The Bay Area Council Government Relations Committee is works at both the state and federal level as the advocacy arm of the Council. Our job is to support the work of the policy committees and ensure that the positions we take as an organization are voiced at the local, state and federal levels.
Key Priorities
- The Council will step into a more significant regional convener role at the state level from both a political and a policy standpoint, activating and leveraging the Bay Area Caucus as well as driving major policy proposals.
- With significant member focus and activity in Sacramento on a variety of bills and regulatory proceedings, the Council will position itself as an “on the ground” advocacy asset for membership alongside Sacramento assets members currently work with.
- Continue to be effective advocates for members with divided government returning to Washington D.C.
- Bring state and federal representatives and their staff aboard the Klamath to build connections between legislators and members.
November 2026 Ballot Positions
Download Bay Area Council ballot positions>>
Bay Area
Measure RTM/Regional Transit Measure (Support): To sustain public transit, avoid drastic service reductions and require greater efficiency, increases sales tax in five counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara) to provide critical funding for key regional transit systems.
San Francisco
Prop A (Support): Makes a variety of updates, reforms and changes to the governance and administration of numerous San Francisco boards and commissions.
Prop B (Oppose): Authorizes creation of a public bank with no determined source of capital.
Prop C (Support): Increases contribution to city Housing Trust Fund in return for reduction in inclusionary housing mandates.
Prop D (Support): Imposes more rigorous requirements for qualifying measures for the ballot.
Prop E (Support): Rationalizes city procurement processes.
Prop F (Support): Gives mayor more control over city departments and commissions.
Prop H (Support): Authorizes parcel tax to avert drastic service cuts to MUNI railway operations.
Prop I (Oppose): Creates an unaccountable slush fund for homeless programs that would deprive other city services.
Oakland
Measure EE (Support): Expands authority and power of the mayor, along with other governance reforms.
Menlo Park
Measure P (OPPOSE): Requires voter approval for various changes in the use and operation of downtown, city-owned parking lots, including for housing.
California
Prop 1 (Support): Authorizes issuance of $11.25 billion in bonds to fund Multifamily Housing Program, CalVet Home Loan Program, and youth housing.
Prop 2 (Support): Increases the state budget rainy day fund cap from 10% to 20% of general fund revenue, requires bigger deposits when tax revenues spike, and allows for paying down state debt.
Prop 37 (Support): Authorizes $25 billion in financing assistance bonds for first-time homebuyers to address persistent housing affordability crisis.
Prop 38 (Support): Authorizes $8.4 billion in bonds for important immunology/immunotherapy research.
Prop 40 (Oppose): Imposes 5% tax on high-wealth individuals that would discourage new investment and jobs and hurt California’s economic competitiveness.
Prop 41 (Support): Requires detailed audits of programs funded by new state special taxes and bars new state taxes that dodge the existing voter-approved spending limit.
Prop 42 (Support): Prohibits enactment of new state taxes after Jan. 1, 2026 on wide range of personal wealth, savings and property and bars retroactive state taxes.
Prop 45 (Support): Reforms California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to put an end to decades of CEQA abuses that have made building housing and all forms of critical water, energy and transportation infrastructure more expensive and slower than almost anywhere in the nation.
Government Relations Committee Co-Chairs
Papia Gambelin, Managing Director State and Local Government Affairs, Western Region, United Airlines
Ariane Hogan, Director, Local Government Affairs, Genentech
Nick Johnson, Director, Public Policy (West), Lyft
Sally Kay, Head of California Public Policy and Community Engagement, Amazon
Ramona Prieto, Head of Public Policy and Communications (U.S. West), Uber
Allison Rose, Senior Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Autodesk
New California Coalition
The Bay Area Council is a founder of the New California Coalition (NCC), one of the state’s fastest growing business civic groups uniting tens of thousands of change-hungry California voters. Spanning the political, business, and civic institutions across the state, reflecting the geographic and ideological diversity of California, the NCC leadership is at the forefront of the movement to bring a new era of opportunity to the Golden State. Learn more at New California Coalition.
