Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Chris Woods

No. 21 Chris Woods

There are not a lot of budget wizards in the Capitol but Senate budget guru Chris Woods is most definitely one. Woods has had major a role in the creation of more state budgets than the governor and all of the legislative leaders combined. For the last 25 springs and summers (16 in the Assembly and now nine in the Senate) Woods has shown lawmakers the way to the budget light, usually with them kicking and screaming all the while. The yowling has been particularly bad these last few years of budget deficits, some of it coming from the governor’s office as he looks for ways to make himself look good on the way out the door. But Woods seems to be preternaturally immune to such bleating and bawling as he grinds out the numbers that make and break careers. We love that about him. In addition to his decades in the Capitol Woods also has a bachelor’s in American Studies and a law degree, both from UC Davis.

Updated Aug. 11, 2026