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Report: Without housing fix, Silicon Valley will falter
Three times in the past 18 months, prominent journalistic organizations have questioned whether Silicon Valley has peaked. Leading off the bad-mouthing was the hometown San Jose Mercury News, which reported in September 2016 that tech growth had slowed in the
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Brutal long-term ‘mega-drought’ a specter hanging over state
Californians confronted with a bone-dry winter have to wonder if Gov. Jerry Brown and other state officials acted precipitously in April 2017 in declaring an end to the Golden State’s five-year drought. But there’s an even more ominous question to
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Study: More funding, local autonomy improved graduation rates
California’s adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula in 2013 has been a win for the Golden State’s education system, according to a new UC Berkeley/Learning Policy Institute study. Passed in 2013, LCFF provided school districts with more discretion in
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Stars aligning for far-reaching changes to state bail system
Last week could be remembered as a turning point for California criminal justice as state Attorney General Xavier Becerra joined the movement to radically change the Golden State’s bail system, which charges by far the highest average bail in the
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Steve Poizner ditches GOP, will run as independent for insurance commissioner
Steve Poizner is again running for the position of state insurance commissioner, but this time he’s leaving behind the Republican Party and running as an independent, in just the latest move illustrating the tough climate for the GOP in the
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Mixed report on Sen. Mendoza allegations puts Senate in tough spot
Two law firms hired by the California Senate to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, have returned a mixed report that could provoke fissures between senators who want to use Mendoza to set an example for
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Bill would double monthly rent tax credit – from $20 to $40
State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, and 16 co-sponsors have introduced legislation that sounds like a bold move to address the high cost of housing. Glazer’s Senate Bill 1182 would double the state tax credit for renters. But that turns out
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Berkeley declares itself a sanctuary city for marijuana users
In its latest effort to counter the Trump agenda in Washington, Berkeley, California has declared itself a sanctuary city for cannabis use. Under the newly passed resolution, no city department, agency or employee “shall use any city funds
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In school superintendent race, it’s Democratic reformer vs. union ally
The 2018 race for state superintendent of public instruction may not have an incumbent but is likely to feel like an encore of the 2014 race, pitting a Democrat aligned with the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of
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Leader of state #MeToo movement accused of sexual harassment
The sexual harassment scandals hanging over the state Capitol in Sacramento took a dramatic turn Thursday when the most prominent member of the Legislature’s anti-sexual harassment movement was herself accused of improper behavior. Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, has been
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