WhatMatters

California needs to build a lot more housing. But to do that, it’s going to need a lot of money.  Proposition 1 would enable the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing, but where exactly would the money go if it passes? As CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall explains, Prop. 1 would fund housing for veterans, homeless […]

These days you can find Gov. Gavin Newsom on just about any media platform.  With less than three months until he finishes his final term as California governor, you can catch Newsom on X picking fights with right-wing media, posting on Substack and interviewing guests on his podcast.  As a potential 2028 presidential hopeful, he’s […]

As tropical storms and El Niño usher in heavy rains to California, a new report finds that 57 dams across the state are in poor or unsatisfactory condition — posing a hazard to nearby communities, reports CalMatters’ Rachel Becker.  The state auditor’s report, released Monday, said that aging dams “continue to pose a risk to […]

Roughly a mile north of San Francisco, on Alcatraz Island, thousands gathered in the early hours of Monday to celebrate Native American resilience, reports CalMatters’ Melanie Henshaw. The event, which took place on Indigenous Peoples Day, commemorates the 19-month occupation of Alcatraz from 1969 to 1971 by the Indigenous advocacy group, Indians of All Tribes. […]

Scheduling note: WhatMatters is taking Indigenous Peoples’ Day off and will return to your inboxes Tuesday. With more e-bikes on roads and sidewalks, Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed three new laws that aim to strengthen safety for riders and pedestrians. One of the laws sets sidewalk speed limits and another cracks down on electric […]

Are election deniers and affiliated groups gathering evidence for a potential Stop the Steal 2.0 campaign in California? That was the question CalMatters reporters set out to answer earlier this year. We made requests in a sampling of geographically and politically diverse counties for logs from their elections offices that detail who’s seeking election records […]

Do clinics spend enough on patient care? The union behind Proposition 44 says no, and they want voters to decide. As CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang explains, Prop. 44 would require community health clinics to spend 90% of their revenue on “program services” that provide charitable care to low-income and uninsured patients. Clinics that don’t comply could […]

Was it the second question on the Gray Davis recall that sealed the Democratic governor’s fate? That’s the question that asked who should replace Davis if voters gave him the boot. State law barred him from competing on that question. And that made him practically roadkill for the international supercelebrity who headlined that second question, […]

With the election less than a month away, California county elections officials are beginning to send out mail ballots today. Five of the 14 statewide ballot measures are related to taxes, and if that sounds like a lot, you’re not imagining things: It’s the most tax measures voters have been presented with during a general […]

A whistleblower pointed state investigators to an unnamed, high-ranking law enforcement officer who was using California’s statewide law enforcement telecommunication network to find the home addresses and vehicle information of a deputy district attorney, a county supervisor and six of his employees.  The officer’s illegal use of the network was among the findings in a […]