Elections

1oo percent of precincts reporting partial returns—will be updated when all results are certified. Background: Most bills winding through the Legislature follow a months-long process with multiple votes by lawmakers and lots of opportunity for the public to give input. But not always. The political majority (currently Democrats) can waive the normal rules and jam […]

By

CalMatters Staff

• September 28, 2016

Elections

Proposition 55: High-earner tax

1oo percent of precincts reporting partial returns—will be updated when all results are certified. Background: Californians voted to increase taxes on the state’s wealthiest earners in 2012, seeking to replenish education funding accounts depleted during the recession. Four years later, the economy is recovering and the tax increase is slated to end after 2018. Education […]

By

CalMatters Staff

• September 28, 2016

Elections

Budding confusion: Split over whether Prop. 64 allows on-demand marijuana delivery

The slick website offers many ways to get high. Three pre-rolled joints will cost you $30. A gram of hash is $45. Blueberry, pineapple or brownie-flavored cannabis treats go for about $12 a bag. (“Caution,” the label says, they are “very strong.”) It takes just few taps on a smart phone to place an order, […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• September 28, 2016

Elections

Hey Big Spenders: Three multimillionaires stake a claim on state’s ballot

California has more billionaires than any other state, and an abundance of direct democracy. Those two facts intersect during election season, when spending by wealthy donors helps determine which initiatives make it on the ballot, and how many TV commercials and mailers campaigns can buy. Their donations carry the potential to influence state policy for […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• September 14, 2016

Elections

California Millennials Surging: Their votes could be decisive—especially on marijuana

As they come of age and register to vote, Millennials—that enormous generation born since 1981—are surging so fast they’re on the verge of overtaking the Baby Boomer behemoth as a share of the California electorate. And new evidence confirms that, so far at least, the GOP is losing them. Fewer than 1 out of every […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• July 27, 2016

Elections

Ballot of the Bulge: Why a new law isn’t shrinking the ballot much – yet

Protracted policy questions. Big-money battles. Contradictory proposals that are difficult to discern. It’s shaping up to be an all-too-typical fall election—once again confronting California voters with an unwieldy ballot. This wasn’t supposed to happen. After polls confirmed that California voters were frustrated by ballot overload, lawmakers two years ago made changes aimed at pre-empting at […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• July 20, 2016

Elections

Sex, drugs and a controversial AIDS activist

As an AIDS activist 30 years ago, Michael Weinstein helped defeat an inflammatory ballot measure that could have quarantined Californians with the disease. Today, Weinstein has turned to the ballot to advance his own controversial vision for public health. President of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has clinics around the world, Weinstein is […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• July 13, 2016

Elections

Candidate Questionnaires

Questionnaires for candidates are a staple of electoral politics. Many interest groups use them in evaluating whether to endorse contestants or spend money to support their campaigns. The stakes are high on both sides, and the process raises some ethical questions. Here is a sampling of questionnaires given to this year’s candidates for the Legislature. […]

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• May 24, 2016