California Voices

Joe Nation, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research: Legislative attempts at reform of public employee pensions barely made a dent in the problem. Public pension debt will continue to grow. The question is whether California’s leaders have the courage to acknowledge and implement the aggressive and comprehensive reforms that are so clearly required.

Gary E. Mead, former associate director of the U.S. Marshal Service: If private prisons are not meeting the needs of the state, steps should be taken to address those needs. But a ban on much needed private prisons is not the answer, at least not if Gov. Newsom’s goal is to improve the conditions for state inmates, and the treatment of immigrants in custody.

A bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk would make it more difficult to qualify measures for the ballot, a long-sought goal of Democrats and their allies.

Rich Gordon, California Forestry Association: California’s biomass market is ripe for expansion and offers an environmentally responsible way to reduce forest fuel loads, fight climate change, and produce renewable energy. Without leadership, however, a crucial opportunity will be lost.

Is there a tipping point at which California's negative factors cause the state to decline?

Jerry Butkiewicz, San Diego County Water Authority and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California board member: Threats to our quality of life are very real. Clean air, clean water, the Endangered Species Act and worker health and safety are important values worth preserving. We must work together to protect California from the damaging actions of the Trump administration. That’s why SB 1 is so important.

Jessy Rosales, justCARE campaign campus coordinator at the Women’s Foundation of California: Every student should be able to make the decisions we believe are best for our health, our circumstances, and our future. SB 24 would ensure the full range of reproductive and sexual health services are available to all California students, no matter where they live, go to school, or how much money they make.

Assemblyman Adam Gray, Democrat from Merced: Given how little we know about vapes and their link to the lung illnesses being reported across the country, it may be time to impose a moratorium on the technology as a whole, regardless of what drug it is being used to deliver. If we are unwilling to put a moratorium in place, then we must radically alter our current approach to regulating vaping technology.

Juan Novello and Micah Weinberg, California Latino Economic Institute, and California Forward: Nearly four in 10 Californians are Latino, but not nearly enough are in the middle class. Growing California’s middle class is an economic imperative if more Californians are going to participate fully in the pursuit of the California Dream.

Three expansionist bills flunked the smell test and two died in this year's legislative session, but the third was approved.