Image by monkeybusinessimages. OPINION – A proposal by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to shift homes from affordable natural gas furnaces and water heaters to more costly all-electric alternatives is a textbook example of how government agencies quietly make life more expensive.
Image by Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn.OPINION – Despite a $12 billion budget deficit, Governor Gavin Newsom still proposes to spend more on the state’s public schools, despite findings of a Georgetown University study showing that California is not getting education bang for its taxpayer buck.
Image by zimmytws. OPINION – While there is extreme uncertainty about where the economy is headed, we know this much: Gutting Medicaid does not create prosperity. It pulls loved ones out of the workforce, it lowers consumer spending, increases personal debt and weakens the economy for everyone.
The California Aqueduct flows in Palmdale, California, near Godde Hill Road. Image by Jim Keller. OPINION – The State Water Project — the backbone of water delivery for 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland — is being pushed to the brink by climate change, extreme weather swings and seismic vulnerabilities. Without action, we’re facing a future of increased water shortages, higher costs and diminished reliability for communities and farms alike.
Image by Racide. OPINION – We know that as the nation’s most populous and diverse state, what happens here doesn’t stay here — it ripples outward, influencing national conversations, elections, and policy. That’s why recent trends in our state should be both a point of pride and a wake-up call.
Image by Alexandrum79OPINION – Without legislative intervention, an impending hike in the cannabis excise tax will accelerate the collapse of California’s regulated cannabis market, harming consumers, public health, and ironically, the state’s bottom line.
Image by Drazen Zigic. OPINION – AB 84 would centralize oversight of charter schools into a massive new state agency—pulling decision-making away from local communities, draining resources from classrooms, and punishing schools that serve students differently.
Image by kodda. OPINION – California desperately needs the resources to protect residents from the inevitable reality of the climate crisis. Thankfully, legislation currently moving through the California legislature could be a lifeline for our budget and get us back on the right track.
Health-focused semaglutide pens. Image by Eduardo Monroy HusillosOPINION – With the state finalizing their budget in the coming weeks and looking to fill deficits, including within the Medi-Cal program, AOM coverage could be on the chopping block. Having seen the importance of comprehensive obesity treatment with AOMs from a clinical standpoint, it’s imperative that this coverage isn’t cut
Image by Aree SarakOPINION – The California Privacy Protection Agency’s proposed regulations surrounding the use of Automated Decision-Making Technology (ADMT) and other AI-assisted systems risk undermining the very ecosystem that has made our state a global economic leader.