For many families in Santa Clarita, Sacramento can feel like a black box: big promises, long debates and results that don’t match the cost of living we face every day.
I hear it constantly — at the grocery store, at small businesses, and at community events: Why is everything so expensive? Why does public safety feel uncertain? Why does government move so slowly when people are hurting now?
I understand that frustration, and not just as a legislator, but as someone who sees firsthand how decisions are made. Much of my work happens not on the Senate floor, but in committee rooms, budget negotiations and bipartisan discussions that rarely make headlines.
And the truth is, by the time voters begin focusing on the 2026 election, many of the most consequential decisions affecting affordability, public safety, housing, health care and energy will already be set in motion.
Here’s why.
Despite what many people think, real power in Sacramento doesn’t live in floor speeches or press conferences. It lives in committees, leadership offices and the budget process. Committee chairs decide which bills advance and which stall. Budget subcommittees determine whether proposals receive funding or quietly die. Leadership sets the boundaries of what is even allowed to be considered.
That’s not theoretical. Take the bipartisan proposal to eliminate taxes on tips, something that would directly help service workers across our region. The idea has broad public support. But instead of receiving a full debate, it’s currently being held in the Appropriations Committee, where bills often sit without a clear up-or-down decision.
When that happens, voters never see a vote, and accountability becomes blurred.
The same dynamic plays out with public safety. Voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36 to strengthen accountability and address repeat crime. Yet the state has not fully funded its implementation. The result is a disconnect between what voters approved and what Sacramento delivers, leaving local communities to absorb the consequences.
And then there’s affordability. California still carries significant unemployment insurance debt owed to the federal government, a legacy of the last recession that remains largely unpaid. That debt puts pressure on employers, threatens job growth, and limits flexibility during economic downturns. Yet paying it down hasn’t been treated as a priority in budget negotiations.
California’s one-party supermajority shapes how these decisions are made. That doesn’t mean all Democrats think alike, but when one party controls leadership, committees and the budget, internal dynamics matter more than public debate. Tough tradeoffs are often handled behind closed doors. Risk-taking declines. And accountability becomes harder for voters to track.
Now add a multibillion-dollar budget deficit and far less one-time money to rely on. Every dollar spent in one area is a dollar not spent elsewhere. That pressure shows up as agencies protecting their budgets, lawmakers defending past commitments, and leadership working to avoid internal conflict. State agencies, armed with expertise and institutional memory, often end up shaping policy more than the communities affected by it.
Election cycles make it worse. As campaigns approach, big reforms become harder. The incentive shifts from solving problems to avoiding attack ads. That’s why Sacramento can feel frozen even when most people agree the system isn’t working as it should.
So where does real leverage exist?
It exists in the unglamorous work: committee hearings where amendments are negotiated line by line; bipartisan conversations where trust is built; and budget discussions where tradeoffs are faced honestly. That’s where outcomes are shaped, especially on issues families and small businesses feel every day: affordability, public safety, health care access, housing, and energy costs.
For Republicans in the minority, being effective requires more than opposition. It means understanding the process, showing up prepared, and working across party lines to push practical solutions. Much of that work happens outside the spotlight, long before an issue becomes a campaign talking point.
As a founding member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, I’ve seen that progress is still possible when lawmakers focus on outcomes over ideology. It isn’t glamorous. It isn’t easy. But it’s necessary, especially when families are struggling to keep up and businesses are deciding whether they can afford to stay in California.
Good governance isn’t about who gives the best speech. It’s about whether government delivers results people can actually feel. It’s about setting priorities when money is tight, holding agencies accountable, and following through on what voters were promised.
As we head toward 2026, I encourage Santa Clarita voters to look beyond slogans. Pay attention to who is doing the hard work in committees, who understands the budget realities, and who is focused on delivering results back home — not just scoring political points.
California doesn’t need more noise. It needs governing that works for families trying to get ahead, workers counting every dollar, and communities that want to feel safe and secure. That’s how Sacramento can move forward again, and how trust in government can begin to be restored.
Suzette Martinez Valladares represents most of the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate.“Right, Here Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.
