POLICY WATCH – May 2025
In This Issue
California Latinos are Leaving the Majority Party – Could this Impact the Ballot Box in the North Bay?
May is California Tourism Month- Explore the North Bay
Improving Mobility in the North Bay One Project at a Time
Leaders of the North Bay - In Case You Missed It- Watch The Videos
Other Upcoming Events
Welcome New Members
Members in the New
We are more than 12 months away, yet June 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal election season, with major issues and shifting political tides—read how California Latinos are leaving the majority party and what it could mean for the state’s future. Meanwhile, May is California Tourism Month, offering the perfect opportunity to explore the scenic beauty and cultural treasures of the North Bay. Read how NBLC is advocating for transportation upgrades to improve mobility one project at a time, and in case you missed the inspiring Leaders of the North Bay event—catch up on what you missed and watch the highlight videos.
Best Regards,
Joanne
California Latinos are Leaving Democrats Behind:
In a story by Blake Jones and Dustin Gardiner published in Politico.com, the authors report “Latino voters in California drifted away from Democrats in last fall’s presidential election, magnifying a troubling trend for the state’s ruling party.”
“Big picture: That shrinking support aligns with a national trend for Democrats. But the consequences in California — assuming it continues along this trajectory — could be seismic in a state where more than 40 percent of residents are Hispanic or Latino.”
In the North Bay, Latino voters can significantly impact the June 2026 ballot. Latinos make up a growing and influential share of the electorate in counties like Sonoma, Napa, and Marin. As political affiliations among Latino voters shift—especially with reports indicating some are leaving the Democratic Party—this bloc could play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of local and regional races, ballot initiatives, and key propositions.
In particular, their influence could shape decisions around housing, education, public safety, and transportation—issues that often see strong voter engagement in the North Bay. Campaigns that actively engage Latino communities and address their priorities could see a decisive advantage at the ballot box.
Jones and Gardiner go on to report, “California has to deal with the strong winds that are shaping a departure of traditional majority support for the Democratic Party by Latinos,” said Latina Futures 2050 Lab co-founder Sonja Diaz, who provides policy advice to Democratic state legislators.
“Democrats need to get in the game or just be honest with everybody that they’re trying to lose,” she said.
“States with smaller numbers of Latino voters, including Florida, New Jersey and New York, saw larger swings toward President Donald Trump, but California’s shift stands out due to the state’s bigger share of Latino — and Mexican-American — voters. Analysts have long attributed Latino Floridians’ conservatism to the state’s large numbers of Cuban voters, but Mexican Americans — the largest group of Latinos in California — stuck with the Democratic Party until recently.”
“The big question was, when were the Mexican Americans going to budge?” said anti-Trump Republican consultant Mike Madrid, an expert in Latino voting trends. “And they started to budge everywhere else but in California, until the 2022 election cycle.”
Madrid attributes the change to the growing share of Latino voters who are second- and third-generation and who tend to hold more conservative views than first-generation immigrants.
Indeed, it was younger Latinos — especially men — who moved to the right at the highest rate last fall, according to Catalist.
But what are the Dems to do? “Focus on kitchen-table issues,” including energy and grocery costs, said Democratic Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, who represents a heavily Latino district in the Central Valley.
Stay focused: Madrid, who has advised legislators of both parties, is not convinced statehouse Democrats are emphasizing economic issues enough to win back voters. They “can and should” advocate for the undocumented, he said, but 85 percent of their energy should focus on core affordability issues like housing.
“You’ve got to repackage yourself and your priorities away from the undocumented and towards working-class voters, which they’re clearly not doing,” Madrid said.
Mike Madrid will be our guest at the NBLC June Legislative Advocacy Day (for members only)
May is Tourism Month: Explore the North Bay This Summer:
According to Visit California website, “The Economic Impact of Travel Report confirms what we’ve long known: Travel is one of California’s (and the North Bay’s) most reliable engines for job creation, revenue generation and regional vitality. In 2024, visitor spending reached $157.3 billion — a 3% increase over the prior year. That growth was widespread, with spending increasing in 50 of California’s 58 counties.”
Tourism has generally increased in Sonoma County, particularly in recent years with strong recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, visitor spending reached $2.3 billion, an 18% increase year-over-year, and even higher than 2019 levels. In 2024, Sonoma County's travel industry saw a further increase of 3.5% to $2.4 billion, according to Sonoma County Tourism.
Tourism in Marin County has increased, particularly with a rise in tourist activity post-pandemic. In 2024, tourism spending in Marin County reached $952 million, representing a 2% increase from the previous year and Napa County travel related spending was $2billon in 2024, according to the 2024 Economic Impact of Travel Report.
Visit California released two key reports recently that bring the industry’s story into sharper focus, inform planning for destinations and businesses statewide and strengthen our collective voice in advocating for travel: the 2024 Economic Impact of Travel Report and a revised visitation and spending forecast. “ These reports provide a comprehensive view of the current strength of California’s tourism economy including the North Bay, and offer a forward-looking assessment of the challenges on the horizon. The industry added 24,000 new jobs last year, with total tourism employment reaching 1.17 million. State and local governments benefitted directly, with visitor-generated tax revenues climbing $300 million over the previous year to $12.6 billion.”
“At the same time, the revised forecast signals a more cautious outlook. While growth continued in 2024, the latest projections from Tourism Economics anticipate overall visitation in the state will decline 1% in 2025, to 268 million visits. This revision reflects a complex set of challenges, particularly in international markets, where changing global sentiment, a stronger U.S. dollar and limited airlift are starting to exert pressure. We are not alone in grappling with this difficult operating environment — destinations across the United States face similar challenges.”
That is why Visit California and NBLC are encouraging you to discover the treasures within our own region. When we choose to travel locally, it helps keep small businesses thriving, protects jobs, and strengthens our community economies across the region.
Improving Transportation in the North Bay:
Support: Opening of the Third Lane on the Richmond San Rafael Bridge
As part of the Common Sense Transportation Coalition, I joined business and labor leaders with public safety officials in a rally on the Richmond San Rafael Bridge on May 14th. The goal was to bring more visibility to the very real traffic crisis, and make an immediate call for action from the decision-makers at Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC). Any new proposal to move the bike lane to the weekends when ridership is highest and turn the third lane into a pull over lane Monday-Thursday has to receive approval from the BCDC.
We were joined by Marin County District 2 Supervisor Brian Colbert, who said, "Every week I hear from companies in my district about the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and how the increasing traffic delay hurts their ability to recruit and retain their valuable employees. I support an immediate solution to the traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge,” he added. “Marin is ready to work with agencies to make this happen.”
Standing with leading Marin employer, Mike Ghiliotti, President of Ghilotti Bros. we also made the case that the bike lane is hurting the economy. “This is a huge impact to [drivers] and to their families, compromising their quality of life and wasting five to six hours a week that they could be spending with their families,” said business owner Mike Ghilotti, president of Ghilotti Bros.
If you agree with us, please contact your Marin and Sonoma Commissioner at BCDC and let them know you want an immediate change. The failed bike/ped pilot program was supposed to end years ago. It’s time to acknowledge it did not make any impactful mode shift, collect the information and move onto the next alternative that will make a difference in the lives of hard working people every day.
Support: AB (697)- A Bill That Will Change the Trajectory of Hwy 37
Thank you to the California lawmakers that voted to waive endangered species rules for Highway 37. Big shout out to our own North Bay Legislative Delegation member, Assemblymember Chris Rogers who voted to support AB 697 as a member of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. This bill by Assemblymember Lori Wilson could help ease traffic on the key thoroughfare between Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties.
As reported by North Bay Business Journal ,“The 21-mile highway connects Interstate 80 in Vallejo in Solano County to Highway 101 in Novato in Marin County along the north San Pablo Bay. It cuts though some of the state’s last remaining salt marshes, which are threatened by sea level rise. Highway 37, which has a history of flooding, also is one of the most congested highways in Northern California, leading to long backups for commuters during weekdays and for wine country visitors on weekends.”
“During his eight years on the Santa Rosa City Council, Chris Rogers spent hour after tedious hour in local transportation meetings discussing a proposal to reduce congestion on one of the main traffic arteries into the Napa-Sonoma Valley corridor. That’s why Rogers, now a rookie Democratic assemblymember, said he had to chuckle when environmental groups complained that a bill making its way through the Legislature was somehow “fast-tracking” the long-stalled Highway 37 widening project in the North Bay.
“When you’re talking about a project that was started or at least conceived before you were born … and somebody’s calling it ‘fast tracking,’ it just doesn’t track,” Rogers said at a committee hearing last week. “The project should have been done already.”
The latest action on the bill was May 14, 2025, when it passed the Assembly committee with a vote of 15-0. The bill's next step is likely to be a vote in the Assembly and potentially the Senate, depending on the progression of the legislative process.
SMART Grand Opening of the Windsor Station and Pathway:
Join us on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. at the Windsor SMART station to celebrate the opening of this exciting new connection into the heart of Windsor. More information here
SMART Train will expand its service next month to run from Windsor to Larkspur, marking another milestone in its growth since opening in August 2017. Since its inception, SMART Train has grown and expanded its services, providing reliable transit to the North Bay area.
The upcoming extension is expected to increase the current ridership of 23,000 weekly passengers.
Check out the behind the scenes news story from KRON
Upcoming Events:
Save the Date: October 16th, State of the North Bay Economic Conference
Leaders of the North Bay Awards Luncheon - In Case You Missed It:
North Bay Leadership Council hosted its annual Leaders of the North Bay awards luncheon on May 16th at Flamingo Resort & Spa. Hundreds of business and community leaders gathered to celebrate the 2025 honorees for their outstanding leadership in uplifting others and for making a lasting impact.
Please visit our YouTube channel to meet the 2025 Leaders of the North Bay honorees and view their video stories. I guarantee you will be inspired!
Welcome New Members
North Bay Leadership Council provides a strong voice for leading employers to drive public policy in our region. Our membership consists of private businesses, public institutions, hospitals and members in the health care sector, government agencies, as well as nonprofits. They represent over 65,000 employees, across 27 different industry sectors. This diversity in membership brings the vision needed to our work to address complex issues and improve the community as a whole. The challenges we face require regional leadership, to work collaboratively in finding regional solutions.
Wareham Development
Members in the News
Basin Street Properties Welcomes First 5 Sonoma County Office at Stony Point Campus
Basin Street Properties, a prominent real estate investment, development, and management firm, is pleased to announce that First 5 Sonoma County has signed a lease at Stony Point Campus in Santa Rosa, California.
Providence’s Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Health, Cardiology and Imaging Centers Receive Donation From Hansel Family for $10 Million
Henry and Marilyn Hansel, owners of Sonoma County’s largest network of auto dealerships, have donated $10 million to the foundation that supports Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital to help fund construction of health care hub for cardiology, imaging and women’s health.
Kaiser Permanente, Providence, and Sutter Health Given Top Marks by National Watchdog Group for Patient Safety
Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health hospitals in the North Bay account for six of eight medical centers to score top marks in patient safety, according to a new report.
Exchange Bank Reports 15% Increase in Q1 Earnings
Exchange Bank (OTC: EXSR) reported a more than 15% increase year over year in first-quarter earnings.