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CalMatters en Español
Las políticas públicas y las leyes de California, explicadas.
JUSTICE
Commentary
Reform the legal system to close the justice gap
We need to rethink how legal services are delivered to close the justice gap for those who need representation but cannot afford it.
EDUCATION
College Journalism Network
The network brings together student journalists from across the state to collaborate on group reporting projects, pitch and write stories for CalMatters and our media partners, and receive training.
College Beat
College Beat is produced by the CalMatters College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists across the state.
Commentary
Narrowing the digital divide with pandemic benefits
The Emergency Broadband Benefit program offers a subsidy each month toward broadband service for eligible households.
I’m horrified after revisiting my favorite book from elementary school
“Island of the Blue Dolphins” is an influential part of California’s literary history, but it should not be promoted without context.
Universal transitional kindergarten will be a game changer
The opportunity to provide transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds will fill a critical equity gap toward accessing early education.
ECONOMY
Commentary
Protect small-business owners from lawsuit abuse
Legislators should look and see how small businesses are struggling and give them relief from shakedown lawsuits.
ENVIRONMENT
California’s Drought Crisis
A CalMatters series investigates what’s improved and what’s worsened since the last drought — and vividly portrays the impacts on California’s places and people.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Commentary
Do right by California’s tribes through the 30×30 conservation effort
Californians have an opportunity to begin to repair historic wrongs endured by the state’s tribes with a plan to protect the environment.
CALIFORNIA DIVIDE
A statewide media collaboration to raise awareness about poverty and income inequality through in-depth journalism and community outreach.
POLITICS AND THE CAPITOL
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
2021 in review
Here’s your primer: What California state government has been up to in 2021
History will remember 2021 as the year when a windfall of governmentspending sought to address years of inequality, poverty and a growingpopulation left behind. Trillions of dollars were spent by the federal government, but California’s state government, facing the nation’s highest poverty rate, also saw an unprecedented budget surplus that the state’s supermajority Democrats used…
Commentary
Another way to reform the recall: Ranked Choice Voting
A more accurate reflection of California voters’ preferences in a recall would come from a Ranked Choice Voting general election.
HOUSING
Commentary
A path to ending the racial wealth gap is through homeownership
An alliance of groups should come together to address the issue of homeownership for marginalized communities.
COMMENTARY
My Turn
Tackling climate change by prioritizing impacted communities
A state program funds communities to help reduce pollution, fight climate change and address community economic needs.
DAN WALTERS
California tries new approach on social maladies
Faced with myriad social pathologies, California will try a new approach – more integrated and aggressive treatment.
We want to hear from you!
Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? You can find our submission guidelines here. For questions, please email commentary@calmatters.org or call (916) 234-3081.
HEALTH
Commentary
Can Newsom deliver on single-payer health care?
Single-payer systems in economically advanced capitalist countries like ours produce better health at much lower costs.
WHATMATTERS NEWSLETTER
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