California wrongly focuses on school spending, not results
By Dan Walters, CalMatters Students in a sixth-grade class read at Stege Elementary School in Richmond, on Feb.…
Private insurers are holding CA homeowners hostage
By Eduardo Vargas, Special for CalMatters The remains of a house in Altadena that burned in the Eaton…
I fled the Los Angeles wildfires. Here’s what would help prevent future tragedies – Orange County Register
A year ago, Los Angeles was hit by two of the most destructive wildfires in California history—the Palisades…
Off-season events like rodeo help keep downtown restaurants open – San Diego Union-Tribune
Anyone who works in restaurants knows there’s no such thing as a “guaranteed” season. Even in a destination…
Sacramento still playing a costly game of chicken with Trump – Orange County Register
Nine years ago this month, the Sunday January 17th edition of the Orange County Register had front-page, top-of-the-fold…
Fix ‘qualified immunity’ to restore trust in police – San Diego Union-Tribune
When people argue about police accountability, one term keeps getting mixed up on purpose: qualified immunity. We are told…
Simple metric shows San Diego has worst fiscal health of any city in county – San Diego Union-Tribune
While serving in the California State Senate, I decided to prepare a fiscal ranking of the state’s 482…
State should make insurers cover homes as they do cars
By Robert Howell, Special for CalMatters A home burns during the Palisades Fire near Pacific Coast Highway in…
School shooter resentencing sends wrong message – San Diego Union-Tribune
Nearly 25 years ago, a student walked onto the campus of Santana High School and opened fire. Two…
To fix CA insurance, be smart, honest and reasonable
By Steven Bradford, Special for CalMatters The remains of a house that was severely damaged by the Eaton…
Newsom’s budget shows revenue gain. Is it real?
By Dan Walters, CalMatters California’s Director of Finance, Joe Stephenshaw, leads the budget proposal presentation for the 2026-27…
OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community
Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers Can Now Opt Into $4,000 Grants to Help Bolster Economic Stability and Strengthen…