California Voices

Andrew Do, Orange County supervisor: Californians deserve a sensible justice system that protects victims and holds violent felons accountable. Instead, Sacramento sells us baloney about pizza thieves.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants an overhaul of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., but what kind?

Kim Delfino, Defenders of Wildlife: Gov. Newsom, the Trump Administration’s water plan is an extinction plan and does not reflect California's values. We expect you to defend the health of our Bay Delta ecosystem for the benefit of all Californians.

Mike Gatto, former assemblyman: A comprehensive solution to homelessness would address people who are homeless for reasons that diminish logical behavior, like addiction or mental illness. I won’t be drawn into a debate about what percentages of homeless people are so. But even if it is 40% or 30%, what are we doing to reach them? That is why I have proposed a ballot initiative that would treat certain existing crimes as opportunities to engage the homeless.

The financial woes of a small fire district in Stanislaus County demonstrate the effects of rapidly rising pension costs.

Darby Patterson, writer in Pollock Pines: Sitting in the dark for seven days, we respect Mother Nature but resent PG&E for not keeping up with maintenance. Of the seven days, we had one day of big wind up in Pollock Pines. It was a day to be grateful PG&Es neglected power lines were not providing us service.

A new report, timed to coincide with two tax increase proposals, contends that more money is needed to improve California's schools. But is it true?

Hector De La Torre and John Baackes, L.A. Cares: For L.A. Care, the largest publicly-operated health plan in the country, health insurance has to be more than a plastic card in our member’s wallet. As a plan serving nearly 2.2 million people, the vast majority of them Medi-Cal beneficiaries, we have taken numerous steps to address the various social factors that threaten member health. We are accountable and responsive to the communities we serve and, in recent years, that has meant moving beyond clinical care.

Ridershare and delivery services that rely on part-time drivers with their own vehicles are proposing a ballot measure to overturn a new law requiring those drivers to become payroll employees.

Naava Ellenberg, a young Democrat: The California Democratic Party has announced a new program entitled the California Young Democrats Ambassador Program. With this program, two or three ambassadors will be non-voting members of every standing committee in the state’s party. Isn’t that great? We will get to be in the room where decisions are being made. Too bad we will have no say in those decisions.