What Lessons Can Be Learned from Project Roomkey?
In the spring, California policymakers created Project Roomkey to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. To date, the program has provided a hotel room to more than 22,000 people. Governor Newsom recently announced an additional $62 million in one-time state funds to continue the program over the winter, given the current […]
Here’s How Gavin Could Make His Big Four Appointments
The much-discussed contest over who Gov. Newsom names to fill Kamala Harris’ Senate seat—a contest in which I remain the best choice—is about far more than one appointment. In fact, it’s starting to look like the governor will get to make a Big 4 of appointments to elected office. And on top of those, he’s […]
Pension Obligation Bonds Are Not the Answer to Pension Crisis
Pension Obligation Bonds (POBs) do NOT reduce pension obligations. They increase pension assets, which produces an accounting benefit (more assets — the same liabilities = a lower unfunded liability). Economically, a POB is just a “carry trade,” which is a borrowing at a low rate to bet on hopefully-higher-yielding products. Not surprisingly, Wall Street also […]
The Myth of the Latino Monolith
Along with our guest, journalist Pilar Marrero, we discuss the Latino vote in the 2020 election nationally and in California, Arizona and other states. And we explore the impact of Latinos on American politics and policy in the future. Nancy Boyarsky is the producer-director of Inside Golden State Politics. Listen to the podcast here.
Waiting for Chad Mayes
We completely screwed up California’s election system, and all we got was one lousy independent. After a decade of the miserable election experiment known as the top-two, the election to the state assembly of Chad Mayes, a former Republican turned independent, is the only consolation prize. That ought to embarrass backers of the top-two system. […]
Today’s Education Battles: Lessons From A Campaign That Saved JROTC In The Public Schools
(Latest in a series since March on the pandemic’s employment impacts, and rebuilding America’s job base. The previous ones are here.) Over the past eighteen months, the San Francisco Unified School District Board has decided that famed murals by Victor Arnautoff contain racist themes and need to be removed, that the names of public schools […]
California Has an Outmigration Problem
Recent Census Bureau data tell a story that surprises no one who keeps up with current events in California: The state is losing residents like few others. According to economist Mark J. Perry, only four other states – New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Louisiana – had a greater net outflow in 2019. Using Census numbers, […]
California Public Advocates Office enters a “common interest agreement” with the Sierra Club to help the CPUC ban the use of natural gas
The residents of California are struggling as the impacts of the global pandemic have impacted their working conditions, hours and in many instances, their household incomes and financial stability. Despite having the highest poverty rate in the country, the California Public Advocates Office (CalPA) and the Sierra Club have joined forces, to continue pushing energy […]
California Must Join Europe As The World’s Leading Amazon Enforcers
California lawmakers have staked their claim as national leaders when it comes to regulating the tech industry in recent years, often demonstrating more in common with their European peers than they do those back home in reining in the power of these tech giants. Now, with the announcement of new allegations against Amazon coming from […]