Last week, James Gallagher, California State Assembly Republican Leader, and Brian Jones, California State Senate Republican Leader, joined PPIC president and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye to talk about the most important issues facing our state.
Addressing the high cost of living is a top priority for these legislative leaders. “The biggest issue on the average Californian’s mind is ‘how do I pay the bills?’ Utility bills, gas, housing costs, rent, eggs,” said Assemblymember Gallagher, who represents parts of the Sacramento Valley. “This has always been the state that everyone wants to come to…. But it’s becoming incredibly hard to live in.”
Both representatives cited a difficult regulatory environment as a factor that contributes to affordability challenges and restricts economic growth. Senator Jones, who represents parts of San Diego County, said that California needs a “wholesale reform” of licensing, permitting, and other regulations that create obstacles for new businesses and job growth.
During crises like the devastating wildfires in Pacific Palisades, what is the role of government? Gallagher and Jones said that government plays a critical role in getting aid to victims as quickly as possible and removing barriers to rebuilding. Jones indicated that crisis aid and politics “need to be… two different things,” adding that providing aid when needed is “what we do as Americans. We help the people that need help.”
Months before the fires in January, several insurers, including State Farm and Allstate, left California or cancelled policies in fire-prone areas. Gallagher emphasized that mitigating fire risk in and around communities is essential to stabilize the insurance market. He said that more prescribed burns to reduce fuel load and more upgrades to infrastructure like powerlines are necessary to keep communities safer and make insurance more affordable in the long run.
The discussion further touched on the broader need to elevate the viewpoints of rural California, the location of much of the state’s tourism, agriculture, and energy industries. Jones remarked that wildfires used to be predominantly a rural concern, but they are now increasingly occurring in urban regions too. “A lot of our colleagues across the aisle really do desire a bipartisan relationship,” he said. “It’s up to us to have those conversations and educate our urban colleagues that [rural] issues are statewide now.”
Gallagher explained that being in the minority party forces him to reach out to fellow representatives to move his legislative priorities forward. “No matter who you are, I’m going to talk to you about my bill,” he said. “Many times, our bills are killed on party line votes. [But] sometimes, we can find a colleague on the other side of the aisle who will take up an idea of ours and move it forward…. There are opportunities, even in the minority, to be part of substantive change.”
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PPIC’s Speaker Series on California’s Future invites thought leaders and changemakers with diverse perspectives to participate critically, constructively, and collaboratively in public conversations. The purpose is to give Californians a better understanding of how our leaders are addressing the challenges facing our state.
PPIC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. PPIC does not take or support positions on any ballot measure or on any local, state, or federal legislation, nor does it support, endorse, or oppose any political parties or candidates for public office. Any opinions expressed by event participants are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect any position of the Public Policy Institute of California.
