A few things about summertime in California have become utterly predictable: cineplex superheroes, beach crowds, and a record-setting state budget. Two years ago, we told you the state’s budget hit $180 billion—and that with that money you could buy the Los Angeles Lakers 60 times over. Last summer, the state budget set...
Newsom Doubled Down on Tax Credit for Working Poor
When Berenice Solis of Bakersfield received a direct deposit of $6,775 from the government this past March, her mind raced. She could finally take her three daughters, ages 4, 6 and 9, on a trip to Disneyland. Then she thought about her goal of buying a house. Or upgrading her...
Bringing High-Speed Rail to California, One Building Block at a Time
California has long been the leader in innovation, bold action and tackling projects that others wouldn’t dream of. The state highway system, BART, and the Golden Gate Bridge stand out as prime examples of challenging projects that were seen through, and today benefit millions. The vision for high-speed rail is...
Governor and Legislature: Stop Raiding California’s Cap-and-Trade Funding
When I was California Assembly Speaker in 2006, I proudly negotiated with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to lay down a marker in the fight against climate change by placing strict reductions on greenhouse gas emissions through Assembly Bill 32. We knew we had to do something, especially after the U.S....
This California Lawmaker Wants to Ban Cigarette Filters, Disposable Vapes
We’ve all seen it, the smoker who takes one last drag and flicks the cigarette butt onto the ground. It’s instant litter that California Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson wants to prevent by banning the filters in most cigarettes. The Democrat from Santa Barbara’s bill, SB 424, would ban filtered cigarettes, disposable plastic holders and...
In Newsom’s ‘California for All’ Budget, Undocumented Immigrants Aren't Included
The California Legislature has passed the state budget that included funding to expand MediCal eligibility to undocumented residents under the age of 26. The expansion is projected to aid 90,000 young adults who are living at the brink of poverty, earning less than $16,395 per year in the state. Though a step in the...
A Million Independent Voters Risk Being Irrelevant in California’s Presidential Primary
Presidential challengers hoping to glide to victory through California’s newly relevant primary, a heads-up: Your electoral fate may hinge on convincing enough left-leaning millennials to send postcards over the holiday season. Welcome to the quirk-filled world of California election law. Here, voters without a registered political party can participate in the Democratic...
State Government's Tech Has Been a Mess for Decades. Can Newsom Fix It?
California government’s technology drastically pales in comparison to Silicon Valley, but Gov. Gavin Newsom is betting $40.8 million and a new office will change that. Even though California is home to innovative tech giants like Google and Apple, its government historically has used technology that can’t handle simple tasks–like accepting...
Legislature Must Act to Protect Environment From Trump’s Assaults
California is facing an unprecedented and reckless assault by the federal government on our water quality, air quality, worker safety, fish and wildlife, and public lands. Existing federal protections in those areas keep California a special place and keep Californians healthy. But those protections are threatened. Our state government is...
Fighting for Clean Water With Climate Change Money Can Be a Problem
Combat climate change, or clean up California’s water? Those alarmed by the Legislature’s decision to dip into a greenhouse gas fund to pay for clean drinking water may need to get used to it: Constitutional restrictions on spending that money are set to expire in 2021. At issue is the...