Political Breakdown

Dave vs. Goliath: The Union Man Behind CA's Billionaire Tax

July 30, 2026·42 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Dave Regan built his career fighting for the underdog. Now he’s taking on California’s billionaires.  Regan leads SEIU-UHW, a union representing more than 120,000 healthcare workers in the state. He’s known for taking on the state’s most powerful interests and using ballot initiatives as leverage to force negotiations.  His latest proposal is a controversial billionaire wealth tax on the November ballot that has split the labor community and Democratic party in California. The measure aims to offset looming MediCal cuts from President Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill” by issuing a one-time, 5% tax on the assets of the state’s billionaires.  Marisa sits down with Regan to talk about his upbringing, how he got into organizing and the backroom negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom to pull the measure off the ballot that ultimately failed.  Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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