KHTS AM-1220 has been joined by Santa Clarita Valley leaders for the past eight years for the radio station’s annual Sacramento road trip, lobbying for local issues and meeting with state legislators and administrators.

This year’s ninth annual road trip is planned for Monday, March 17, and Tuesday, March 18, and is sponsored by Southern California Gas Co., Union Bank and the Castaic Lake Water Agency.

The idea started as a conversation between then State Assemblyman Keith Richman and KHTS co-owner Carl Goldman at a charity event in 2005. Richman said he felt that most community leaders didn’t have an understanding of the challenges that state legislative officials faced in Sacramento. The two decided to invite a number of community leaders to visit Sacramento and learn about these challenges.

The annual trip started in 2006, when Carl Goldman and station co-owner Jeri Seratti-Goldman were joined by 35 community leaders for a bus trip to Sacramento.

In 2007, the group nearly doubled in size. Over the years, the road trips have focused on topics such as transportation, education, the state budget, water issues and prison realignment.

Assembly candidate Scott Wilk

Assemblyman Scott Wilk’s office works with KHTS to coordinate all the trip’s meetings with the politicians and officials at the state capitol.

Among last year’s 86 participants were representatives from College of the Canyons, the Castaic Lake Water Agency, the Child and Family Center and Habitat for Humanity, in addition to many others.

This year, there are at least 100 community leaders going.

“(There are) only a couple slots left,” Goldman said. “Anyone wanting to go needs to contact us this week.”

There is currently also a waiting list for the bus that will be used to transport the majority of the group to Sacramento . In previous years, other participants have flown.

To learn more about the Sacramento Road Trip, including cost and topics for this year, click here or contact KHTS at info@hometownstation.com or 661-298-1220.