California’s Crisis: Budgeting in a Strait Jacket

Robert M. Hertzberg

Speaker Emeritus, Robert M. Hertzberg is currently a partner with Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw in Los Angeles. Twice elected as Speaker of the California State Assembly in an unprecedented unanimous voice vote, Hertzberg devoted his time in office to solve today’s problems while retooling government in preparation for California’s future. Prior to his election he worked as a business and real estate attorney after years of practicing as a constitutional lawyer.

While in office, Speaker Hertzberg led the charge as California made record investment in improving public schooling, building affordable housing, relieving traffic congestion and enacted a historic expansion of state-funded scholarship. Under his leadership, the Legislature enacted reforms to the state’s foster care system, expanded access to low-cost health care insurance for working families and the passage of landmark measures to protect the rights of farm workers.

A graduate of the University of Redlands and University of California, Hastings College of Law, Hertzberg is a resident of Sherman Oaks, representing the citizens of the 40th Assembly District since 1996 as a passionate advocate for government reform, public safety, and other issues that affect California’s working families.