Timing for an Abolish-the-Death-Penalty Measure
In the wake of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action to issue a moratorium on the death penalty, Assemblyman Marc Levine filed a constitutional amendment, ACA 12, to abolish the death penalty. Given the backlash against Newsom’s action there is no guarantee that the Democrats, despite their supermajorities in both houses, would garner the necessary two-thirds vote […]
Ripple Effects from Gov. Newsom’s Death Penalty Decision
People have gone to their instinctive corners on Gavin Newsom’s death penalty moratorium. The only legal clarification is that Newsom made no changes to the law that prescribes the death penalty. He gave reprieves under Article V, Section 8 of the California Constitution. Most electeds who responded in opposition to his action acknowledged that, but there […]
A First Look at the Governor’s Housing Budget
During his campaign for Chief Executive of California, then-candidate and now Governor Newsom promised three and a half million new housing units would be built in the state by 2025. He promised a majority of those units would be affordable to lower-income households, as well. He also promised he would make it profoundly easier to […]
Higher Education Funding Momentum Must Continue
The decisions by the University of California and California State University to hold the line on tuition increases in the Fall are welcome news, provided that Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature follow through with robust increases in State funding for UC, CSU and our community colleges. Otherwise, educational quality will suffer and thousands of […]