On this episode, RCRC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul Smith, speaks to State Controller, Betty Yee. Paul and Controller Yee discuss the importance of the relationship between the State and Counties of California and how the two intersect in managing and deploying state resources. 

With over 35 years in the public sector, learn about how Ms. Yee’s foray into public service began at a very young age. Hear about th...

In the latest episode of Hometown California, RCRC’s Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul A. Smith, holds a conversation about political reform, the state of California politics, and influential ballot measures in an interview with Bob Stern, J.D., a man with a long history of influence in California politics.

Bob Stern made his mark on California politics In the 1970's, as the co-author of California's Polit...

Our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with the 2021 Chair of RCRC, Mono County Supervisor Stacy Corless. 

After facing a year of devastating wildfires, a global pandemic, and the resulting changes to everyday life, we enter 2021 with new resolve and hope.  Although uncertain what the immediate future holds, Supervisor Corless is focused on the comprehensive wildfire response and long-term recovery necessary for rural...

In this episode, our host, Paul A. Smith speaks with the Dr. Michael V. Drake, the 21st President of the University of California about the intersection of the UC and rural communities of the Golden State.  

For many rural communities, the significance of the UC goes beyond the education, licensing, and credentialing it provides. Partnerships between the UC and rural communities have a considerable impact as well. One of the most im...

California voters decided the fate of twelve ballot measures during the 2020 General Election this year. In August, our host, Paul A. Smith, spoke with Jeremy B. White of Politico in a two-part series during which we looked at each ballot measure, what each proclaimed to do, and where the money was coming from. There was special emphasis on what each measure would mean for rural counties, and a look at the position taken on each me...

In this episode, our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down with Assembly Member Frank Bigelow for a conversation about his experience being a representative for rural California in the State Legislature. 

Assembly Member Bigelow shares about his transition from local government to state politics, the challenges of being in the political minority in the California State Legislature, and how he builds relationships and stays focused on commo...

On Thursday, as election votes were being counted, our host, Paul A. Smith, spoke with National Journal  Hotline Editor-in-Chief, Leah Askarinam about what we reliably know, what is expected based on trends and counts so far, and what still hangs in the balance.  Listen as Paul and Leah breakdown the early return dynamics in this latest episode of the Hometown California 2020 Election series.

 Why is the Presidential Race so much cl...

Just days before the 2020 Election, our host Paul A. Smith, speaks with Leah Askarinam of the National Journal  to take one last look at polling and trends leading up to Election Day.  With early voting well underway in many states, Leah and Paul discuss the hottest races in California and across the nation. 

Leah is the Editor-in-Chief of the Hotline at the National Journal and has been a guest on previous episodes of Hometown Cal...

Our host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Randy Moore, head of the Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) of the U.S. Forest Service, about the work of managing California's forests and wildlands in these trying times of record-setting wildfires amid a global pandemic.

 In this episode:

During a visit to Washington D.C. in early October, our host, Paul A. Smith, sat down with Matt Chase, CEO and Executive Director of the National Association of Counties (NACo), RCRC's national advocacy partner, for a conversation about the important work NACo does on behalf of and in partnership with counties across the nation.

NACo represents counties as intergovernmental partner, driving federal policy on behalf of America...

In a typical election year, Congress would break by October 1st, as members hit the campaign trail. But 2020 has proved again and again to be anything but typical.

Our host, RCRC's Paul A. Smith, sits down with two of the most respected advocates on the Hill, Sheryl Cohen of the American Continental Group (ACG) and Kevin Eastman of PACE LLP., for a discussion about the closing weeks of the 116th Congress.

Recorded in Washington ...

With less than 30 days until the November election, our host and RCRC’s Vice President of Governmental Relations, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Leah Askarinam for an election check-in.

Recorded on the day President Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus, the conversation took on a new perspective as Paul and Leah were processing the latest developments in this year that has been anything but ordinary.

Leah is the Editor-in-Chief of t...

In the third installment of our opening series about the 2020 Election, our host, Paul A. Smith, once again speaks to Leah Askarinam, Hotline Editor-in-Chief for the National Journal in Washington D.C.. Paul and Leah examine key races for open seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 2018, Democrats were able to flip seven seats in California, making a big change and causing Republicans to lose almost half of their delegation....

In this first of three episodes about the 2020 General Election, our host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Leah Askarinam, Hotline Editor-in-Chief of the National Journal in Washington D.C., about the 2020 Race for the White House.

Examining polling trends and the current national climate, Leah and Paul provide a state-by-state look at the Electoral College and discuss the likelihood of President Trump's ability to win the White Hous...

The California Legislature is on recess as the tumultuous 2020 Legislative Session has come to a close. Tempers flared and the clock ran out as lawmakers worked late into the night on Monday to pass legislation before the midnight hour. After such an unusual legislative spring and summer, the next few months are a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle.

Our host, Paul A. Smith speaks with Barbara Glaser of the California Hospital...

Nuestro anfitrión, Paul A. Smith, continúa la conversación con Jeremy B. White de Politico sobre las doce medidas electorales que los votantes de California decidirán en noviembre. Jeremy B. White es coautor del libro de jugadas de California de Politico y cubre la política en el Estado Dorado.

Juntos, Paul y Jeremy brindan una mirada imparcial a cada medida de la boleta electoral. Discuten los argumentos de apoyo y oposición y el f...

Our host, Paul A. Smith, continues the conversation with Jeremy B. White of Politico about the twelve ballot measures California voters will decide this November. Jeremy B. White co-writes Politico's California Playbook and covers politics in the Golden State.

Together, Paul and Jeremy provide a nonpartisan look at each ballot measure. They discuss the support and opposition arguments and financing behind the propositions, and p...

Nuestro anfitrión, Paul A. Smith, habla con Jeremy B. White de Politico sobre las doce medidas electorales que los votantes de California decidirán este noviembre. Jeremy B. White es coautor del libro de jugadas de California de Politico y cubre la política en el Estado Dorado.

Juntos, Paul y Jeremy brindan una mirada imparcial a cada medida de la boleta electoral. Discuten los argumentos de apoyo y oposición y el financiamiento det...