Posts Tagged: money

News

Heavyweight health care plans confront lawmakers

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has proposed state health care for undocumented immigrants, at a press conference in Paramount on Jan. 22. (Photo: Ringo Chiu, via Shutterstock)

California could soon be seeing an unprecedented overhaul of its state health care system — but only if the politics and money come together. Two proposals are making the rounds at  the Capitol which, if approved, would greatly expand eligibility for publicly funded health insurance.

Opinion

State should do more to unclog port congestion

The tugboat Sandra Hugh pushes a cargo ship into the crowded Port of Oakland. (Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: If the Grinch is attempting to steal this Christmas, he is doing so under the guise of supply chain disruptions and congested ports. The attention-grabbing headlines asking, “Who Can Save Christmas,” usually top stories about children finding the right toy under the tree Christmas morning.

News

Public banking movement gaining traction in California

Historical building of Wells Fargo in San Francisco's financial district. Photo: Takako Hatayama-Phillips, via Shutterstock)

San Francisco has taken its first major step toward establishing a public bank, and other California municipalities are also moving forward in exploring public banking, including a regional effort by cities and counties on the Central Coast. The California statute reportedly is adding fuel to a nationwide public banking effort.

Opinion

Prison-inmate fraud is last straw for beleaguered EDD

An Employment Development Department office in Sacramento. (Photo: Screen capture, ABC7 News)

‌As residents of one of the highest taxed states in the nation, Californians‌ have a right to expect the government they pay handsomely to provide the basic services their taxes fund. For‌ ‌instance,  ‌we‌ ‌expect‌ ‌that‌ ‌when‌ ‌we‌ ‌have‌ ‌an‌ ‌emergency‌ ‌and‌ ‌we‌ ‌dial‌  ‌9-1-1,‌ ‌help‌ ‌will‌ ‌arrive‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌burst‌ ‌of‌ ‌flashing‌ ‌lights,‌ ‌sirens,‌ ‌and‌ ‌hurried‌ ‌professionals.‌

Opinion

Proposition 23 and the politics of big money

A dialysis nurse checks his equipment. (Photo: Saengsuriya Kanhajorn, via Shutterstock)

Close your eyes. Think about all the problems facing California. Think about the top 10 problems. Now think about the top 100 problems. Now open your eyes. We doubt anyone reading this thought about staffing in kidney dialysis centers. Yet this year proposition 23 was asking voters in California to have a say on the staffing requirements for kidney dialysis centers.

News

Amid pandemic, California ballot measures facing tough sell

Photo illustration of a voter's reminder for the Nov. 3, 2020 general election. (Image: Prostock-studio, via Shutterstock)

Qualifying a proposition for the ballot – much less convincing millions of voters to support it – is always a Herculean task. In the best of times, it requires a near limitless supply of money, talent and luck. Nobody right now thinks we are in the best of times. Many months now into the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people instead feel trapped inside a George Orwell novel.

News

in California’s elections, progressives try to elbow in

Emanuel Gonzales, a progressive candidate, campaigns in the 32nd Congressional District. (Photo: Gonzales campaign)

There are a growing number of candidates who describe themselves as progressives. They have varied backgrounds but have one thing in common — their chances of actually winning are very, very small. Across California, more and more people are opting to run for higher office, seizing onto the theories of change spearheaded by progressives like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

News

Sparse state funding for rape crisis centers — again

Photo illustration of a sexual assault survivor: (Image: Joe Techapanupreeda, via Shutterstock)

Despite a continued rise in California’s cost of living and the increase in the centers’ operating expenses, the state’s general fund contribution to its 84 rape crisis centers remains at $45,000 and $1.7 million from the State Penalty Fund, far less than the funding from the federal government through Congressional appropriations.

Opinion

California must tackle skyrocketing drug prices

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.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Paul Mitchell eyes the 2020 elections

Left to right: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg. (Illustration: Tim Foster)

California political data guru Paul Mitchell joins Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster to talk about — what else? — the 2020 elections. Who’s up, who’s down and who’s burning through their dough?

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