Dan Morain

Newsletters

Why rich people leave California. Or don’t

New research shows California's high income tax rate has not driven wealthy people to move to low-tax states, despite low-tax advocates' claim to the contrary.

By Dan Morain • July 10, 2018

Newsletters

Be prepared to reduce water use. Here’s why

California Water Resources Control board is on the verge of ordering significant reductions in water use to save fish in what chairwoman Felicia Marcus calls a crisis.

By Dan Morain • July 9, 2018

Newsletters

Why judge upheld California’s ‘sanctuary state’ law

A federal judge upheld California's sanctuary state law, saying the 10th Amendment doesn't permit the federal government to force states to help enforce federal law.

By Dan Morain • July 6, 2018

Newsletters

What was left out of the privacy legislation

Why California's new privacy legislation will allow consumers to sue over data breaches by business, but not by government.

By Dan Morain • July 5, 2018

Newsletters

Soda ducks one tax, but may face another

Thanks to legislation, the soda industry averted new local taxes, but it could face an initiative that would impose a new statewide tax.

By Dan Morain • July 3, 2018

Newsletters

A sorry piece of history; Framing gas tax initiative

California officials played an integral role in Japanese internment during World War II, as told in a new online exhibit. The gas tax initiative fight revs up.

By Dan Morain • July 2, 2018

Newsletters

Initiatives you won’t and will vote on this November

California legislators averted costly initiative wars on privacy, lead paint and soda taxes. But voters will decide daylight savings time and gas tax repeal in November. San Francisco Mayor-elect London Breed urged legislators to expand car for mentally ill homeless people.

By Dan Morain • June 29, 2018

Newsletters

Privacy deal comes together; What’s next after Janus

California labor worries about the impact of Janus v. AFSCME, but vows to battle on. Privacy initiative funder Alastair Mactaggart agrees to drop his initiative in exchange for broad privacy legislation. Business opposes the bill but sees it as the lesser of two evils.

By Dan Morain • June 28, 2018

Economy

A walk along Skid Row in Los Angeles—block by bleak block

Nowhere is California's homelessness crisis more evident than here, where some 2,000 people hunker down for the night on sleeping pads, cardboard, or nothing.

By Dan Morain • June 27, 2018

Newsletters

Struggling over care for mentally ill homeless people

California Senate Democrats watered down legislation to expand treatment for mentally ill homeless people. U.S. Supreme Court struck down a California abortion rights bill in NIFLA v Becerra. The ruling will undermine legislation to regulate conversion therapy.

By Dan Morain • June 27, 2018