Columns

Gov. Jerry Brown forcing electric car market in CA

Gov. Jerry Brown must be in the market for a Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf or Tesla electric car. There could be no other explanation for why he signed six bills this week to force a market for electric cars that

CA Obamacare implementation registers Dem voters

Katy Grimes September 26, 2013

This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Part 1 is here. As I explained in Part 1 of this series, one of the biggest features of Covered California, the state’s new health benefit exchange, is how it was set

CA taxes, mandates boost unemployment

Joseph Perkins September 25, 2013

“California raised a bunch of taxes this year. Its economy hasn’t collapsed.” So read the snarky headline accompanying a post last month by Jim Tankersley on the Washington Post’s Wonkblog. “Eight months after raising sales and income taxes, California

Sacramento's Convention Center money pit

Katy Grimes September 17, 2013

The Sacramento Convention Center is living proof that even if you build it, they don’t come. Despite insistence from Convention Center officials that the center is an economic driver, a new report shows quite the opposite; the convention center is

Audit uncovers embers in Cal Fire slush fund

Katy Grimes September 10, 2013

A new state audit shows that in 2005 a secret, $3.66 million off-the-books account was established by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Wildlife Fire Investigation Training and Equipment Fund, a private, nonprofit account, was filled through

Steinberg rushing arena bill through last days of session

Katy Grimes September 5, 2013

Strange bedfellows are camping out under the bleachers to oppose an arena in Sacramento for the Kings pro basketball team. They're united in opposition because of the lack of public debate, the dubious numbers put out by the city and

AB 917 would send charter schools to the back of the class

Katy Grimes August 30, 2013

The popularity and success of California’s 900 charter schools aren’t making everyone happy. Union leaders have tried to organize the non-union schools, but unsuccessfully. New tactic: Hamper the charters’ spread. AB 917, which just passed both houses of the Legislature,