20. Chris Woods
Chris Woods is the Capitol’s budget Yoda, the Jedi Grand Master of all things related to California’s complicated budget process. Like Yoda, he has not come upon this wisdom lightly. Woods has in fact been involved in the creation of more state budgets than the governor and all of the legislative leaders
No. 44 Jodi Remke
As chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces campaign ethics laws, Jodi Remke is in charge of making sure everyone plays fair amid the roar and clash of the state’s often-supercharged political campaigns. Remke is judged by most observers as a fair umpire, but some of her decisions have
The execution chamber at San Quentin prison. (Photo: CDCR)Will November mark the death of the death penalty? This fall, Californians will be asked yet again whether they would like to abolish capital punishment. Voters last faced the issue in 2012, a presidential election year, and rejected the idea.
100. Daniel Borenstein Moraga Orinda Fire District Chief Peter Nowicki probably never expected his name to become synonymous with pension spiking, but thanks to Bay Area News Group columnist and editorial writer Dan Borenstein, that’s exactly what happened.Borenstein’s 2009 article revealed that the 26-year department veteran had traded his $185K annual salary for a $241,000 per year
Illustration by Chris Shary76. Michael Weinstein
Michael Weinstein once described himself to the New York Times as being akin to “gum on your shoe,” a reference to his relentless efforts to get voters to endorse the ballot initiatives he is famous for sponsoring through his organization, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. His critics describe him in terms we can’t
Illustration by Chris Shary97. Janelle Beland Janelle Beland, undersecretary of the state’s Natural Resources Agency, has been described as one of Jerry Brown’s most trusted advisers, aggressively ensuring that the governor’s views are represented in decisions affecting California’s resource strategy. Her responsibilities range from the Delta smelt to marine plastic pollution to coastal issues. Beland’s most high-profile recent
Illustration by Chris Shary96. Mark Baldassare Anyone who writes about politics and public policy in California has an ally and resource in Marc Baldassare’s Public Policy Institute of California. Calm, authoritative, far-ranging, impartial and always accurate, the PPIC is invaluable — and that’s understating the case. Baldassare, president of the Institute, maintains a high level of interest in California
Illustration by Chris Shary97. Jennifer Fearing
Almost everything about this list is BIG – big money, big clients, big egos. Oh my, the egos. But what about the little guys? What about interests not named Google or Meta or whatever deep pockets mega-corporation you like? Who stands up and fights for the nonprofits or for animals or for
Illustration by Chris Shary94. Lisa Gasperoni As chief political consultant to former Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, Gasperoni earned her pay: she is credited as the campaign savant responsible for the Dems’ surprise capture of a two-thirds majority in the Senate in the 2012 elections. Gasperoni left the Senate in 2013 to focus on LG Campaigns, the political consulting
Illustration by Chris Shary92. Sean Parker Marijuana legalization legislation has been simmering for years in California, but this year, it’s coming to a boil. In part, that’s because of changing cultural views about marijuana. But it’s also because of Sean Parker, the cofounder of Napster and the former president of Facebook. Parker sponsored the unsuccessful 2010 ballot measure