Asm. Buffy Wicks on Housing; and Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: In March, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a 22-bill package aimed at reforming the building permitting process in California, an effort to fast-track housing development statewide. Wicks described the package as an effort to “slash red tape, remove uncertainty and to drastically reduce the time it takes to get new housing approved and built” in California. Asm. Wicks joined us to talk about the bills, why they are needed, and what it will take to get the package to the governor’s desk this year.

*Next up, we’re joined by Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero to talk about the impact of the Trump tariffs on the nation’s busiest port. Long Beach has already seen a significant reduction in shipping traffic this month; now, with zero container ships leaving China destined for California ports, empty shelves – and job losses – are likely not for behind.

Plus, as always, we tell you Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics

*Please note – this discussion was posted before the Trump Administration announced a reduction on tariffs today

1:33 Insurance

2:43 Gubernatorial candidates

4:29 “I wrote my Master’s thesis on the Recall”

5:14 Obligatory Alex Vassar reference

5:55 New Capitol Weekly Insiders survey

6:38 California Journal

7:43 Asm. Buffy Wicks

9:18 “People Want Change”

10:25 The need for CEQA reform

11:43 “A coalition of the willing”

14:36 A streamlined housing package on the governor’s desk in September

14:47 BCTC and the Carpenters

16:49 “In California we make it too damn hard to build”

18:08 Permitting reform

20:24 “Government has to deliver for people”

21:58 Housing and Transportation Policy is Climate Policy

24:17 “As someone who grew up in a trailer, and dreamt of a wooden house someday…”

24:36 Where does the package go next?

25:28 $10 Billion affordable housing bill

26:01 Shout out to Asm. Joe Patterson

27:33 Two things to solve the Housing Crisis

28:04 Crisis Fatigue

32:49 Mario Cordero

33:22 Impact of the tariffs

34:40 The timing

36:43 May 2025 numbers vs. past

39:38 Are ships sitting offshore, waiting to come in?

42:29 “China plus one”

43:24 State of the wareshouses at the Port

46:02 How many workers are impacted?

48:01 The Green Port Policy

54:01 “When I was about 10 years old I wanted to be the Mexican-American Leonard Bernstein“