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

Students in Nicholas Cordova's 7th grade history class at Sycamore Junior High School in Anaheim on May 22, 2023. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

Commentary

Why every California student should have access to ‘gifted’ classes at school

California's so-called Gifted and Talented Education program can be socially limiting and psychologically hurtful for students. Excluding students on standard or remedial tracks from these courses can equally cap their potential.

By Thomas Stewart • June 18, 2024

Anglers try their luck from a pier at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in Rio Vista on May 29, 2024. The Delta is a fishing hotspot for numerous species of gamefish. Photo by Loren Elliott for CalMatters

Commentary

In rain, snow and drought, California’s fights over water rights, supplies persist

California’s water rights remain a major bone of legal and political contention as the larger struggle over water allocation continues.

By Dan Walters • June 18, 2024

An inmate at San Quentin State Prison on March 17, 2023. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

Commentary

If California opts for smaller changes to prisons, rehabilitation must remain a priority

Instead of closing prisons to help close a budget deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to close 46 total housing blocks. The cost of housing inmates will keep growing unless access to rehabilitation programs improves.

By Steve Brooks • June 14, 2024

Storage containers surround the perimeter of People's Park in Berkeley, Calif. on Thursday, June 6, 2024. A California Supreme Court ruling will allow student housing at University of California to be built at Berkeley's historic People's Park. Photo by Brontë Wittpenn, AP Photo

Commentary

Supreme Court could weaken California environmental law used in local housing conflicts

A recent Supreme Court ruling could curtail misuse of the California Environmental Quality Act by those who oppose development.

By Dan Walters • June 14, 2024

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso points to the crowd at his election-night headquarters in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP Photo

Commentary

Rick Caruso is considering another political run. His best shot might be California’s highest office

Despite losing the Los Angeles mayoral race two years ago, billionaire businessman Rick Caruso is showing signs that he's still eyeing political office. His ambitions may even extend to California governor.

By Jim Newton • June 13, 2024

Assembly Republicans convene during session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on July 13, 2023. Photo by Rahul Lal for CalMatters

Commentary

California’s budget charade reflects a 15-year-long conflict over the process

The June 15 constitutional deadline for California lawmakers to pass the budget may seem like a critical date, but 15 years after a series of changes, the process has become a bit of a charade.

By Dan Walters • June 13, 2024

The Salton Sea at Bombay Beach on Feb. 4, 2023. Photo by Ariana Drehsler for CalMatters

Commentary

How California can rewrite the extraction business model and boost Salton Sea communities

The Salton Sea region has long been a vital part of California's farm industry. In the coming years, it will also be critical for the state's water supply and global lithium production. A proposed climate bond offers key investments to solidify that future.

By Silvia Paz • June 12, 2024

A security guard stands outside the heavily boarded Shreve & Co. jewelry store in San Francisco on Dec. 2, 2021. Photo by Eric Risberg, AP Photo

Commentary

As Californians’ stance on crime hardens, Republicans try to regain relevance

Powerless Republican legislators have shown signs of life in California politics by focusing attention on crime as public attitudes change.

By Dan Walters • June 12, 2024

Dr. Amos C. Brown, Jr., vice chair for the California Reparations Task Force, holds a copy of the book Songs of Slavery and Emancipation, as he and other members of the task force pose for photos at the Capitol in Sacramento, on June 16, 2022. California's first-in-the-nation task force on reparations for African-Americans issued the report Wednesday, June 1, 2022, that documents the harms perpetuated by the state against African Americans and recommendations on how to address those wrongs. Photo by Rich Pedroncelli, AP Photo

Commentary

California wasn’t a slave state, but its legacy shaped our laws. An apology is a crucial step for healing

Even though California was accepted into the union as a free state, it had a significant role in perpetuating racial discrimination and inequality. An official apology from the state of California would be a crucial step toward reconciliation and healing.

By Reggie Jones-Sawyer • June 11, 2024

Commentary

California restaurants now want an exemption from the state’s new hidden fees law

A new law requires restaurants and other consumer businesses to fully declare their prices up front rather than adding extra fees to their final bills. New legislation – from the same author – would now exempt restaurants from that law.

By Dan Walters • June 11, 2024

California Voices

Viewpoints from across California