California Voices

Tom Dresslar, former Deputy Commissioner at the California Department of Business Oversight: The people of California, through their legislature and governor, just decided to end a decades-long, unbridled fleecing of millions of the state’s borrowers. Some predatory lenders, however, may launch a scheme that could, for their companies, effectively overturn that sovereign decision.

Mike Guerra, California Life Sciences Association: California is a biomedical juggernaut, and the precision medicine research being funded today will impact patients around the world. This leadership should be a great source of pride for every Californian.

Kerry Jackson, Pacific Research Institute: Howard Jarvis’ Proposition 13 swept the country and made headlines around the world. Sounds a lot like Assembly Bill 5. The difference is Prop 13 is a force for good. AB 5 is a destroyer. Worse, other states are determined to duplicate California’s mistake.

Stacy Torres, assistant professor of sociology at UC San Francisco: We’ve failed as a society when police are the primary responders to mental health crises. Urban police departments have begun increased training for handling interactions with emotionally disturbed people. But the efforts are uneven and inadequate.

Gavin Newsom's first year as governor has produced some successes but his big goals remain elusive.

Kirk Bloodsworth, Witness to Innocence: I look forward to the day when we count California among the jurisdictions in the U.S and the vast majority of countries that have come to recognize that the death penalty can never advance justice.

Some high-profile political issues appear headed for the ballot next year - unless they don't.

J.P. Rose and Tiffany Yap, Center for Biological Diversity: California should list mountain lions under the state endangered species act. Listing imperiled cougar populations under our endangered species law would finally give state and local decision-makers a clear legal requirement to protect them.

Tonia McMillian, Child Care Providers United: Child care workers are largely women of color. We have suffered for too long without a recognized voice in our industry. That’s why my provider sisters and I have spent the past two decades fighting to gain respect for the work we do, and for access to a union.

Shouldn't public schools be as accountable for outcomes as charter schools, for-profit colleges and community colleges?