Commentary

A person stands on a sidewalk beside a storefront with a metal shutter and near a utility pole with a traffic signal. In the background is parked cars and street signs are visible in the background

He’s trying to break generational ties to gangs. Los Angeles police keep targeting him

LAPD launched an internal investigation after a swarm of officers allegedly profiled and detained young men the day they were set to graduate from a second-chance program.

By George B. Sánchez-Tello

Facebook employees take a photo in front of the new Meta sign at the company headquarters in Menlo Park on Oct. 28, 2021. Photo by Tony Avelar, AP Photo

Tech billionaires are spending millions to reshape California’s Legislature

Tech billionaires funding PACs have enjoyed recent growth in personal and corporate wealth and are spending it to handpick the California Legislature.

By Crystal Zermeño

A voter fills out their ballot at a voting site at the Hamilton School gymnasium in central Fresno on June 7, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters

Unsure about the bond measures on California’s ballot? These 2 questions can help

There are two main questions to consider when evaluating bond measures on the November ballot. And the answers vary depending on the proposition.

By Chris Hoene

Two women sit at microphones during a public discussion. The woman in the foreground, wearing a bright blue blazer, gestures while speaking, as the woman beside her in a gray blazer smiles and looks toward her.

Neither LA mayoral candidate has a compelling answer to the affordability crisis

Beyond their ideas on how to curb housing prices, Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman have little to offer that would lower living costs in L.A.

By Jim Newton

Attendees look to their right as they sit in front of a dais with elected people behind it during a school board meeting. A sign hung on a wall in the distance reads, "Tahoe Truckee Unified School District" next to rows of papers.

Commentary

California decision to pull Tahoe schools from Nevada athletics imperils more than trans athletes

California ordered Tahoe-Truckee Unified to exit the Nevada athletics conference over a conflict with transgender athlete rules. A parent says officials failed to account for what that means for families in the snowy Sierra.

By Xavier Jimenez • October 21, 2026

A police officer escorts a person in a white shirt and plaid pants toward a dark vehicle outside a home at night. Other officers stand near a chain-link fence as red and blue emergency lights illuminate the scene.

Commentary

Trump’s crackdown on immigrant voting in California is a ploy to influence election

President Donald Trump wants California to segregate 20,000 ballots, claiming they may come from noncitizens. Federal officers charged 28 suspects with voter fraud this week.

By Dan Walters • October 21, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom stands with one hand covering his mouth and the other folded across his chest as he listens during a tour of a pharmaceutical facility. A person speaking in the foreground is out of focus, partially obscuring the view, while other attendees stand near Newsom.

Commentary

Gavin Newsom’s legacy: Big promises undercut by costly mismanagement

Gov. Gavin Newsom presided over growing budget deficits and debt, unemployment payment scandals, bungled COVID closures and other mismanaged state efforts.

By Dan Walters • October 20, 2026

A person stands at a voting booth in a public building, holding a small child on their hip while filling out a ballot. The booth has a bright yellow privacy shield, and large yellow posters with election rules are taped to the wall behind them. A door labeled “Room 265” and an evacuation plan are visible to the left.

Commentary

Trump’s attacks on California elections endanger democracy, repeating a pattern

Republicans questioned elections before reforms made redistricting nonpartisan. Now they accuse California of letting noncitizens vote.

By Robert Greene • October 20, 2026

Silhouette of a person standing at a railing looking out into a bay with boats and the skyline of buildings in the background. The run is shining down, reflecting in the bay and creating shadows on the person and ships around the frame.

Commentary

CARE Court can profoundly change lives, and California’s justice system, if given the chance

CARE Court changes judges’ role, says an appellate judge who presided over such a court. It requires judges to inspire trust and exercise empathy and relationship-building.

By Charles F. Adams • October 19, 2026

A for rent sign in Sacramento on June 28, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

People — not computers — should be deciding if my family can rent a home

Automated systems — algorithms and artificial intelligence — often sway rental company decisions, leaving rejected families with little recourse.

By Dillon Forst • October 16, 2026

An outer view of a white and black semi-spherical dome that sits on top a white building decorated with various architectural details.

Commentary

New California laws arise from latest legislative skirmishes in endless ‘tort wars’

Tort wars are among the Legislature's oldest conflicts, pitting lawyers who file personal injury lawsuits and their allies against business interests and their insurers.

By Dan Walters • October 16, 2026

A person watches as an election worker with a pink button up blouse inserts a white envelope into the slot of a gray ballot box.

Commentary

California’s ballot propositions fuel its longstanding tax-and-spending war

Until Proposition 13, California voters let elected officials decide taxes and spending options. Now, 48 years later, money matters dominate the ballot box.

By Dan Walters • October 15, 2026

A group of five people dressed in business attire sits around a round table conducting a debate inside a news studio, with studio lights hanging above them from the ceiling

Commentary

Friends who’ve fallen out feud during gritty, final LA mayoral debate

Mayor Karen Bass, who’s fallen behind in recent polls, went on the offensive against City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a supporter-turned-challenger.

By Jim Newton • October 15, 2026

Commentary

Democrats’ identity crisis takes center stage in California insurance commissioner race

Much of the debate within the Democratic Party boils down to the degree to which a candidate rejects or embraces large corporate interests — like the insurance industry.

By Robert Greene • October 14, 2026

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