Tim Anaya – Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office
Winners: Stanford University’s Women’s Basketball Team – They had to withstand two one point, nail biter victories in the Final Four, but Stanford University’s women’s basketball team emerged victorious this week in the NCAA Women’s Basketball championship and delivered a third national championship for legendary, hall of fame coach Tara Vanderveer – their first since 1992.
Loser: The Innovation Sector – Tech firms and biopharma companies be the big losers under the details of President Biden’s corporate tax increase plan released this week, according to Bloomberg News.
Evan Harris – Media Relations and Outreach Manager
Winner: California Recall Chaos – A recent Politico article detailed a potential California gubernatorial run by Caitlyn Jenner (if/when the recall is certified in the next month). There’s no telling what impact Jenner’s potential run could have, but it’ll likely open the floodgates for candidates interested in running.
Loser: Mitch McConnell – Last week, Biden and congressional democrats got the good news that the American Jobs Plan falls under budget reconciliation (look for my blog next week!). The procedural move means Senate Republicans won’t be needed to pass a final version of the plan, keeping McConnell on the sidelines.
Rowena Itchon – Senior Vice President
Winners: Unions – Unions stand to win big under Pres. Biden’s so-called infrastructure proposal. In addition to the Pros Act (a copycat of CA’s AB 5 that restricts gig economy jobs), “infrastructure” projects require prevailing wages and companies that receive funds must be neutral when it comes to union organizing.
Losers: Moderates Who Backed Biden – Moderate Democrats who voted for Biden hoping for “back to normal” government may be feeling some buyers remorse. The trillions the government is spending on green new deal policies, the crisis at the border, and the federal government takeover of elections are anything but business as usual.
Kerry Jackson – Fellow, Center for California Reform
Winners: All Californians and The Rest of the Country – Vaccines currently being administered are effective against the California variant of the coronavirus that “is spreading rapidly in the United States,” according to research.
Losers: The California High Speed Rail. Again. – A contractor working on the section between Bakersfield and Merced says construction will likely be delayed an additional two years. Do not confuse this setback with the many that have come before and the many more that are still to come.
McKenzie Richards – Development Associate
Winner: Summer Fun for 2021 – As herd immunity increases throughout the state, many counties have been able to enter the orange tier. Families and youth can finally make plans for happy summer memories at movie theaters, museums, theme parks, beach trips, and camping.
Loser: California State Board of Education – Despite the fact that it received over 100,000 objections to the adoption of a critical race theory curriculum, the California State Board of Education unanimously passed that curriculum for all K-12 public school students throughout the state.
