In Depth Profile: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and her Impossible Job
Since her election as mayor of Oakland in 2014, Libby Schaaf has tried to steer a city that embodies almost all the challenges confronting urban America: rapid gentrification, a shrinking black community that feels increasingly marginalized, a historically racist police force, and a growing homeless population. She is the subject of Jennifer Kahn’s in-depth profile […]
The California Business and Industrial Alliance, a New Organization that Sets Sights on Fixing PAGA Law
The California Business and Industrial Alliance (CABIA) is a newly formed non-profit trade organization. CABIA exists to promote the interests of California-owned small- and mid- sized businesses and the people they employ. It accomplishes this through a mix of public education, legislative lobbying, and grassroots organizing. The Alliance is led by a team of experienced California business […]
Congratulations to Los Angeles!
Mayor Eric Garcetti made a once in a generation announcement – the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming back to Los Angeles for the third time. Two and a half years after losing the United States Olympic Committee’s bid selection to another U.S. city, the determination and creativity of the Mayor and local Olympic […]
California Economic Summit To Honor Employers And Educators Who Work Together
California has a workforce challenge–middle skills jobs are going unfilled because workers aren’t trained. This challenge has helped create more cooperation between education entities and employers. The California Economic Summit is sponsoring a contest to identify and honor innovative partnerships between employers and California’s secondary and post-secondary institutions. The Partnerships for Industry and Education (PIE) Contest will […]
Memo to Press: In 2018, Don’t Get Obsessed With the Past
To: California media Re: Covering the 2018 Gubernatorial Election The big question you face in covering the 2018 gubernatorial election is: Are you going to let the past or the future win? The past – the very human and personal details of the candidates’ lives– is the heavy favorite in the race for coverage. The […]
Do These Five Things and You’ll Leave CA Ready to Build More Housing
After taking their recent cap-and-trade victory lap, the Governor and Democrats in the Legislature pledged to fix the state’s housing problems next. When I heard this I wasn’t surprised, politically – the pressure is on for them to do something. California’s housing shortage is catching up to the mighty Golden State. McKenzie and Company reports […]
Does the Middle Class Have a Future in Los Angeles?
Recently I read Richard Florida’s book, The New Urban Crisis. Among the critical issues he identifies is the decline of the middle class in our urban centers. What his research found was that the middle class is the smallest in the most economically vibrant places, in particular, what he defines as “superstar cities” and tech hubs. Los […]
In birth of new state program, what’s in a name?
It’s time to bring in some “Mad Men,” like those vintage Madison Avenue advertising professionals in the critically acclaimed television show, and run the name of a new state retirement savings plan up the flagpole and see who salutes. The current name, Secure Choice, doesn’t say much about a big new program that in five years could […]
Mob Mentality Comes to Sacramento from the Left and the Right
Diagnosed with brain cancer, his left eyebrow stitched from recent surgery, U.S. Senator John McCain appealed to civilities all but forgotten this week when he advised colleagues, “Let’s trust each other. Let’s return to regular order.” McCain was speaking about the Senate’s tortured efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But he could […]