Will McCarthy

4 days ago | politico.com | Will McCarthy |Emily Schultheis

Bay Area leaders have warned that the region's transit system will soon run out of money at its current service level. | Getty Images FINAL DESTINATION — A group of transit unions, operators, and advocates calling itself Bay Area Forward is launching a last-ditch pressure campaign to rework a 2026 ballot measure designed to help rescue the Bay Area’s struggling transit operators, Playbook has learned exclusively.

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Will McCarthy |Lindsey Holden

The former Democratic representative faces steep budget deficits and political turmoil in Oakland. Former Rep. Barbara Lee makes her first public appearance as Oakland's Mayor-elect alongside interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins at the Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center in Oakland, California, April 19, 2025. | Yalonda M.

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Will McCarthy |Lindsey Holden

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee was sworn into office as the city's 52nd leader, saying she wants to "reinstill hope." | Will McCarthy/POLITICO TAKING THE REINS: With her hand on the Bible in a packed City Hall, Barbara Lee, Oakland’s favorite daughter, vowed today to put her beleaguered city “back on the right track” as she was sworn in as its 52nd mayor.

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Emily Schultheis |Will McCarthy |Tyler Katzenberger

Gov. Gavin Newsom drew the ire of those who backed two 2024 ballot measures, Propositions 35 and 36, in his May revised budget proposal. | AP WHAT BALLOT MANDATE? — Supporters of last year’s two most popular statewide ballot initiatives found that spending tens of millions of dollars to qualify and pass their proposals wasn’t enough to keep the measures’ most high-profile critic, Gov. Gavin Newsom, from disregarding them in his latest budget proposal.

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Will McCarthy

The billionaire newspaper owner is getting closer to the president. LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: CEO of Abraxis Health Institute Patrick Soon-Shiong during a Urban Economic Forum co-hosted by White House Business Council and U.S. Small Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University on March 22, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Topics discussed at the forum included the Obama administration's support for policies that create private sector-jobs and future entrepreneurs.