Sacramento

Mayors (from left to right) Faulconer, Garcetti, Schaaf and Steinberg and CALmatters reporter Laurel Rosenhall at a forum to discuss responses to California's homeless population.

Homelessness

Big city mayors to California lawmakers on homelessness: Go bold

The mayors of Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and Sacramento called for bold state action to remedy homelessness, including reviving an affordable housing funding source and making it easier to build shelters.

By

Matt Levin

• November 16, 2018

Newsletters

How liberal is California, really?

California and the House fight. How liberal are CA Democrats? The impact of a law giving prosecutors less power. Behind the UC strike. A cholera monument.

By

Dan Morain

• October 26, 2018

Tens of thousands demonstrate for women's equality at the 2017 Women's March in Sacramento. Photo via Creative Commons.

Newsletters

Battle lines on net neutrality and #MeToo

Gov. Jerry Brown, ending an unprecedented fourth term as California's leader, signs historic bills on net neutrality and women in boardrooms, along with new gun controls, changes in California's felony murder rule and police accountability. Plus, 5G wireless begins today.

By

Dan Morain

• October 1, 2018

Commentary

Political expediency worsens long-term consequences

When politicians take the easy way out and ignore reality, it comes back to haunt them and their constituents, whether it's delayed infrastructure maintenance or providing salary unaffordable salary increases.

By

Dan Walters

• September 19, 2018

Newsletters

School, Kavanaugh, Tesla and what’s ahead

The California Public Utilities Commission reports that since 2011, the state has paid or will pay $199.3 million to offset consumers’ cost of installing Tesla’s batteries.

By

Dan Morain

• September 4, 2018

Newsletters

Jane Fonda makes a plea; Businesses worry

Actress Jane Fonda and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, appearing on a panel across in Sacramento from the Capitol, called for passage of legislation to limit forced workplace arbitration agreements.

By

Dan Morain

• August 8, 2018

Tiffany Stelle and Donald Hui, teachers at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, joined a tailgating action over stalled contract talks. An agreement has since been reached. Photography by Penni Gladstone for CALmatters

Economy

California teacher pension debt swamps school budgets

California schools may need to use over half of all their new money to cover growing pension obligations—prompting some districts to predict deficits and many to begin cutting programs, reducing staff or drawing down reserves.

By

Jessica Calefati

• July 22, 2018

Marie Camacho’s rent at her one-bedroom Sacramento apartment is going up from $600 a month to more than $1,000 a month. She faces a possible eviction later this year. Photo by Andrew Nixon of Capital Public Radio.

Housing

Exploring the promise — and unintended consequences — of rent control

As California rents have increased, so have calls to strengthen rent control laws across the state. Voters this fall will have the chance to weigh in on a potential first step.

By

Chris Nichols, Capital Public Radio

• June 21, 2018

Justice

San Diego welcomes more refugees than any other California county

Zawadi Namagazuzyo was about 12 when she was forced to flee her native Congo. Her mother and many family members were dead. Her father wanted her to live. “There was fighting, a lot of fighting,” she said, recalling how the two of them ended up at a refugee camp in Zambia. She grew up there […]

By

Elizabeth Aguilera

• July 20, 2017