California’s 99 Problems
California’s 99 Problems
From 2005 to 2024, over $30 billion was spent on state-level political campaigns and lobbying in California. Much of that money was spent on efforts to improve healthcare, expand affordable housing, strengthen the public education system, address climate change, and advance other critical social and racial justice initiatives. Many more billions were spent by individuals and organizations to oppose those efforts and advance other strategies that would expand inequities across the state.
Out of the more than 41 million people, businesses, and non-profit organizations in the state, just 99 of them – the largest and most influential opponents of efforts to improve the health and well-being of Californians – spent $5.8 billion by themselves to advance their agenda within state politics.
Incredibly, just these 99 oligarchs and allied organizations spent more than the bottom 99.9% of California residents – more than over 41 million people, small businesses, non-profits, and other organizations combined.
Meet California’s 99 Problems, the billionaires, corporations,1 corporate advocacy groups, and law enforcement organizations that exert enormous influence over the lives of California residents, undermine our democracy, and are the primary opponents to creating healthier, safer, and more equitable communities across the state.
1 Some readers may be confused by the discussion of corporations as oligarchs. It is important to understand that major U.S. corporations are largely controlled by the ultra-wealthy. For example, just three Wall Street firms – Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street – are the major shareholders in 95% of S&P 500 corporations, 54% of all stocks in the U.S. are owned by the wealthiest 1%, and the bottom 50% of U.S. households own only 1% of all stocks. Thus, when large corporations engage in political activity, they are doing so to advance the interests of their owners, who are primarily oligarchs.
From 2005 to 2024, over $30 billion was spent on state-level political campaigns and lobbying in California. Much of that money was spent on efforts to improve healthcare, expand affordable housing, strengthen the public education system, address climate change, and advance other critical social and racial justice initiatives. Many more billions were spent by individuals and organizations to oppose those efforts and advance other strategies that would expand inequities across the state.
Out of the more than 41 million people, businesses, and non-profit organizations in the state, just 99 of them – the largest and most influential opponents of efforts to improve the health and well-being of Californians – spent $5.8 billion by themselves to advance their agenda within state politics.
Incredibly, just these 99 oligarchs and allied organizations spent more than the bottom 99.9% of California residents – more than over 41 million people, small businesses, non-profits, and other organizations combined.
Meet California’s 99 Problems, the billionaires, corporations,1 corporate advocacy groups, and law enforcement organizations that exert enormous influence over the lives of California residents, undermine our democracy, and are the primary opponents to creating healthier, safer, and more equitable communities across the state.
1 Some readers may be confused by the discussion of corporations as oligarchs. It is important to understand that major U.S. corporations are largely controlled by the ultra-wealthy. For example, just three Wall Street firms – Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street – are the major shareholders in 95% of S&P 500 corporations, 54% of all stocks in the U.S. are owned by the wealthiest 1%, and the bottom 50% of U.S. households own only 1% of all stocks. Thus, when large corporations engage in political activity, they are doing so to advance the interests of their owners, who are primarily oligarchs.
Real Estate/Housing (17)
Open
California Association of Realtors
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$254.2 million
Open
California Apartment Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$198.8 million
Open
California Building Industry Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$84.0 million
Open
Essex Property Trust
Headquarters
San Mateo, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$67.4 million
Open
Equity Residential
Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$48.9 million
Open
AvalonBay Communities
Headquarters
Arlington, VA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$41.0 million
Open
Michael Hayde (Western National Group)
Headquarters
Irvine, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$28.2 million
Open
The Irvine Company
Headquarters
Newport Beach, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$26.7 million
Open
Blackstone
Headquarters
New York, NY
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$24.6 million
Open
National Association of Realtors
Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$24.5 million
Open
Kilroy Realty
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$17.9 million
Open
Prometheus Real Estate Group
Headquarters
San Mateo, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$17.0 million
Open
Western Manufactured Housing Communities
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$15.9 million
Open
Douglas Emmett Properties
Headquarters
Santa Monica, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$15.3 million
Open
California Business Properties Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$13.7 million
Open
UDR Apartments
Headquarters
Highlands Ranch, CO
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$12.3 million
Open
Cypress Management Company
Headquarters
Reno, NV
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$8.7 million
Pharmaceuticals (14)
Open
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$167.0 million
Open
Pfizer
Headquarters
New York, NY
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$49.9 million
Open
Johnson & Johnson
Headquarters
New Brunswick, NJ
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$46.1 million
Open
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$35.2 million
Open
Merck
Headquarters
Rahway, NJ
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$35.1 million
Open
Amgen
Headquarters
Thousand Oaks, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$31.0 million
Open
AbbVie
Headquarters
North Chicago, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$29.6 million
Open
Eli Lilly
Headquarters
Indianapolis, IN
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$23.7 million
Open
Novartis
Headquarters
Basel, Switzerland
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$22.6 million
Open
AstraZeneca
Headquarters
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$22.2 million
Open
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Headquarters
Princeton, NJ
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$22.0 million
Open
Sanofi
Headquarters
Paris, France
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$20.9 million
Open
Genentech
Headquarters
South San Francisco, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$20.4 million
Open
Abbott Laboratories
Headquarters
Abbott Park, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$15.8 million
Oil & Gas (11)
Open
Chevron
Headquarters
Houston, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$260.5 million
Open
Western States Petroleum Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$180.4 million
Open
Aera Energy
Headquarters
Bakersfield, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$77.9 million
Open
Marathon
Headquarters
Findlay, OH
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$37.9 million
Open
Valero
Headquarters
San Antonio, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$37.2 million
Open
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)
Headquarters
Houston, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$36.6 million
Open
Phillips 66
Headquarters
Houston, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$31.4 million
Open
Exxon Mobil
Headquarters
Houston, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$24.1 million
Open
California Independent Petroleum Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$20.4 million
Open
California Fuels & Convenience Alliance
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$18.3 million
Open
ConocoPhillips
Headquarters
Houston, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$15.6 million
Insurance Companies (9)
Open
Kaiser Permanente
Headquarters
Oakland, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$133.9 million
Open
Anthem Blue Cross/Wellpoint/Elevance Health
Headquarters
Indianapolis, IN
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$70.1 million
Open
Blue Shield of California
Headquarters
Oakland, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$58.8 million
Open
Health Net/Centene
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$32.9 million
Open
California Association of Health Plans
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$32.8 million
Open
Farmers Insurance
Headquarters
Woodland Hills, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$29.4 million
Open
State Farm
Headquarters
Bloomington, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$22.5 million
Open
Association of California Life & Health Insurance Companies
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$21.5 million
Open
United Healthcare
Headquarters
Minnetonka, MN
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$20.1 million
Criminal Legal System (8)
Open
California Correctional Peace Officers Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$95.6 million
Open
Peace Officers Research Association of California
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$48.5 million
Open
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$18.2 million
Open
Los Angeles Police Protective League
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$14.9 million
Open
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$9.0 million
Open
Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$8.0 million
Open
Chief Probation Officers of California
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$6.8 million
Open
California State Sheriffs' Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$6.6 million
Manufacturing/Technology (7)
Open
Philip Morris/Altria
Headquarters
Stamford, CT
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$237.2 million
Open
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Headquarters
Winston-Salem, NC
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$118.3 million
Open
California Manufacturers and Technology Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$42.2 million
Open
Headquarters
Mountain View, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$30.6 million
Open
American Chemistry Council
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$25.9 million
Open
Dow
Headquarters
Midland, MI
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$18.0 million
Open
Amazon
Headquarters
Seattle, WA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$17.5 million
School Privatization Advocacy (6)
Open
Reed Hastings (CEO of Netflix)
Headquarters
Santa Cruz, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$76.2 million
Open
EdVoice
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$72.5 million
Open
California Charter Schools Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$68.7 million
Open
Bill Bloomfield (Former CEO of Web Service Company and Web.com)
Headquarters
Park City, UT
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$41.8 million
Open
Walton Family (Owners of Walmart)
Headquarters
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$31.9 million
Open
Doris Fisher (Co-Founder of Gap, Inc.)
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$21.0 million
Restaurants (5)
Open
California Restaurant Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$30.2 million
Open
McDonald's
Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$28.8 million
Open
In-N-Out Burgers
Headquarters
Irvine, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$19.0 million
Open
Chipotle
Headquarters
Newport Beach, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$14.3 million
Open
Chick-fil-A
Headquarters
Atlanta, GA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$13.0 million
Kidney Dialysis Providers (3)
Open
DaVita
Headquarters
Denver, CO
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$256.1 million
Open
Fresenius Medical Care
Headquarters
Bad Homburg, Germany
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$118.7 million
Open
U.S. Renal Care
Headquarters
Plano, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$27.4 million
Utilities (3)
Open
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
Headquarters
Oakland, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$206.1 million
Open
Sempra Energy (including San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Gas Company)
Headquarters
San Diego, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$117.8 million
Open
Edison International (including Southern California Edison)
Headquarters
Rosemead, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$106.6 million
Gig Economy (3)
Open
Lyft
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$180.3 million
Open
Uber
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$133.5 million
Open
DoorDash
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$106.6 million
Telecommunications/Media (3)
Open
AT&T
Headquarters
Dallas, TX
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$133.8 million
Open
Verizon
Headquarters
New York, NY
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$45.0 million
Open
Disney
Headquarters
Burbank, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$22.7 million
Other (2)
Open
Charlie Munger, Jr. (Physicist and Son of Former Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger)
Headquarters
Palo Alto, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$133.5 million
Open
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Headquarters
Sacramento, CA
Total state-level political spending, 2005-2024
$55.8 million
About this project
All people should have the power to shape the policies and systems that intersect with their lives. However, in an oligarchy, that power is enjoyed by only a small number of extremely wealthy individuals. Meanwhile, everyone else is left to try and survive in a system that prioritizes profits for the ultra-rich over their health and well-being.
That is the system in which Americans are currently living. Billionaires and large corporations accumulate extraordinary wealth through the money and labor provided by middle-class, working-class, and low-income families. They then use that wealth to: (a) elect politicians who support their priorities; and (b) dominate the policymaking process with their armies of lobbyists, think tanks, public relations/media firms, and advocacy organizations. This “Oligarch Ecosystem” has been enormously successful in blocking (or rolling back) social and racial justice efforts and advancing policies that reflect their priorities, allowing them to further expand their wealth and perpetuate a vicious cycle of greed, corruption, and exploitation. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of people pay the price as their lives get more and more difficult because of policies that were never designed to benefit them or meet their needs.
To be clear, the problem isn’t that there are rich people. The problem is that there are people who become ultra-rich on the backs of others and then use their wealth to actively make those same people’s lives harder.
At the Social Movement Support Lab, we fight systemic racism and inequality by partnering with the most impacted communities and providing them with the multidisciplinary support they need to create transformative social change. Unfortunately, the many people and organizations working to expand social justice, racial justice, and democracy frequently lack the type of data and research needed to understand the strategy, tactics, and overall agenda of the oligarchs opposing their efforts. That gap severely limits the effectiveness of efforts to create the social change that is so urgently needed.
The California Oligarch Index is designed to fill that gap. By exposing the outsized role that a small number of individuals and organizations play in controlling state and local politics, we can start to level the playing field and enable all people and communities to assert their rightful political power.