Commentary

A group of five people, dressed in professional attire, sit on chairs on a stage in front of a crowd, with a banner behind them reading “Governor Candidate Forum.” Four of the five people sitting on stage have their hands up to answer the question while a crowd of people watches in the dark.

No clear frontrunner for governor, but new poll names five with the best shot

A poll shows three Democrats and two Republicans have voter support percentages in the teens. The top two vote-getters in June will face off in November.

By Dan Walters

A person in medical protective clothing, wearing a face mask and a hair net, pushes a hospital gurney through a hallway inside a hospital, viewed from an open door.

She spent six of her last years in arbitration with her HMO. Her husband’s still fighting the system

Arbitrators in medical disputes are supposed to be unbiased, but this couple suspected there is an incentive to favor HMO’s in arbitration.

By Stephen Martinez

Two people face each other as they speak: the person on the left has a happy expression and her arm to her chest, while the person on the right wears a grey suit jacket and glasses. Both people are standing in a park area on a sunny day. In the background is a fence to a baseball field.

A former political ally tests LA liberals’ allegiance to Mayor Karen Bass

Mayor Karen Bass isn't vulnerable on her right, but she may be on her left, as City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist and ex-supporter, runs against her.

By Jim Newton

A close-up view of a person's hand holding a sign that reads "We wants answers! No more deaths!" and they stand at the front steps of a building surrounded by other people holding signs.

California promised accountability for inmate deaths in jails. A year later, no results.

Lawmakers passed a law creating a state department to review inmate deaths, but it hasn’t completed a single death review in its first year.

By David Myers

Esther Honda, an eighth-grade teacher at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco teaches a Social Studies class about abolition on Feb. 23, 2023. Photo by Shelby Knowles for CalMatters

Commentary

California schools continue to struggle with test scores in reading and math

California’s education system is not only behind most other states but even trails those that Gov. Gavin Newsom and others deem as culturally backward. California schools still have not yet recovered from the educational losses suffered during the pandemic.

By Dan Walters • February 4, 2025

A close up view of a person wearing a green welding jacket and black helmet.

Commentary

‘Just for a man’: Ex-apprentice explains why she’s one of the few female ironworkers in California

Rocio Campos completed a four-year apprenticeship but still feels she has to prove herself. It shouldn't be so hard for women to get ironwork jobs, she says.

By Denise Amos • February 3, 2025

A white electric vehicle is parked at a charging station, with charging cables connected to the vehicle. The station displays green accents and a digital interface. The words "EV Charging Only" are painted on the asphalt, indicating the designated parking area for electric vehicle charging. The background includes a building and bare tree branches.

Commentary

California’s carbon crusade faces resistance due to its real world impact

In concept, the public supports battery-powered cars, windmills, and solar farms to shrink California's carbon footprint. But some also see a downside to these climate change solutions.

By Dan Walters • January 31, 2025

Commentary

AI is already harming our children. Are California lawmakers going to do something?

Artificial intelligence tools known as companion chatbots have been rushed to market and used by children, leading to widespread reports of harm. After the catastrophe with social media, are lawmakers going to stand by again as another generation gets hurt?

By Robert Fellmeth • January 30, 2025

A close-up of a person holding a piece of paper with both their hands. The paper is a revised questionnaire for people who will be filing their taxes.

Commentary

SALT in old wounds: California’s taxes on wealth may hinge on how Trump treats deductions

President Donald Trump and Congress may toss a federal cap on how much people deduct for local and state taxes. If so, California's rich could enjoy a big tax cut.

By Dan Walters • January 30, 2025

A person wearing a navy blue suit points in front of them as they stand behind a lectern with the California seal in front of it. A large screen with a graphic that reads "our state revenues are up by $16.5 B" is seen next to him.

Commentary

Southern California wildfires could be a double whammy for the state’s shaky budget

The proposed budget the Newsom administration unveiled earlier this month is already scrap paper because the deadly wildfires that scorched Southern California will clobber tax revenues while imposing massive new financial burdens.

By Dan Walters • January 29, 2025

A firefighter in protective gear switches off a fire hydrant, spraying water next to a burned-down structure. In the background is the Pacific Ocean, with the last rays of sunset crossing the horizon with the blue sky.

Commentary

Trump doesn’t understand California’s complex water network. But that’s not the point

President Trump's wild verbal justifications for his fire-related executive order, calling for a complete overhaul of Delta water delivery to California farms, provides the illusion that problems are being solved when, in fact, they are festering.

By Robert Greene • January 28, 2025

Two individuals stand on an airport tarmac, engaged in an intense discussion. One person, wearing a dark button-up shirt, gestures emphatically while speaking. The other individual, dressed in a blazer and a cap with gold lettering, looks on attentively. A large aircraft and a clear blue sky serve as the backdrop, with microphones visible in the foreground.

Commentary

Why California’s fire response could make or break the careers of several politicians

Several political figures in California could face a make or break moment in their careers depending on how they respond to the Los Angeles County fires and the threats from the federal government to condition aid.

By Dan Walters • January 28, 2025

A sign warning against selling fentanyl in Placer County hangs over Taylor Road in Loomis on July 24, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

Californians made it clear they want a different approach to addiction and homelessness

Instead of pushing harm reduction strategies to reduce drug overdoses, a county district attorney believes a recently approved ballot measure, Proposition 36, strikes the right balance to break the cycles fueling addiction and homelessness.

By Vern Pierson • January 27, 2025

A person in motion carries a large California state flag with a bear emblem and the words "California Republic." The flag billows prominently in the foreground, while a blurred crowd of individuals, many wearing white shirts, marches in the background on a sunny day.

Commentary

If California split from the US and became a nation, it would be comparable to Canada

Six in 10 Californians wouldn't mind if the state peacefully seceded from the United States, a poll by Independent California Institute shows.

By Dan Walters • January 24, 2025

California Voices

Viewpoints from across California