SacTown Talks

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Miguel Santiago of the 53rd Assembly District, which covers downtown and east side Los Angeles. Assemblymember Santigo joins us to discuss his background and how his district is one of the poorest in California, while also being one of the most culturally rich. Then they discuss a key issue for the Assmebleymember: human trafficking and how his budget request can help to combat it in 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!

Our guest this week is former California Assemblymember Mike Gatto to discuss all things Appropriations Committee. As a former chair during the Great Recession, Mike can explain all the nuances of how and why bills get passed and debunks the four greatest myths of the committee that even legislators still believe.  

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!

Today we welcome California Assemblymember Mike Gipson of the 64th Assembly District. 

We discuss why he sees his transition from police officer to labor leader and politician as a continuation of public service, how giving someone a job can stop a bullet, his priorities of community building and reimaging policing, and why he chose the bowtie for his signature sartorial look. 

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!

Today’s interview is with political consultant Shawnda Westly. She tells her heartbreaking story of medical malpractice and an in-depth look at California’s Medical Insurance Compensation Reform Act. MICRA limits the amount of money patients can receive in damages. She discusses how MICRA works, including some parts that are relatively unknown, why the laws should be changed, what type of resistance there is to change the law, and how monopoly power affects 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!

Today we welcome two experts from the California Budget & Policy Center, Monica Davalos and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, to discuss the recently released Budget Center report urging 

California policymakers to declare racism as a public health crisis. We explore why they think this is necessary and how racism affects housing, the environment,  employment, health care, the justice system, and education.

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!

Our guest this week is former Assemblymember Man Gatto and we do a deep dive on Bitcoin, blockchain, and all things cryptocurrency!  We discuss the murky origins, why the price has risen so much, how cryptocurrency works, and what the future might be. 

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!

Today’s interview is with Dr. Micah Weinberg of California Forward. We discuss a multitude of issues facing California, including broadband for all, wildfire prevention, housing and homelessness, and why California should spend one-time expenditures on things that can pay dividends in the future.

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!

Today’s interview is with California Senator Bob Wieckowksi. This episode features a lot from climate policy from wildfire preventions and recycling, to cap and trade and carbon sequestration. We also discuss his bills on arbitration and why he thinks every high school student will have a summer job in forest management in the future. 

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!

Today we interview California Senator Steven Bradford where he discusses his work as the Chairman of the Black Legislative Caucus, why California needed a Committee on Reparations and updates on his priorities for the legislative session.  

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!

Today we have a powerful episode. We are excited to have the first California Native American elected to the Legislature, Assemblymember James Ramos. He discussed how he got to elected office, how more native people can be elected, how California needs to understand its past to fully embrace the diversity of its future, how tribal governance prepared him for the California legislature and more! 

Book recommended in this podcast: 

Benjamin Madley, An American Genocide, The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe 

Elias Castillo, A Cross of Thorns, The Enslavement of California’s Indians by the Spanish Missions,

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!