Joe Mathews

What California County Is Big & Beautiful Yet Small & Ugly?

April 5, 2018

Why does a place as big and beautiful as Orange County behave in ways so small and ugly? In recent weeks, county supervisors first voted to oppose state sanctuary laws, thus aligning themselves with President Trump, who has targeted California in a campaign...

Will L.A.’s Water Delusions Kill the Delta Tunnels?

Joe Mathews

April 2, 2018

This time, “Chinatown” is fooling itself. Los Angeles has a long history of water deceptions, a point made famously by Roman Polanski’s 1974 film classic. But the self-sabotage of the city’s latest scheme is...

Grownups Have Messed Up School Budgets. Turn It Over to the Kids.

Joe Mathews

March 22, 2018

California education finances are an unholy mess — with incomprehensible budget formulas, equity funding that doesn’t produce equity, and cuts to schools even during the current economic expansion. And our stat...

Who Do You Love to Hate More, LA or SF? Resentments May Decide Governor’s Race.

Joe Mathews

March 1, 2018

Which city — San Francisco or Los Angeles — do you love to hate more? This is shaping up to be California’s question for 2018. Each of the top contenders for governor is a former mayor of one of those cities, and each embodies certain grievances about his h...

High-Speed Rail Deniers Have It All Wrong

Joe Mathews

February 22, 2018

If California’s train deniers are right—that no one ever rides trains here, that Californians prefer to drive or fly, and that high-speed rail is a boondoggle that won’t attract riders — then how do you explain...

Will Madera County’s Bold Dreams Make Greater Fresno Blossom?

Joe Mathews

February 15, 2018

Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in the heart of California, unite the state in pursuit a more metropolitan future for the Central Valley? Whether that happens will be determined in Madera C...

Oprah the Politician? Run for County Supervisor First

Joe Mathews

January 19, 2018

Opinion by Joe Mathews Dear Oprah, You might become a fine president. But you and your state, California, would be better off if you ran for Santa Barbara County supervisor instead. That’s no joke. If you want to tackle some of our nati...

A Fantastic Property Tax Proposal For Baby Boomers

Joe Mathews

January 5, 2018

Opinion by Joe Mathews To: California Association of Realtors Re: Death and Taxes Yes, all Californians eventually will die. But why can’t our property tax discounts live forever? ...

Is Jerry Brown the Second Most Powerful Politician in America?

Joe Mathews

December 26, 2017

Opinion By Joe Mathews Who is the most powerful governor in California history? The next one. Our state’s governorship has grown so great in reach and power that it now constitutes a secon...

All He Wants for California’s Christmas is 1 Million Immigrants

Joe Mathews

December 18, 2017

Opinion by Joe Mathews Zócalo Public Square Dear Santa, I know most letters you get are from kids. So let me start by saying there is no toy that I need. But there is something I want for Christmas — not for myself but for my state....

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Did You Lose a Bag of Precious Family Photos Fleeing Creek Fire? Robby Found Them

Man Charged With Attempted Murder in Ambush of 2 Los Angeles Deputies

Country Star and Hit Elvis Songwriter Mac Davis Dies at 78

Hot, Dry Conditions Continue to Stoke Glass and Zogg Wildfires

Fresno County Voters Switching to Democratic Party

Movie Theaters, Dining Rooms and Gyms Quickly Begin Reopening

Police Reform Panel Struggles to Keep Everyone on the Same Page as Deadline Nears

Hotels, Motels in Mariposa and Tulare Counties Being Turned Into Homeless Housing

Duke Study: One Mask Type Spreads COVID-19 Faster. Will MLB Take Note?

Country Star and Hit Elvis Songwriter Mac Davis Dies at 78

Bubble Hockey Champions: Tampa Bay Lightning Win Stanley Cup

France to Ban Use of Wild Animals in Circuses, Marine Parks

Conservative Social Media Warrior Brandau Quits Twitter

If Voters Raise Taxes on Corporate Landlords, Will Small Biz Foot the Bill?

Walters: High Housing Costs Keep Californians Poor

Bill to Reduce Probation Time Could Help Offenders Successfully Re-Enter Society

Eid al-Fitr Marks End of Ramadan, but COVID-19 Curtails Big Events

LIVE: Daily Briefing from Gov. Gavin Newsom

COVID-19 Brings a New Kind of Ramadan for Muslim Community

Takeaways: Trump's Town Hall Offered Preview of Debates

Trump to Far-Right Extremists: ‘Stand Back and Stand by’

Foreign Observers Wary of ‘Chaos,’ ‘Rancor’ in Us Debate

If Voters Raise Taxes on Corporate Landlords, Will Small Biz Foot the Bill?

What California County Is Big & Beautiful Yet Small & Ugly?

Will L.A.’s Water Delusions Kill the Delta Tunnels?

Grownups Have Messed Up School Budgets. Turn It Over to the Kids.

Who Do You Love to Hate More, LA or SF? Resentments May Decide Governor’s Race.

High-Speed Rail Deniers Have It All Wrong

Will Madera County’s Bold Dreams Make Greater Fresno Blossom?

Oprah the Politician? Run for County Supervisor First

A Fantastic Property Tax Proposal For Baby Boomers

Is Jerry Brown the Second Most Powerful Politician in America?

All He Wants for California’s Christmas is 1 Million Immigrants