Biography of Richard Katz

President

Richard Katz is a longtime public servant and state policymaker with specific expertise in the areas of water, transportation, land use, and energy.

Katz served in the California State Assembly representing the North and East San Fernando Valley from 1980 until 1996. For 10 years, he served as Chair of the powerful Assembly Transportation Committee. During his tenure, he authored Proposition 111, a 10-year Transportation Blueprint passed by the voters, and created the Congestion Management Plan, requiring cities and counties to measure and mitigate impacts of land use decisions on their streets, highways and transit systems. He wrote the legislation that created the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, merging the Southern California Rapid Transit District with the LA County Transportation Commission, which became the current day Metro.

Richard was California’s lead negotiator for the landmark Colorado River Agreement between the State of California, the Federal Government, four California Water Agencies, and the six Colorado River Basin States, furthering his expertise as a negotiator on issues of statewide significance. Katz had already played a pivotal role in renegotiating $30 billion worth of California’s Energy contracts and developing California’s Transportation Blueprint for the 21st Century, which the voters approved as Proposition 111 in 1990.

After leaving the State Assembly, Mr. Katz was appointed to the State Water Resources Control Board, confirmed by the Senate and served for six years, occupying the water quality seat. In Jan. of 2003, Governor Davis appointed him as his Senior Advisor on Energy and Water issues.

Shortly after his election in June of 2005, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed Richard to serve with him on the Governing Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. After the horrific Metrolink accident in 2008, Mayor Villaraigosa appointed him to the Metrolink Board, where he served as Chair from 2011-2013.

Richard is the owner of a successful public policy and government relations firm based in Los Angeles, Richard Katz Consulting (RKC), Inc. RKC offers a wide variety of services, including strategic advice, message development, negotiations/mediation and government relations strategies. RKC brings a vast knowledge of all levels of government and has guided numerous clients through the maze of both bureaucratic and regulatory concerns.