California Politics 360 Full Episode

California Politics 360 Full Episode | Update on proposed billionaire tax

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with the leader behind the initiative, Suzanne Jimenez with SEIU-UHW.

BILLIONAIRES TAX GAINING NATIONAL ATTENTION. BERNIE SANDERS RALLYING SUPPORTERS THIS WEEK IN LOS ANGELES, WHERE THE BALLOT INITIATIVE STANDS. I SEE PEOPLE HAVE 5% OF THEIR NET WORTH SIMPLY TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE PUSHBACK TO PROPOSED TAX IS SEEING ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. TALKS STALLED ON ADDRESSING WATER SHORTAGES. THE COLORADO RIVER IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CALIFORNIA. THE DEBATE CALIFORNIA LEADERS ARE MAKING IN THE FIGHT FOR A PIECE OF THE WATER. WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS. 360 I’M ASHLEY ZAVALA A PROPOSED TAX ON BILLIONAIRES LIVING IN CALIFORNIA IS GAINING NATIONAL ATTENTION. SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS TRAVELED TO LOS ANGELES AND THE BAY AREA THIS WEEK TO RAMP UP SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED ONE TIME, 5% TAX ON BILLIONAIRES TO HELP FUND HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE. RIGHT NOW, ORGANIZERS ARE STILL COLLECTING SIGNATURES, BUT IT HAS SOME OF THE STATE’S RICHEST RESIDENTS ALREADY LEAVING. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM HAS REPEATEDLY BLASTED THE PROPOSAL, SAYING IT WILL BACKFIRE ON STATE DOLLARS AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE KEY STATE SERVICES WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOLS. I SAT DOWN WITH SUZANNE JIMENEZ, WHO FILED THE BALLOT INITIATIVE. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. SUZANNE, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN. SO WHAT’S THE STATUS OF THE INITIATIVE? DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY SIGNATURES YOU’VE COLLECTED SO FAR? YEAH, SO WE ARE OUT THERE COLLECTING SIGNATURES. IT’S ACTUALLY GOING REALLY GREAT GIVEN, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE’RE IN A GOOD PLACE AND WE’LL BE ANNOUNCING OUR 25% COLLECTION SOON. HOW MUCH OF A BOOST DO YOU EXPECT WITH BERNIE SANDERS VISITING THE STATE THIS WEEK TO SUPPORT THAT MEASURE? HOW? I MEAN, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THAT HELPED? I MEAN, I THINK THAT HAS REALLY PUT THIS INITIATIVE OUT KIND OF IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE IN CALIFORNIA. BERNIE, AS SENATOR SANDERS, I SHOULD SAY, NOT SO INFORMALLY. HE YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT HE’S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR POLITICAL FIGURES IN CALIFORNIA, MUCH LESS THE COUNTRY. AND SO WE THINK HAVING HIM AT OUR KICKOFF EVENT EARLIER THIS WEEK IS REALLY GOING TO BOOST. AND, YOU KNOW, WE’VE ALREADY SEEN THAT IN TERMS OF RESPONSE TO OUR WEBSITE, FOLKS INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING IN THE CAMPAIGN. WE’RE ACTUALLY TRAINING MORE VOLUNTEERS TO COLLECT SIGNATURES. SO IT REALLY HAS BEEN JUST IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, A REAL BOOST FOR THE CAMPAIGN. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES THAT ARE FORMING AND ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF A COUNTERMEASURE LANDING ON THE BALLOT TO TRY TO FIGHT WHAT YOU’RE PROPOSING HERE? YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, IT’S UNSURPRISING WE YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DECIDED WHEN OUR WITH THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS OF SEIU DECIDED TO TAKE ON THIS MEASURE, WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS EASY. WE KNEW THAT WE WERE ESSENTIALLY GOING UP AGAINST THE MOST WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, BUT WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE STOOD KIND OF IN IT BECAUSE WE KNEW WHY WE WERE DOING THIS. THIS IS ABOUT STOPPING A HEALTH CARE COLLAPSE IN OUR STATE. AND SO IT’S NOT SURPRISING, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE STOP THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS THAT’S LOOMING BEFORE US, WE SEE BILLIONAIRES, YOU KNOW, SPENDING ALL THEIR MONEY TRYING TO STOP A VERY, VERY, YOU KNOW, SMALL TAX THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO SHOW THEM TO STILL BE ULTRAWEALTHY AFTER THEY PAID A 5% TAX. AND SO NOT SURPRISING, UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS IN CALIFORNIA THAT NO ONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS THE COLLAPSE OF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. JIMENEZ AND I ALSO TALK ABOUT GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S LATEST WARNING AROUND THE PROPOSAL AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OR LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON INTERVENE. OUR FULL INTERVIEW IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 60.COM. WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT YET ON CALIFORNIA’S BALLOT, LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ARE WORKING TO BLOCK AT LEAST PART OF THE BILLIONAIRE’S TAX. REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN KILEY IS PROPOSING A FEDERAL LAW THAT WOULD SHIELD BILLIONAIRES WHO LEAVE CALIFORNIA BEFORE THE TAX WERE TO TAKE EFFECT. IT SPECIFICALLY STOPS ANY STATE FROM HAVING A RETROACTIVE TAX ON THE ASSETS OF SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. JOINING US NOW IS CONGRESSMAN KEVIN KILEY. REPRESENTATIVE KILEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME. YOU BET. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. SO I WANT TO START WITH THIS PROPOSAL THAT YOU FILED THIS WEEK. THAT APPEARS TO BE IN RESPONSE TO THE BILLIONAIRES TAX FROM SEIU, UFW THAT PROHIBITS STATES FROM TRYING TO CLAW ANY ASSETS WITH TAXES FOR PEOPLE WHO NO LONGER RESIDE. WHAT ULTIMATELY PROMPTED YOU TO FILE THIS? WELL, YES, IT WAS DEFINITELY THIS SO-CALLED WEALTH TAX OR BILLIONAIRES TAX THAT’S BEING PROPOSED IN CALIFORNIA. BUT THAT REALLY ISN’T QUITE AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF IT. IT’S NOT JUST A TAX, IT’S AN ACTUAL SEIZURE OR CONFISCATION OF ASSETS. AND SO YOU’RE GOING TO SEE PEOPLE HAVE 5% OF THEIR NET WORTH SIMPLY TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF CASH SITTING AROUND. SO THEY HAVE TO UNWIND THEIR COMPANIES. AND SO PREDICTABLY, WHAT YOU’RE SEEING IS THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HUGE JOB CREATORS, WHO PAY A LOT OF TAXES IN CALIFORNIA, AS IT IS, ARE NOW LEAVING THE STATE, ARE TAKING THEIR INVESTMENTS WITH THEM OR TAKING JOBS WITH THEM, AND ARE TAKING THE TAX DOLLARS THAT THEY PAY THROUGH INCOME TAXES WITH THEM. AND SO THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING TO BE A TOTAL DISASTER FOR CALIFORNIA IF IT PASSES. DO YOU THINK WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WASHINGTON’S FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP ISH WITH TECH, DO YOU SEE CONGRESS OR THE PRESIDENT INTERVENING HERE OR DOING SOMETHING THAT EITHER BLOCKS THIS FROM THE BALLOT OR TRIES TO TAKE ACTION IF IT DOES GET ON THERE? YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THIS. I MEAN, LOOK AT CALIFORNIA. EVEN GOVERNOR NEWSOM AGREES WITH ME ON THIS. I DON’T AGREE WITH GOVERNOR ON A LOT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS RATIONALLY CAN SEE THAT THIS WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE OF THE INTENDED EFFECT. IF THE IDEA IS THAT YOU’RE JUST GOING TO CONFISCATE PEOPLE’S ASSETS AND THEREBY INCREASE PUBLIC REVENUES. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IF PEOPLE AREN’T IN CALIFORNIA ANYMORE, THEY’RE NOT PAYING INCOME TAXES. AND BY THE WAY, IN CALIFORNIA IN SOME YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UPWARDS OF 50% OF OUR STATE INCOME TAX REVENUE COMES FROM THE TOP 1% OF EARNERS. SO IF YOU START TO LOSE EVEN SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE, THEN, YOU KNOW, IT COULD CAUSE THIS WHOLE HOUSE OF CARDS TO COME TUMBLING DOWN. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A THREAT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE HAVE IN CALIFORNIA IN ANY NUMBER OF WAYS. AND SO WE NEED TO USE EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN’T HAPPEN. YOU MENTIONED YOU AND THE GOVERNOR AGREE ON THIS, BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT HE DOESN’T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE SORTED OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT SOMETHING MAYBE NATIONALLY. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT? WELL, THAT’S WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HIM, YOU KNOW, ENDORSING MY LEGISLATION AND ENCOURAGING FOLKS IN CONGRESS TO SUPPORT IT. AND SPECIFICALLY, WHAT MY BILL DOES IS IT APPLIES TO THIS RETROACTIVE RETROACTIVE PROVISION. SO WHAT’S PARTICULARLY BAD ABOUT THIS WEALTH TAX PROPOSAL IS IT SAYS THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE LEFT CALIFORNIA OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE’RE STILL GOING TO TRY TO TAX YOU. AND SO THAT’S WHY YOU SEE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY LEFT, YOU KNOW, THE LIKES OF THE FOUNDERS OF GOOGLE OR MARK ZUCKERBERG OR LARRY ELLISON OR PETER THIEL, WHO ARE SAYING WE CAN’T EVEN, YOU KNOW, TOLERATE THE RISK THAT THIS THING IS GOING TO PASS, BECAUSE IF IT DOES, IT WILL BE TOO LATE FOR US. AND SO AT LEAST BY SAYING THIS DOESN’T APPLY RETROACTIVELY, IT RESTORES SOME BASIC FAIRNESS, AND IT ASSURES THAT PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE EVEN IN ADVANCE OF IT PASSING. BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID A WEALTH TAX SHOULDN’T BE SORTED OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT MAYBE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. IS SHOULD SHOULD LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. RESPOND TO MAYBE THE INEQUITY ISSUES THAT SOME IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LIKE THE SEIU, UFW, FOR EXAMPLE, IS POINTING TO AS A REASON TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS TAX? WELL, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. IF THAT’S WHAT HE MEANS BY A NATIONAL SOLUTION, YOU CAN LOOK AT OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TRIED DOING THIS SORT OF WEALTH TAX, WHICH IS TOTALLY FOREIGN TO ANYTHING WE’VE EVER HAD IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THEY ALL HAVE ACTUALLY REPEALED IT BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN’T WORK. IT ACTUALLY HAS THE OPPOSITE OF THE INTENDED EFFECT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY BAD IF WE ONLY HAD IT IN CALIFORNIA. AND THEN PEOPLE ARE LEAVING FOR OTHER STATES. BUT IF WE HAD IT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE THING FOR INNOVATION AND FOR OUR ECONOMY AS WELL. I ALSO ASKED CONGRESSMAN KILEY ABOUT HIS REELECTION CAMPAIGN, THIS AFTER HIS CURRENT DISTRICT WAS SPLIT INTO MULTIPLE DISTRICTS WITH PROPOSITION 50. OUR FULL INTERVIEW IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 60.COM. TALKS STALLED AMONG SEVERAL STATES ON A PLAN TO DIVVY UP RESOURCES FROM THE COLORADO RIVER. I SIT DOWN WITH OUR STATE’S NATURAL RESOURCES SECRETARY. HOW MUCH CALIFORNIA RELIES ON STILL. THERE’S STILL NO AGREEMENT AMONG STATES ON A PLAN TO SHARE WATER RESOURCES FROM THE COLORADO RIVER. SEVEN STATES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA, RELY ON A PORTION OF THE WATER. I SAT DOWN WITH CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES SECRETARY WADE CROWFOOT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THINGS STAND. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME. GREAT TO BE HERE. SO WITH THIS DEADLINE THAT WAS APPARENTLY MISSED LAST WEEK, WHAT IS THE RISK RIGHT NOW FOR CALIFORNIA? WELL, I’LL SHARE THAT. THE COLORADO RIVER IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CALIFORNIA AND SIX OTHER STATES AND A PORTION OF MEXICO. 40 MILLION AMERICANS GET AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR WATER SUPPLY FROM THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN. HALF OF THOSE 40 MILLION LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. A LARGE PORTION OF AGRICULTURE IN THE SOUTHWEST IS ALSO FED BY THIS RIVER. NOW, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WHEN WATER RIGHTS AND ALLOCATIONS WERE MADE A CENTURY AGO, THE HYDROLOGY WAS VERY DIFFERENT. A LOT MORE RAIN AND A LOT MORE SNOW. AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IS REDUCED WATER SUPPLY. SO THE BIG CHALLENGE IS HOW DO WE SPLIT UP A SMALLER PIE ACROSS SEVEN STATES AND MEXICO. AND THAT’S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE EACH OF OUR STATES COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT TO PROTECT OUR STATUS QUO ALLOCATIONS. BUT WE CAN’T BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH WITH A SHRINKING SUPPLY. SO YOU MENTIONED THIS, THIS CHALLENGE THAT THE SEVEN STATES ARE HAVING COMING TOGETHER ON A CONSENSUS PLAN. IT’S TRUE. WE HAVEN’T FOUND A COMMON PATHWAY TO MANAGE THE BASIN. AND IN THE ABSENCE OF A SHARED APPROACH AMONG SEVEN STATES, IT’S REALLY THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT ARE GOING TO DETERMINE HOW THE WATER SUPPLIES GET ALLOCATED. JUST TO TAKE A STEP BACK, HOW MUCH OF CALIFORNIA’S WATER SUPPLY DEPENDS ON THE COLORADO RIVER. SO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE 20 MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, GET THEIR WATER FROM REALLY THREE AREAS THE COLORADO RIVER, THE SIERRA NEVADA COMING FROM THE NORTH THROUGH THE DELTA, AND THE LA AQUEDUCT. EASTERN SIERRA. AND YOU COULD SAY ROUGHLY, IT’S ABOUT A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD. SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT ABOUT HALF OF CALIFORNIANS DEPEND ON THEM FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF THEIR WATER IN A GIVEN YEAR ON THE COLORADO RIVER. SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I’LL SAY THAT THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF CALIFORNIA, THE IMPERIAL COUNTY, DEPENDS WHOLLY ON THE COLORADO RIVER, NOT ONLY FOR AGRICULTURE BUT ALL THE COMMUNITIES. SO IT ENDS UP BEING REALLY IMPORTANT, THIS COLORADO RIVER WATER FOR CALIFORNIA. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS TENSION AMONG STATES ISN’T BASED ON POLITICAL PARTY, BUT MORE SO REGION. I MEAN, WHAT IS THE HOLDUP? WHAT’S THE STICKING POINT? WELL, IT’S REFRESHING THAT THERE ISN’T A POLITICAL POLARIZATION BY BY PARTY. THAT’S REALLY THE THE THE CHALLENGE. THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THE COMPACT, THE AGREEMENT THAT ALLOCATED WATER TO EACH OF US, CALLED FOR A LOT MORE WATER ACROSS THE BASIN. AND SO EACH STATE COULD MAKE A LEGAL ARGUMENT FOR MORE WATER THAN IT CAN USE AT THIS POINT. RIGHT? THE FACT IS, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES AND CONTRIBUTE AND KEEP WATER IN THESE RESERVOIRS. SO IN CALIFORNIA, WE’RE REALLY PROUD THAT WE, OVER TIME, HAVE USED LESS COLORADO RIVER WATER, AND WE’RE USING LESS COLORADO RIVER WATER THIS YEAR THAN I THINK WE HAVE IN DECADES. AND WE’VE DONE THAT THROUGH CONSERVATION, THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE WATER RECYCLING AND DESALINATION. AND OUR POINT AND THE POINT THAT WE MAKE WITH ARIZONA AND NEVADA, WHERE THE LOWER BASIN STATES IS, WE ALL HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE. SO RIGHT NOW THE BREAKDOWN IS BETWEEN THE LOWER BASIN, CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, NEVADA, SORT OF WITH AN ALIGNED VISION, AND THEN THE UPPER BASIN, COLORADO, UTAH, WYOMING AND NEW MEXICO. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT ALL THE GOVERNORS UNDERSTAND THAT A SHARED PATHWAY IS MUCH BETTER THAN CONFLICT AND LITIGATION, WHICH IS JUST GOING TO BREED UNCERTAINTY. THE CHALLENGE IS REALLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, GETTING ENOUGH OF THE CONTRIBUTION FROM EACH STATE TO HAVE IT BE TRULY A SHARED PATHWAY. I ALSO TALKED WITH SECRETARY CROWFOOT ABOUT THE STEPS THE STATE IS TAKING TO INCREASE WATER STORAGE, AND THE EFFORTS TO BUILD THE CONTROVERSIAL SITES RESERVOIR. OUR FULL INTERVIEW IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 60.COM. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM IS LEAVING THE STATE AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR A BOOK TOUR. OUR POLITICAL ANALYSTS ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. PLUS TAKEAWAYS FROM OTHER HEADLINES THIS WEEK. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM IS PROMOTING HIS NEW BOOK THAT’S BEING RELEASED NEXT WEEK. THE GOVERNOR WENT OUT OF STATE THIS WEEKEND, SKIPPING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION. JOINING US NOW ARE TWO POLITICAL EXPERTS. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST STEPHEN NAVIGLIO AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TIM ROSALES. THANK YOU BOTH FOR MAKING TIME. THANK YOU. SO SOME OF THE GOVERNOR’S BOOK TOUR STOPS INCLUDE STATES LIKE TENNESSEE, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. STEVE, I WANT TO START WITH YOU. I MEAN, WHY DO THIS NOW WHEN HE HAS, LIKE, TEN MONTHS LEFT TO BE GOVERNOR? WELL, YOU KNOW, I’M FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND THERE’S A GREAT LITTLE BOOKSTORE IN PORTSMOUTH, BUT YOU DON’T GO TO SELL BOOKS. WHEN YOU GO TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, YOU GO TO CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT. AND IT’S NO SECRET THAT’S WHAT HE’S DOING. HIS STOPS INCLUDE SOME OF THE MOST DEMOCRATIC STATES IN PLACES WHERE DEMOCRATS NEED TO SHOW UP. EVERYONE IS BOOKMARKED AND BOOK WITH A FUNDRAISER FOR A LOCAL CANDIDATE. SO THIS IS ABOUT GETTING HIS NAME OUT THERE. NOT NOT SO MUCH ABOUT SELLING BOOKS. TIM. THE GOVERNOR’S BOOK IS CALLED YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY. IT TALKS A LOT ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN SAN FRANCISCO POLITICS. DO YOU THINK PEOPLE IN TENNESSEE, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA REALLY ARE INTERESTED IN THAT? HE’S NOT SO YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY TO BE PRESIDENT IS REALLY WHAT WHAT HE IS RIGHT NOW. AND I DON’T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS I THINK ARE IN THOSE STATES ARE PROBABLY LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT CAN BE THAT KIND OF ASPIRATIONAL CHOICE. AND HE CERTAINLY HAS MADE A, YOU KNOW, REAL EFFORT TO DISTANCE HIMSELF AND BE KIND OF THE ANTI-TRUMP DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE. CERTAINLY THERE WILL BE OTHERS THAT WILL DO THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW, HE IS OCCUPYING THAT LANE. AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT DEMOCRATIC VOTERS, AT LEAST THOSE WHO ARE KIND OF YOUR MOST ARDENT AND STRIDENT DEMOCRATS, REALLY WANT. AND SO HE’S FEEDING RIGHT INTO IT. REPUBLICANS, THOUGH, I MEAN, IS THIS FODDER FOR THEM IN OTHER STATES OR NATIONALLY? WELL, CERTAINLY. I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE FACT IS, IS YOU CAN FUNDRAISE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, GAVIN NEWSOM OR WHATEVER DEMOCRAT, WHETHER IT’S KAMALA HARRIS OR OR ANY OTHERS, YOU DON’T HAVE, YOU KNOW, JOE BIDEN AND NANCY PELOSI TO KICK AROUND ANYMORE. SO REPUBLICANS HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER KIND OF FUNDRAISING TARGET TO TARGET AGAINST. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, GAVIN NEWSOM FITS THAT BILL. STEVE, CIRCLING BACK TO THE GOVERNOR, HAVING ABOUT TEN MONTHS LEFT ON HIS GOVERNORSHIP, I MEAN, HE JUST GOT BACK FROM MUNICH. HE WAS IN DAVOS A FEW WEEKS EARLIER. NOW HE’S LEAVING THE STATE AGAIN. I MEAN, DO DO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA. IS THIS WHAT THEY SIGNED UP FOR? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LATEST POLL FROM EMERSON WHERE HE’S ACTUALLY UNDERWATER, WHICH MEANS MORE PEOPLE DISAPPROVE THAN APPROVE OF THE JOB HE’S DOING. AND WE’VE SEEN THAT IN OTHER POLLS. PEOPLE THINK ALL THESE TRIPS OUTSIDE THE STATE AREN’T HELPING HIM. PLUS, YOU HAVE A WHOLE FIELD OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES SAYING, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE STATE, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT WAS DONE UNDER HIS WATCH. SO, I MEAN, HE’S ANXIOUS TO GET THAT PASSPORT STAMP WHENEVER HE CAN. I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS TO THE BILLIONAIRES TAX WITH BERNIE SANDERS COMING INTO CALIFORNIA. I MEAN, STEVE, HOW IS THIS A PROBLEM FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONSIDERING THE SPLIT? OH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE IT DIVIDES THE POPULIST SOCIALIST WING WITH THE MORE MODERATE WING. AND YOU CAN EVEN SEE IT IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR. NONE OF THE DEMOCRATS HAVE EMBRACED IT. EVEN THE BILLIONAIRE RUNNING AGAINST BILLIONAIRE TOM STEYER GAVE A VERY MISMATCHED ANSWER ABOUT IT. SO IT’S A HEADACHE. AND IT GIVES THE REPUBLICANS AN OPEN SEASON ON DEMOCRATS. TIM, IS THAT THE CASE? I THINK IT’S TRUE. REPUBLICANS HAVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WITH TARIFFS. RIGHT. AND WE JUST HAD THE SUPREME COURT RULING THAT CAME OUT ABOUT THAT. AND SO WE’VE GOT SOME REPUBLICANS THAT ARE ON ONE SIDE ON TARIFFS AND OTHERS THAT ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE ON TARIFFS. SO I THINK BOTH PARTIES HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT KIND OF DIVIDE THEM. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WHERE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN KIND OF TAKE SHOTS. PEOPLE ARE JUST ASKING KIND OF THE BASIC QUESTION, OKAY, I WOULD JUST WANT THINGS TO BE CHEAPER AND TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD STUFF. THAT’S IT. TELL ME HOW TO DO THAT. AND SO THAT’S WHERE THE VOTERS REALLY ARE. ALL RIGHT. WE APPRECIATE YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT, A LOOK BACK AT HOW CALIFORNIA BUILT THE STATE CAPITOL IN SACRAMENTO. THIS WEEK IN 1854, SACRAMENTO BECAME THE STATE CAPITOL OF CALIFORNIA. WHEN CALIFORNIA BECAME A STATE IN 1850, SAN JOSE WAS THE CAPITOL. DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS, LAWMAKERS WOULD MOVE TO DIFFERENT CITIES, TRYING TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT CENTER FOR GOVERNMENT. ON FEBRUARY 28TH OF 1854, SACRAMENTO WOULD BECOME THE HOME OF THE STATE’S GOVERNMENT. CONSTRUCTION ON THE CAPITOL THAT HOUSES LAWMAKERS TODAY BEGAN IN 1860. IT WOULD TAKE 14 YEARS TO COMPLETE, AND A LOT OF MONEY. THE BUDGET FOR THE CAPITOL SOARED FROM THE ORIGINAL $500,000 TO $2.45 MILLION BY 1874. MAJOR FLOODING, LABOR SHORTAGES AND MATERIAL SCARCITIES ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION. WHILE CONSTRUCTION WOULD GO UNTIL 1874, THE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD MOVE IN AT THE END OF 1869. IT WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL, THE STATE GOVERNMENT THREW A BALL TO COMMEMORATE THE MOMENT. THROUGH THE YEARS, LAWMAKERS WOULD EXPAND AND RENOVATE THE CAPITOL. IN 1906, LAWMAKERS ADDED A FOURTH FLOOR TO THE CAPITOL. IN 1951, THE EAST ANNEX OF THE CAPITOL WAS COMPLETED, AND IN THE EARLY 70S, THERE WAS GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE BUILDING’S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. SO IN 1974, LAWMAKERS WOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WEST WING OF THE CAPITOL. TWO YEARS LATER, RESTORATION WOULD BEGIN. IT LASTED SIX YEARS AND COST ABOUT $67 MILLION. RIGHT NOW, THE STATE CAPITOL IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AGAIN. TEN YEARS AGO, THEN GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN AND THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE CAPITOL ANNEX PROJECT. THE BUILDING THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE 50S. THE STATE HAS SET ASIDE $1.1 BILLION FOR THIS PROJECT AS OF DECEMBER, THOUGH, THE STATE HAS SPENT HALF OF THE MONEY. BUT THEY HAVE YET TO SAY HOW MUCH IT WILL END UP COSTING TAXPAYERS. THE ANNEX BUILDING IS SET TO BE COMPLETED BY FALL OF 2027. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS WEEK’S CALIFORNIA POLITICS 360. SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY.

California Politics 360 Full Episode | Update on proposed billionaire tax

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with the leader behind the initiative, Suzanne Jimenez with SEIU-UHW.

Updated: 8:25 AM PST Feb 22, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A proposed tax on billionaires living in California is gaining national attention. Sen. Bernie Sanders traveled to Los Angeles and the Bay Area this week to ramp up support for the proposed, one-time 5% tax on billionaires to help fund health care in the state. On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with the leader behind the initiative, Suzanne Jimenez, with SEIU-UHW. We also hear from Rep. Kevin Kiley, who filed legislation this week to stop states from imposing a retroactive tax on assets for people who leave the state. California and six other states are debating how to divvy up water resources from the Colorado River. Ashley Zavala sits down with California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot to talk about where discussions stand and the impact on the state.Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new book, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery,” is being released next week. The governor went out of state this weekend, skipping the Democratic Party Convention. Two political strategists join California Politics 360. This week in 1854, Sacramento became the state capital of California. We look back at the history to build & renovate the current Capitol.KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

A proposed tax on billionaires living in California is gaining national attention.

Sen. Bernie Sanders traveled to Los Angeles and the Bay Area this week to ramp up support for the proposed, one-time 5% tax on billionaires to help fund health care in the state.

On California Politics 360, Ashley Zavala sits down with the leader behind the initiative, Suzanne Jimenez, with SEIU-UHW.

We also hear from Rep. Kevin Kiley, who filed legislation this week to stop states from imposing a retroactive tax on assets for people who leave the state.

California and six other states are debating how to divvy up water resources from the Colorado River. Ashley Zavala sits down with California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot to talk about where discussions stand and the impact on the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new book, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery,” is being released next week. The governor went out of state this weekend, skipping the Democratic Party Convention. Two political strategists join California Politics 360.

This week in 1854, Sacramento became the state capital of California. We look back at the history to build & renovate the current Capitol.

KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.