Cal Cities kicks the new year off with a flurry of legislative meetings

Cal Cities makes early connections with new faces and old friends before the rough and tumble of the 2025 session

By Kristine Guerrero, director of public affairs

Cal Cities officers, members, and staff started the new year by connecting with all 120 legislators in a whirlwind of meetings and events. 

A key focus was the class of 35 new lawmakers, many who have ties to local government. During the Mayors and Council Members Academy in Sacramento, a dozen members from the North Bay Division met with Sen. Christoper Cabaldon, the former mayor of West Sacramento, to discuss housing and transportation funding. 

The Riverside and Imperial County divisions met with Sen. Jeff Gonzalez and Asm. Leticia Castillo to go over both Cal Cities’ priorities and their own legislative priorities, which include home hardening for fire prevention and tourism for a new national park.

Cal Cities officers also met with several key lawmakers, including Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, as well as Sen. Jesse Arreguin, Asm. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Sen. Lena Gonzales, Asm. Nick Schultz, Asm. Buffy Wicks, and Sen. Scott Wiener.

District meetings provide more opportunities to meet with legislators

Cal Cities regional divisions hosted in-district meetings with legislators where city officials advocated for shared priorities. The Peninsula Division hosted a reception in South San Francisco with over 80 city and regional leaders, along with assembly members Patrick Ahrens, Marc Berman, Ash Kalra, Diane Papan, and Gail Pellerin.   

"Bringing together local elected officials from across the Peninsula Division to engage with our legislative delegation within our communities is paramount to initiating a productive dialogue at the outset of the legislative year,” said Eddie Flores, mayor of South San Francisco and president of the Peninsula Division “Building a mutual understanding between local elected officials and state legislators is key and it lays the foundation for effective governance and collaborative progress."

The Los Angeles County Division hosted a roundtable in Paramount with former Lynwood mayor and California Civic Leadership Institute alum José Luis Solache, who now represents the 62nd Assembly District.

"These discussions are essential for tackling issues that matter most to our communities — public safety, economic growth, and the well-being of our residents,” Solache said “By working together at all levels of government, we can create real, lasting solutions that improve the quality of life for everyone. I appreciate the dedication of our local leaders and look forward to continuing our collaboration for a stronger, more vibrant future."

More opportunities for Cal Cities members are coming up in late February. Sen. Jesse Arreguín, Asm. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, and Asm. Liz Ortega will be at the East Bay Division’s next meeting and the Los Angeles County Division will host its annual South Bay Legislative Meet and Greet soon.

The next round of division meetings is scheduled for the City Leaders Summit in April, Cal Cities’ marquee advocacy event. During the summit, city officials can walk the halls of the Capitol and advocate for Cal Cities’ top priorities in between peer-to-peer discussions and in-depth educational sessions. 

Organized legislative meetings are critical to advancing Cal Cities’ priorities. To learn more about an event in your region, contact your regional public affairs manager.