As the U.S. reckons once again with racial inequities, it’s triggered a new round of calls to remove statues and monuments idolizing Confederate leaders and those who enslaved people. While Mississippi is retiring its Confederate battle flag and Alabama and Georgia join the movement to topple bronze statues, California is not without...
Recognize the Progress of High-Speed Rail Project and Drop the Term ‘Boondoggle’
By Jim Beal and Scott Wiener, Special to CalMatters California’s High-Speed Rail project is under fire again, but history shows us that major infrastructure projects are almost always controversial. Before it was built, the Golden Gate Bridge was derided as financially unsound, legally dubious and an aesthetic blight. BART was...
I Faced a Challenge One of Every Three People in America Has: Depression and Anxiety
On Friday, April 10, at 5 p.m., Californians learned I had resigned as chief economic and business advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom and chair of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The press release stated I was leaving “to focus on family and personal business.” In corporate speak, this usually means...
Props to You, Californians: A Preview of What’s on Your November Ballot
After a bit of last-minute legislative maneuvering, the list of propositions that California voters will be asked to weigh in on has been — more or less — finalized. This past week marked the deadline for citizens and special interests to snag their spot on the Nov.3 ballot. Eight measures...
Here Are Systemic Actions CSU Plans in Promoting Social Justice and Addressing Racial Injustices
In the wake of the heartless killing of George Floyd, and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exact a devastating and disproportionate toll on communities of color, never before have I sensed a feeling of helplessness so profound, held by so many. Outrage is justified and protest imperative, but nothing...
Newsom and Lawmakers Pursue ‘Mutually Repugnant’ Budget Compromise
Even with the process controlled entirely by Democrats, a certain degree of tension is wired into the annual ritual of crafting a state budget in Sacramento. The spending plan, after all, is a powerful opportunity for the governor and each house of the Legislature to demonstrate their priorities in caring...
Dreamers Have Been Political Pawns for Far Too Long: Castro
While I hope the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold protection for Dreamers, I am continually mystified that we find ourselves in this predicament in the first place. Too often, there seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding about who these Dreamers are. These young people were brought to the United States...
Community College Chief Wants Police Training Changes
Eloy Ortiz Oakley wants to change how police officers in California are trained. Oakley is the chancellor of the state’s 115 community colleges and consequently oversees one of the largest training networks for California police. Eighty percent of police officers in California get training at a community college, according to...
Pandemic Food Stamps Offer up to $365 per Child
Families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at their schools — regardless of immigration status — may notice something in the mail to help them buy groceries. California is issuing one-time food stamps with credits of up to $365 per child to help qualifying families get through...
Rethinking Work and Life in Lessons Learned From COVID-19: Caballero
I must admit to a strong bias. I am old fashioned. I believe in going into the office, and appreciate the routine of rising early in the morning, drinking coffee, joining the flow of people commuting to work and retreating to my home sanctuary after a hard day’s work. Now,...