Posts Tagged: savings

Opinion

Needed: a true safety strategy — not the same failed approaches

Participants in a protest against police use-of-force policies speak with an LAPD officer. (Photo: John Doukas, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: The terrible gun violence in Sacramento shows, once again, that we cannot delay our effort to make Californians safer. Sadly, this task is being made harder by individuals making false claims about the incident to advance an incarceration-first agenda that is both ineffective and very expensive.

Opinion

Community clean energy greatly helps those left behind

Solar panels clustered in an urban environment to provide energy to surrounding buildings, homes. (Photo: Gengwit Wattakawigran. via Shutterstock)

OPINION: All Californians have the right to access affordable clean energy. However, the majority of Californians are unable to take advantage of solar energy generated at their home because they are renters or homeowners without a suitable roof. These significant barriers are not adequately addressed through California’s existing clean energy programs.

Recent News

Drug-pricing rule hinders low-income, diverse communities

Personnel at the Sacramento Native American Health Center. (Photo: SNAHC)

OPINION: Amid the ongoing health crisis, California’s Medi-Cal Rx transition threatens the stability of over 1,300 community health centers that serve more than 7.2 million people throughout the state. In a noble attempt to discount rising prescription drug prices, a huge gap in savings is created for community health centers. Ironically, the transition disproportionately impacts the very same people it aims to help: California’s diverse population.

Opinion

Time to cut emissions from ride-hailing companies

An Uber car in traffic. (Photo: Cristi Croitoru, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: With the pandemic finally abating, people are moving around more, and business is picking up for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. So the timing is right for the California Air Resources Board to curb the pollution coming from those fleets. Fortunately, CARB’s agenda for its Board Hearing on Thursday includes a well-crafted measure called the Clean Miles Standard which will do just that.

Opinion

Pharmacy middlemen: Pass your cost savings on to consumers

A pharmacy worker on the the job. (Photo: wavebreakmedia, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: In 2018, legislators took positive initial steps to regulate some of the egregious business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – little-known middlemen in the health care system who have contributed to rising costs. However, more must be done to ensure that Californians are able to access affordable treatment options such as receiving cost savings at point of sale at the pharmacy counter, for example.

News

California schools adopting propane-powered buses

A California school bus powered by propane. (Photo: SchoolBusFleet.com)

In the last decade, numerous California school districts have adopted propane-based school buses in an attempt to eliminate costs and toxic emissions. Since 2013, the Elk Grove Unified School District near Sacramento has added 16 propane buses to its fleet and expects up to 12 more in the next month.

News

LAO: A summary of the governor’s 2018-19 budget

Gov. Jerry Brown presents his 2018-19 budget draft to the Legislature. (Photo: Corben Wilson, Capitol Weekly)

On Jan. 10, the governor presented his initial 2018‑19 budget plan to the Legislature. In this report, the Legislative Analyst provides a brief summary of the governor’s proposed budget. (In the coming weeks, the LAO will analyze the plan more thoroughly and release several additional budget analysis publications.)

News

Clock running out on ending daylight savings*

The clock tower at the San Francisco Ferry Building. (Photo: jejim, via Shutterstock)

California voters likely won’t get a chance after all to decide whether to end daylight savings time. Assemblymember Kansen Chu, D-San Jose, has been pushing to end the annual clock adjustment in response to requests from constituents. He has heard complaints from parents of young children who have trouble putting their kids to bed as well as seniors who are thrown off schedule for a week or more when the time changes. Chu added that companies out of state may find it easier to do business with California if the state keeps on the same time year round.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly podcast

Cardboard cutouts at the state Democratic Convention. (Photo: Capitol Weekly)

Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster chat about California politics, including the state Democratic Party’s convention, forgotten assets, the possible end of Daylight Savings Time and more.

News

‘California rule’ at center stage in pension dispute

Some thought an appeal of a court ruling blocking a key part of a San Jose pension reform could lead to a high court review of the “California rule,” an issue in an initiative ballot summary issued last week by Attorney General Kamala Harris. But dropping an appeal of the Superior Court ruling is part of a settlement of union suits against the voter-approved pension reform that could soon be implemented by court action

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