Image by KamionskyOPINION – As lawmakers in Sacramento increase their focus on human trafficking, we’re urging those in charge to focus on what really matters: survivor support and real recovery.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, image via YouTubeOPINION – California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be a very hard act to follow for any Democrat aspiring to take his place. Think what you will about Newsom’s personality, policies or politics, he is a charismatic, commanding figure and an exceedingly articulate and masterful communicator.
Image by HalfpointOPINION – As states, organizations, and individuals across the nation continue to brace for potentially devastating cuts to Medicaid programs from the federal level, it remains vital that the California State Budget preserve funding that supports critical and necessary services for more than 450,000 Californians with developmental disabilities.
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.