Desperate for a way to help the tens of thousands of people living in tents, cars and RVs on California’s streets, lawmakers are attempting to upend a key tenet of the state’s homelessness policy. Two new bills would allow state funding to support sober housing — a significant departure from...
Sustainable Farms Need to Come Together, Not Cast Blame Over California Methane Program
Re: “How California’s prized solution for methane gas is backfiring on farmers“ I am a family farmer just like the author of a recent commentary critical of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, or LCFS. The difference is that my farm actively participates in the methane reduction program enlisted by the...
California Passed a Law to Stop ‘Pay to Play’ in Local Politics. After Two Years, Legislators Want to Gut It
Described by its author as the “most significant political reform” in decades, a 2022 law designed to limit businesses’ and contractors’ attempts to sway local elected officials with campaign contributions cleared the California Legislature without a single “no” vote. Two years later, some of the same legislators who backed the...
Californians Will See Lower Electricity Rates and a New Fee That Won’t Vary with Power Use
State utility regulators decided Thursday to let California’s largest power providers stick their customers with a new monthly flat fee in exchange for a reduction in the overall price of electricity, a controversial change to the way that millions of households pay their utility bills with weighty implications for state...
California Schools Can’t Keep Pace with Utility Bills. Lawmakers Must Fix New Solar Rules.
Serving as a school board president requires a deep dedication to ensuring districts have the resources needed to provide every student with a high-quality education. Sadly, that core mission has been challenged by runaway utility costs draining resources from already cash-strapped budgets. School districts such as Oakland and Clovis Unified,...
Will Californians Get Any Relief From Nation’s Highest Gas Prices?
Californians pay more at the pump than residents of any other state — an average of $5.34 a gallon for regular unleaded, compared to the national average of $3.64, according to AAA. And in some counties, the sticker shock is even worse — $6.80 in Alpine, $6.29 in Mono and...
Did California’s Massive COVID Homeless Shelter Program Work? A New Evaluation Probes the Results
California’s massive effort to shelter homeless residents during the COVID-19 pandemic was a success, according to a new report that says the effort changed the state’s homeless services system for the better. But at the same time, the researchers pointed out a troubling dearth of available data on the program....
How to Prepare Your Cellphone for a Protest
Protesting is a part of the democratic process. Whatever you’re protesting or counter-protesting, here are some simple steps to take before hitting the streets. Gaza solidarity encampments have appeared on college campuses across California and the nation, joining a growing wave of protests against Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Before...
CA Limits How Police Respond to Protests. Why Were Bean Bag Shotguns Used at UCLA?
The pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA last week became the latest campus tinderbox to erupt. As the police response unfurled before our eyes, I watched, not as a layman, but from the perspective of someone who has worn the boots that stand between calm and chaos. I retired as a lieutenant...
Californians Are Protecting Themselves from Wildfire. Why Is There an Insurance Crisis?
Spend any time thinking or talking about insurance in California these days and you’re bound to hear the word “mitigation.” Fire officials, lawmakers, insurance agents and others are asking homeowners to help lower the risk of devastating wildfires by making improvements to their properties — in some cases at great...