Chris Reed, Author at CalWatchdog.com

Posts From Chris Reed

Chris Reed

Chris Reed is a regular contributor to Cal Watchdog. Reed is an editorial writer for U-T San Diego. Before joining the U-T in July 2005, he was the opinion-page columns editor and wrote the featured weekly Unspin column for The Orange County Register. Reed was on the national board of the Association of Opinion Page Editors from 2003-2005. From 2000 to 2005, Reed made more than 100 appearances as a featured news analyst on Los Angeles-area National Public Radio affiliate KPCC-FM. From 1990 to 1998, Reed was an editor, metro columnist and film critic at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario. Reed has a political science degree from the University of Hawaii (Hilo campus), where he edited the student newspaper, the Vulcan News, his senior year. He is on Twitter: @chrisreed99.

California on verge of adopting rent control measure

Ten months after California voters rejected a rent control ballot initiative by more than 2.3 million votes – 59 percent to 41 percent – the state is on the brink of enacting a rent control measure approved by the Legislature

Despite new laws, state housing crisis may be worsening

Chris Reed September 10, 2019

For the third straight year, the state Legislature has approved major legislation meant to accelerate housing construction in California to help stabilize or reduce the cost of shelter. But will the latest – Senate Bill 330, the Housing Crisis Act

Weedmaps decides to stop listing illegal cannabis retailers

Chris Reed September 1, 2019

Irvine-based Weedmaps – the very popular website that guides cannabis fans to stores – recently announced it would stop listing illegal retailers later this year. The decision is a rare dose of good news for the legal marijuana industry in

Is Caltrans too car-centric?

Chris Reed August 31, 2019

Gov. Gavin Newsom may have to step in to resolve a dispute between a state agency and a high-profile lawmaker over “Complete Streets” – a core concept of modern “smart growth” planners that holds streets should provide safe access and

CHP scandal may not be limited to L.A. area

Chris Reed August 29, 2019

The California Highway Patrol’s overtime scandal – in which more than 100 officers from its East Los Angeles branch may have inflated their overtime while helping Caltrans workers stay safe while doing freeway maintenance work – could explode into a

Tech lobby can’t win changes in CA online privacy law

Chris Reed August 27, 2019

With the California Legislature in the final three weeks of its session, big tech companies and business lobbies have so far had little success in getting changes to the California Consumer Privacy Act. The landmark online privacy law – enacted

Critics of vaccine bill cite privacy risks

Chris Reed August 24, 2019

With crucial votes due soon on a bill to make it more difficult for parents to get vaccine exemptions for their children, opponents are emphasizing a different criticism of the measure. Instead of continuing to focus on vaccine safety, they

Recycling fading even as concerns about plastic surge

Chris Reed August 21, 2019

California’s already-troubled recycling system took another blow this month with the closure of Ontario-based rePlanet, which operated 284 recycling centers, the most of any recycling company in the state. But despite complaints from environmentalists about 2 million recyclable containers a

Impact of scooters on environment still in question

Chris Reed August 12, 2019

The dockless electric scooters that started popping up in California cities three years ago are facing a two-front backlash. The first front involves complaints over heavy use hurting quality of life in tourist areas and posing safety risks to both

San Bruno pressured by state to approve housing project

Chris Reed August 7, 2019

The May decision of state Senate Appropriations Chairman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, to kill a sweeping bill making it far easier for developers to build four- or five-story condominium and rental projects near mass transit led many disappointed pundits