Commentary

Two people in suits sit on a studio set, one speaking with hands raised mid-gesture while the other turns toward them, listening.

Spencer Pratt wants to be LA’s next mayor. His tell-all book won’t help him

In his memoir, Pratt describes himself as selfish, undisciplined and unprincipled. He deflects blame, squanders fortunes and complains a lot.

By Jim Newton

A side view of a row of voters sitting in front of voting machines separated by blue dividers. The photo focus on a voter who rest their right hand on their chin as they contemplate their voting selections.

How the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling could affect California’s gerrymandered districts

The High Court's decision guts the Voting Rights Act’s impetus to draw districts so non-white ethnic groups get congressional representation.

By Dan Walters

A visitor center sits at the base of steep granite cliffs, surrounded by tall trees. People walk up and down the steps, gather near the entrance, and rest on benches outside. A sign reading “Welcome Center” is mounted on the building, while an American flag stands nearby. The dramatic rock face rises behind the scene under a clear blue sky.

We can’t ‘restore’ American history by flagging Native American books

Pres. Donald Trump is pressuring Redwood National and State Parks to tag tribally-centered books and material critical of American history.

By Kerri Malloy

A person wearing a white polo shirt and a headset microphone holds up a folded U.S. dollar bill while speaking on a stage, with a large pink-lit screen blurred in the background.

Billionaires aren’t going to flee California. Others will without a budget fix

The idea that billionaires will flee California over a proposed wealth tax is bunk. Still, the ballot initiative is only a Band-Aid, and impedes a more serious conversation about the state's deeper fiscal problems.

By Yousef Baig

A Metro Rail light rail train travels through an intersection near the Atlantic station in Los Angeles. The train is silver with yellow accents and carries an advertisement on its side. A Metro sign and palm trees stand in the foreground, with residential buildings and traffic signals in the background under an overcast sky.

Commentary

Why building more homes near transit will transform lives across California

For decades, California cities have systematically banned apartments and condos, preventing working people from living near jobs and transit systems their taxes fund.

By Monica Rivera • August 4, 2025

At left, a person exits through a door. Light enters the dark hallway, as their silhouette is visible through the entering light. In the middle, a vertical handrail splits the frame. To the right, a close image of stairs and a person walking down them is visible. The image is abstract.

Commentary

I overcame homelessness and 30 years of addiction. Now I help others make the journey

Tommie Trevino knows how to make a comeback. He says treating mental health and emotional harm are keys to recovery for addicts.

By Tommie Trevino • July 30, 2025

A wide view of two students walking by a building at a college campus near a wall made out of rocks.

Commentary

My only ‘inheritance’ is education: Why first-generation college students strive

For many Latino students, college seems like a foreign country. Many work jobs, are food insecure and yet aim to graduate. Don't count us out; we are the future.

By Diego Rendon • July 28, 2025

View of downtown Los Angeles from Ascot Park during sunset on Nov. 18, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters

Commentary

Los Angeles needs civic leaders right now. All it has are political ones

While Los Angeles is not facing a crisis of political leadership, it does confront a dearth of civic leadership.

By Jim Newton • July 25, 2025

A newborn baby sleeps in a bed in a hospital room while their mother rests in a bed nearby, looking at her.

Commentary

Maternity ward closures in California result in much more than strained health care

As labor and delivery units close in California, a hole is being created in many communities. Even more tragic is that pregnant patients in both rural and urban areas will have a much harder time having a safe birth.

By John McHugh • July 24, 2025

A firefighter in red protective gear and a helmet uses a drip torch to ignite dry brush during a controlled burn, as large flames consume vegetation on a hillside. Smoke fills the air under a hazy sky. The figure carries a heavy backpack and stands on a dirt path at the fire's edge.

Commentary

California’s inmate firefighters deserve decent pay and a chance at a heroic career

California has used incarcerated firefighters since 1915 to battle wildfires. But we don't pay them, protect them or treat them like heroes. Lawmakers could change that.

By Andony Corleto • July 23, 2025

A tactical officer in camouflage grabs a person in a white T-shirt and gray cap, pressing them against a black pickup truck during a law enforcement raid. Several other officers in tactical gear and masks surround the scene, some carrying paintball-style weapons. In the background, a crowd of onlookers gathers on the sidewalk, some recording the event with their phones. The raid takes place on a busy commercial street lined with shops and palm trees.

Commentary

The Trump regime targets California’s sanctuary status at the expense of the American creed

The federal government's actions and comments show they respect no sanctuary, no refuge, no protection in the very things they purport to be guarding: the law, the Constitution, the American people, and their safety, values and sovereignty.

By Robert Greene • July 21, 2025

A teacher sits at a table with a small group of students in a classroom, leading a discussion. A whiteboard behind them displays vocabulary words like “enough” and “jewelry.” The walls are covered with educational posters and a word wall. Empty desks and bins of supplies are visible in the foreground.

Commentary

California is finally adopting phonics, fulfilling a grandmother’s dream

Four decades after education reformer Marian Joseph pushed phonics in schools to change the way young readers learn, California lawmakers are embracing it.

By Dan Walters • July 18, 2025

An overhead view of a person walking through a small patch of light in between a wide shadow at a school campus.

Commentary

What California still doesn’t understand about men’s mental health

Youth and young adults in California make up just 21% of the population but account for 57% of emergency room visits due to self-harm. It'll take more than awareness months to make a real difference.

By Ayo Banjo • July 17, 2025

A person wearing a navy suit stands behind a lectern with the state seal of California during a press event. A monitor with the words, "-$16B Our State Revenues" can be seen to the person's left side.

Commentary

New California budget papers over $20 billion deficit, ignores day of reckoning

Gov. Gavin Newsom is counting $7 billion drawn from a reserve account as revenue, making California's $20 billion budget deficit seem smaller.

By Dan Walters • July 17, 2025

California Voices

Viewpoints from across California