Image by undefinedOPINION – Nearly three years ago, at a rural elementary school, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that committed the state to increasing equitable, affordable access to high-speed internet service across California by building a state-owned internet backbone network and local broadband networks.
Image by Apichat NoipangOPINION – California’s Office of Healthcare Affordability (OHCA) recently adopted spending targets to slow healthcare spending growth and make it more affordable for Californians. The targets are ambitious and will be difficult to meet.
Image by wildpixelOPINION – Both AB 2557 and AB 2561 are being promoted as good government bills. They are the exact opposite. If enacted, local services will suffer, local governments will be unable to prioritize the most important needs of our communities, and costs for local services will skyrocket.
Image by style-photographyOPINION – In an effort to look tough on retail theft, the California Legislature is considering an action that could eliminate a form of commerce that has long been a lifeline for working-class consumers: the ability to buy and sell used goods through online classifieds.
Power Supplies on blade server in rack. Shot in data center. Image by kjekolOPINION – California’s 260-plus data centers must change to reduce the rising competitive demand for water and electricity and the increasing growth in CO2 emissions that artificial intelligence will accelerate in data centers.
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) capsules with kratom powder and green leaves OPINION – I am a 48-year-old Army veteran from Woodland, CA. By many accounts, I am a typical person – married with children, maintain close friendships, love my relatives, and have a daily routine. At the same time, my life is a story of both desperation and resilience in the face of chronic pain.
Social justice, image by wildpixelOPINION – The goals and principles that created the California Racial Equity Commission are precisely to ensure that when tough decisions have to be made about the state’s budget, the government prioritizes policies and programs that communities need and also includes these communities in the decision-making process.
Image by RohappyOPINION – A bill in the California Assembly — AB2432 — proposes short-term and long-term solutions to housing for victims of domestic violence. By supporting these efforts and continuing to commit to providing flexible funding through Domestic Violence Housing First, we can prevent devastation from these funding cuts.
Image by mnbbOPINION – Both the nation and state of California have committed to generational investments in transportation, energy, broadband and other types of public infrastructure. Reams of academic evidence tells us that when this happens, it is a boon both to the economy and to public budgets. But when it is done wrong, workers, taxpayers and businesses can all lose.
Image by wildpixelOPINION – Social scientists recognize that different people view issues differently and these perspectives are determined by their lived experiences. That’s why legislation currently being considered in Sacramento, Senate Bill 1137 (Smallwood-Cuevas, SD- 28), represents an important step toward preventing discrimination through the lens of intersectionality.