I've finally figured out the reason for the annual dance between whoever occupies the governor's office and California State University system leaders. For those unfamiliar with the Sacramento Three-Step, it works like this. First step: The governor low-balls funding for increased enrollment. Second step: The CSU chancellor and the 23...
Walters: Politicians Missing in Action on Housing Shortage
When the year began, the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom had just two must-do jobs – pass a state budget and do something meaningful about the state’s chronic and corrosive shortage of housing. The budget is a slam-dunk, thanks to the state’s fat treasury. Housing, however, is a smellier kettle...
Walters: School Spending Popular, Taxes Not so Much
For years, even decades, polling has consistently found that Californians’ highest political priority is public education. That trend continues in a new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, conducted in the wake of teacher strikes for higher salaries in three urban school districts. PPIC found that three-quarters of...
Walters: Three Months in, Newsom Has Only Tepid Approval
Gavin Newsom coasted into the governorship last year, defeating his Republican rival by more than a 3-2 margin. It seems a little odd, therefore, that three months into his governorship, he enjoys only tepid popular support. A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that just 45...
Walters: Poll Underscores California’s Housing Crisis
Two months ago, when the Public Policy Institute of California asked the state’s residents to name the top issues that newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature should address, immigration was No. 1. Jobs and environmental issues followed, with “homelessness” a distant fourth, cited by just 6 percent of...
All Polls Point to Newsom as California's Next Governor
Barring a big rally by John Cox, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom will become the next governor of California. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday night shows Newsom holding an 11-point lead over Cox among likely voters in the race to succeed Jerry Brown. Newsom, a Democrat, leads...
How to Watch State Superintendent Candidates Debate Public Ed
The November election pits Assemblyman Tony Thurmond against school reformer Marshall Tuck to become California's public schools superintendent. On Friday, they will participate in a "conversation" about the future of public education hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Sacramento. The 90-minute...
Newsom’s Support Drops in PPIC Poll. Should He Be Worried?
Over the next few weeks, we will learn a lot about the power of political televisions ads. Thus far, the race to pick Gov. Jerry Brown's successor is a snoozer. Going forward, all of the serious candidates must focus their resources on stirring voter passion. So expect to see a...
Poll Shocker: Republican Could Face Newsom in Governor Showdown
A poll released at 9 o'clock Wednesday night shows that an anticipated all-Democrat showdown to determine Gov. Jerry Brown's successor might not materialize. San Diego businessman John Cox, a Republican, is gaining traction with voters, according to the latest survey of likely June primary voters conducted by the nonpartisan Public...
Who Will Be Next Governor? Villaraigosa Cuts Newsom's Poll Lead
Though it's still early and nearly one-quarter of voters have yet to form opinions on the race, it appears that Democrats Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa will duke it out to become California's next governor. The two Democrats are running a close race among likely voters in the gubernatorial primary,...