MENDOCINO CO., 5/2/25 — With only three months as an elected representative of California’s 2nd Assembly District, Assemblymember Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa, has hit the ground running.
That fast-paced approach was reflected in a recent visit to the north coast village of Caspar, where he met with constituents first at the Caspar Community Fourth Sunday Morning Breakfast , followed by a walking tour of Caspar, and then a two-hour standing-room-only townhall meeting at the Community Center hosted by the League of Women Voters of Mendocino County and the GrassRoots Institute.
The district covering California’s North Coast is now one of the largest and most diverse in the state and encompasses all of Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties, as well as northern and western Sonoma County, including the northern half of Santa Rosa.
Rogers, a Democrat, succeeded Assemblymember Jim Wood who chose not to seek re-election in 2024, citing family reasons. Previously a Santa Rosa City Council member and mayor, Rogers won the open seat in the November 2024 general election.
Amid the hustle and bustle of the April 27 Sunday morning breakfast, volunteers were busy dishing up meals in the Caspar Community Center’s kitchen while Rogers sat at one of the tables to greet and meet local constituents.
Evan Mills, a local resident, talked to Rogers about the tension between climate resilience and the logging operations approved in Jackson Demonstration State Forest. He noted that local tribes, environmental groups and others in the local community continue to question how the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is managing this 48,652 acre publicly owned forest.
Rogers expressed some optimism about the situation.
“We have to balance economic, ecological, and scientific perspectives, especially regarding fire resilience,” he said, noting that he has toured Jackson Forest with both Cal Fire and environmental groups. “I am excited about how Cal Fire is working with the tribes on how to best manage the forest with fire.”
Addressing climate issues, Rogers said: “I am the only freshman Assemblymember to be appointed to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund committee. In response to the multi billion-dollar budget problem the state is facing, Governor Newsom has identified in his proposed budget the GGRF to help with expansions to climate, resources, forest management and environmental programs.
In November 2024, voters approved Proposition 4, a $10 billion bond measure to increase the state’s resilience in the face of climate change. The Governor has proposed a multi-year spending plan to implement the bond, including state budget appropriations totaling $2.7 billion.
Rogers explained the GGRF is a byproduct of the cap-and-trade program, which is a key element of California’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Cap-and-trade is a system used to reduce pollution. The government sets a cap, or limit, on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted. Companies get or buy allowances to emit a certain amount. If they don’t use all their allowances, they can trade (sell) them to others. This creates a financial reason for companies to pollute less.
Proceeds from the cap-and-trade program’s auctions support a wide range of programs and projects that are geared to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while delivering major economic, environmental, and public health benefits. Rogers explained that each quarter companies buy credits in the cap-and-trade market, and the money raised can be used to fund climate resilience programs.
Rogers emphasized that Cap-and-Trade needs to be re-authorized by the legislature. The Legislative Analyst’s Office, the State of California Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisory agency, discusses in its 2025-26 Budget Cap–and–Trade Expenditure Plan, that revenues from GGRF in the past began to decline due to investor uncertainty about the status of the program.
Rogers serves on several key committees in the California State Assembly, reflecting his focus on infrastructure, environmental policy, and public services.
He stressed the importance of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps eligible low-income households meet their home heating and/or cooling needs. He added he will collaborate with his colleagues to ensure that the California Public Utilities Commission, continues to assist low-income utility customers through the California Alternate Rates for Energy, or CARE, Family Electric Rate Assistance, and Energy Savings Assistance programs of the state’s investor-owned utilities.
These programs are funded through a public purpose surcharge applied to utility bills, with CARE customers exempt from this surcharge.
At the afternoon town hall, Rogers addressed concerns about the Trump’s administration’s actions impacting people and businesses in Northern California, notably potential reductions in social programs. He stressed the importance of state support for continuing essential services and discussed his legislative priorities, focusing on issues affecting children, poverty, climate, and health.
A recording of Assemblymember Chris Rogers’ town hall at the Caspar Community Center on April 27, 2025, is available through KZYX, Mendocino County Public Broadcasting at https://www.kzyx.org/2025-04-27/caspar-community-center-packed-for-assemblymember-rogers-town-hall