:06 What is the CalCenter?

9:21 Capitol Focus, She Shares and The California Roast

12:11 "Speaking their language"

16:32 Shout out to Jim Muldavin

18:08 Laguardia's backstory and how it helps her connect with young people

20:14 "Being the other has helped me... I know what it's like in my own skin"

26:39 Cynicism about Democracy

29:26 Reaction of students

34:04 Shake the Future Up

37:55 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/

Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie took office one year ago this week after beating incumbent mayor London Breed and several sitting and former SF supervisors in what ended up as a wide open four-way race. Lurie's first year has largely been seen as a success, with the notable exception of his appointment of former Sunset pet shop owner Beya Alcaraz to a vacant supervisor's seat - a position she held for less than one Scaramucci.

We're joined today by Mission Local Managing Editor and columnist Joe Eskenazi, who looks back over Lurie's first year, and gets us up to speed on other San Francisco political news, including the race to replace Nancy Pelosi, who has announced that she will not seek another term. On January 7, Eskenazi and Cynthia Laird of the Bay Area Reporter will moderate a forum with the top three candidates: Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco); San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan; and Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff to Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

We also take a look at the possibility of an initiative to reopen the Great Highway to auto traffic, and the effort to form a municipal power company that would take over PG&E's electrical infrastructure via eminent domain - a movement that got a boost following last week's massive power outage. Plus, Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.

1:12 Joe Eskenazi

1:31 House District 11 Forum

2:27 A report card on Mayor Lurie's first year

6:19 Lurie's longest week: Beya Alcaraz and all that

14:21 The initiative to reopen the Great Highway and impact on the race to replace Nancy Pelosi

17:08 Labor

19:37  Saikat Chakrabarti

20:32 Supervisor Connie Chan

21:02 Sen. Scott Wiener

22:55 PG&E blackout

23:39 A San Francisco municipal power utility?

31:00 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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