Team Educate Runs Up Big Lead on Team Medicate
When you watch a California budget season, the best way to understand what you’re watching is as a game between three teams. Those three teams represent the three major functions of the state: Educate, Medicate, and Incarcerate. These days, this is really a two-team race, however. Because Team Incarcerate is in the penalty box, forced […]
A One-Two Punch Against the Initiative Process at the Supreme Court
An Arizona case before the U.S. Supreme Court that challenges the state’s ballot initiative created redistricting commission could have such an effect on California politics that three former California governors, noted California political scientists, and a California state commission have all filed briefs in the case. California voters also approved ballot measures that took the […]
Water Bond Promises Must Be Kept
If you, like 3.5 million Californians, voted “yes” on the $7.5 billion water bond last year, you should start paying attention to how Gov. Jerry Brown is planning to spend the bond money. It may not be on building new dams to store water for future dry years like he assured voters, farmers and legislators […]
Is Deficient Recruiting the Real Reason for Police Understaffing in San Diego?
Whenever there is a shortage of police personnel in a California city, a common reason cited is inadequate pay. When officers at a particular agency are paid less than their counterparts at some other agency, so the theory goes, they quit in order to start working where they can make more. This seems to be […]