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 homeless camp outside the PATH apartment complex in Los Angeles on Nov. 17, 2021. Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

Whatever the Supreme Court decides, California can’t keep criminalizing homelessness

A lot is at stake with the U.S. Supreme Court agreeing to hear a case that determines how and when cities can clear homeless camps. The Eighth Amendment has been largely settled for decades, but the conservative court seems determined to set the clock back.

By Jeffrey Selbin • January 17, 2024

A poster explains ways to file for unemployment insurance benefits, as job seekers look for work at the JobTrain employment office in Menlo Park. Photo by Paul Sakuma, AP Photo

Commentary

California’s unemployment insurance fund has a stubborn multibillion-dollar problem

California's Employment Development Department got a much-deserved black eye for mismanaging unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic. There's a lingering aspect to the meltdown, and it could cost the state billions.

By Dan Walters • January 17, 2024

Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses the media during a press conference unveiling his 2024-25 January budget proposal at the Secretary of State Auditorium in Sacramento on Jan. 10, 2025. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

Will Gavin Newsom confront California’s structural budget problems or leave them to his successor?

California faces the prospect of ongoing, multibillion-dollar gaps for the remainder of Gavin Newsom's term as governor. Will he solve the underlying problems or leave them for his successor?

By Dan Walters • January 16, 2024

Bridgette Donald-Blue helps her students read a mathematical question from their notebooks inside her classroom at Coliseum Street Elementary in Los Angeles on Feb. 28, 2023. Students in the first, second and third grade are taught mathematics under the guidance and support of Donald-Blue, who was recently awarded the California Teacher of the Year award. Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters

Commentary

California’s budget deficit will test if school spending is the key to achievement

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's new budget and the Legislature's budget analyst have widely differing estimates of the state's revenues and deficit. That means they also diverge on how much money should go to the state's schools.

By Dan Walters • January 12, 2024

The sun sets over Valley Ridge Drive Oct. 26, 2023, in Paradise, empty lots, homes under construction and residences built after the Camp Fire line the street. Photo by Noah Berger, AP Photo

Reader Reactions

Banning fire rebuilds is the nuclear option. Give California’s rural communities a chance

Some California residents are frustrated with rising insurance and utility costs, reviving questions about barring fire rebuilds altogether. A Magalia resident says that would be the nuclear option, especially given all the other forms of risk management available.

By Tace Higuchi • January 12, 2024

Commentary

Why visa reforms benefit not just California’s tech sector but the economy overall

The H-1B visa program is well-intended but flawed in its current form, largely favoring tech giants such as Meta. Without reforms, the intense demand for math, science and technology workers is hindering smaller companies and limiting competition.

By Vivek Vaidya • January 11, 2024

Commentary

California has a budget deficit, but there’s disagreement about how big. Who’s right?

Gavin Newsom says California faces a $37.9 billion budget deficit while the Legislature's budget analyst says there's a $68 billion gap. Who's right?

By Dan Walters • January 10, 2024

Andrew McDowell, a small business owner of With Love Market & Cafe, makes sure the food section is fully stocked in Los Angeles, on August 4, 2021. According to McDowell, it has been a difficult task to keep his business in full operation due to the pandemic and a lack of financial assistance from the government. Photo by Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters

Commentary

California’s worker shortage has quickly become another existential issue

California has plenty of existential issues. A chronic shortage of workers may have joined the list as public and private employers scramble to fill open positions.

By Dan Walters • January 10, 2024

A construction site for a segment of the high speed rail in Fresno on Oct. 20, 2023. Construction has started a 171-mile starter segment connecting Central Valley’s Bakersfield and Merced. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Commentary

From ‘train to nowhere’ to Fresno’s dream: What high-speed rail means for the Central Valley

If you listen to California’s political class, the high-speed rail project sounds like a textbook boondoggle. Yet in communities across California’s farm belt, the discourse is different. High-speed rail isn't "a train to nowhere" – it's a symbol of transformation.

By Yousef Baig • January 9, 2024

Steve Garvey attends the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium on June 2, 2023.

Commentary

Republican Steve Garvey has a chance to play spoiler in California’s Senate race

The contest to succeed the late Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate had been a three-way duel among Democrats. However, a Republican, former baseball star Steve Garvey, could finish second in the March 5 primary.

By Dan Walters • January 9, 2024

California Voices

Viewpoints from across California