A remote consultation involving upcoming dental surgery. (Photo: verbaska, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The pandemic has created plenty of insecurity, but one bright spot has been the integration of technology into our daily lives. Through video conferencing and other technologies, we have been able to keep meetings with coworkers and reduce the isolation of quarantine by providing a face-to-face connection with family and friends.
Residential housing units under construction. (Photo: Orange Grove, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Our state’s high cost of living is driven in large part by exorbitant housing prices.
Skyrocketing rents and record-high home prices are forcing many families to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave our state altogether. Californians of all backgrounds are calling out for action: We need housing now.
Dusk at Silicon Valley, hub of the world's tech industry. (Photo: yhelfman, via Shutterstock)OPINION: With the election cycle now in our nation’s rearview mirror, the work of building back our economy still lies ahead. In order to most effectively meet this challenge, it is imperative that political leaders recognize what has truly driven economic resiliency over the course of this year – digital technologies.
A woman and her baby boy on the beach in San Diego. (Photo: Sarmiento Photography, via Shutterstock)OPINION: For nearly a quarter of a century, Parent Voices, a partnership of parents throughout California, has led an annual event on the grounds of California’s Capitol called “Stand for Children Day.” Each May, parent and youth leaders march side-by-side before meeting with legislators to advocate for policies that protect the state’s children and their families.
Wind-driven electricity generators in Baja California. (Photo: VG Photo, via Shutterstock)OPINION: It’s no secret that the road to a 100% clean energy future could be bumpy. Reaching our state’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045 through wind, solar and other renewable sources while using utility-scale batteries to smooth out peaks and valleys in generation is possible, but it could prove prohibitively expensive.
Housing under construction in Riverside. (Photo: Orange Grove, via Shutterstock)OPINION:Instead of moving forward with progressive and innovative policies that would expedite new housing or encourage Californians to take the risk and buy their first rental property, legislative leaders have decided to shelve most of those proposals and support failed policies that have been rejected by voters and communities for years.
A sign urging protections for drinking water in Yosemite National Park. (Photo: Earl D. Walker, via Shutterstock)OPINION: California has a drinking water crisis. More than 1 million people in California lack access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. 400 schools in our state have lead contamination in their drinking water. About 300 public water systems in our state are not in compliance with drinking water standards. This is a public health and environmental crisis.
A pharmacist puts medications on the shelves of his store. (Photo: viewfinder, via Shutterstock)OPINION: We’ve seen the stories of Pharma Bro, we’ve read about Big Pharma’s Q1 profit margins. What drug companies are trying to keep secret though, is Pay-for-Delay, a sneaky tactic that brand name and generic drug companies are using – and getting away with — that costs Americans $3.5 billion per year in higher health care costs.
A photo illustration depicting sky-high interest rates. (Image: Becky Stares, via Shutterstock)OPINION: High-cost, extreme interest rates are having a detrimental impact on the financial stability and well-being of both credit markets and borrowing consumers. We strongly support Assembly Bill 539 (Limón) as the right approach for consumers to have a loan that is affordable and accessible while promoting a sustainable, healthy credit market for lenders.
An aerial view of a San Luis Obispo neighborhood. (Photo: Sundry Photography, via Shutterstock) The latest Berkeley IGS Poll finds a lack of consensus among Californians on a number of policy proposals relating to housing. But one issue that voters do agree on, at least in concept, is that limits should be imposed on new housing development in high-risk wildfire areas. Three in four voters statewide (74%) support this policy, while just 25% are opposed.