economic inequality

Commentary

Local government is key to establishing equity in California

Fresno is a case study for racial, economic and environmental injustice in California and a potential bellwether for the state’s pursuit of reparations.

By

Guest Commentary

• July 25, 2022

Fast-food workers protest for a $15 dollar hourly minimum wage outside a McDonald's restaurant in East Los Angeles on March 12, 2021. Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo

Economy

Want to vote on raising California’s minimum wage? Judge says not until 2024

A judge rules that a proposition to raise the California minimum wage to $18 an hour can't go before voters until 2024. The same judge gave backers of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom more time to qualify, but in this case he backed the Secretary of State, who said proponents missed a key deadline to qualify in time for this November.

By

Jeanne Kuang

• July 22, 2022

Kristina Tanner at the Sacramento State campus on June 29, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

California Divide

California counties siphon Social Security benefits from some foster kids

California counties regularly take the Social Security benefits of foster youth who are disabled or whose parents have died. Advocates say it amounts to children paying for their own foster care.

By

Jeanne Kuang

• July 22, 2022

Commentary

State shells out seed money for an ambitious program for homebuyers

The California Dream for All program would allow the state to invest alongside first-time homebuyers so that they could afford to purchase a home in California.

By

Guest Commentary

• July 20, 2022

Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters; iStock

Higher Education

Cal State’s Black students are falling behind other groups — and poor graduation data obscures the crisis

The way the Cal State system presents graduation rates obscures how the system is failing its Black students.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• July 12, 2022

Cal State campuses with have new admissions requirements soon. Here, students walk across campus at Fresno State on Feb. 8, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters

WhatMatters

Does Cal State hide Black graduation rates?

If data can illuminate, it can also obscure. That’s one of the main takeaways from CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn’s revealing investigation into gaps in graduation rates among ethnic and racial groups at California State University, the nation’s largest public university system that enrolls nearly half a million students. If you were to look at Cal State’s […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• July 12, 2022

George Dowell is vaccinated against COVID-19 at Umoja Health pop-up clinic in Oakland on Feb. 2, 2022. Photo by Marissa Leshnov for CalMatters

California Divide

COVID pulls down Latino, Black, Asian life expectancy more than whites, study says

Medical journal study says life expectancy for California’s Latinos fell six years, more than other populations during pandemic.

By

Jeanne Kuang

• July 7, 2022

Starlyn Darby doesn't produce enough breastmilk to feed her 8 month-old son Zelimir, who is underweight and relies on Enfamil Ensure formula. Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

California Divide

State and federal restrictions make it harder for low-income families to get infant formula

For families receiving government assistance, the types of infant formula they are allowed to purchase is limited. When the shortage began, California couldn’t quickly expand its list of approved formula brands due to federal restrictions, leaving low-income families scrambling to find formula.

By

Elizabeth Aguilera

• July 1, 2022