CALMatters | Almanac Online |

CALmatters is a Sacramento-based nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. It works with more than 130 media partners throughout the state that have long, deep relationships with their local audiences, including Embarcadero Media (publisher of the Palo Alto Weekly, Mountain View Voice, Pleasanton Weekly and The Almanac in Menlo Park and their websites.)

Here are the most recent stories reported by CALmatters' team of journalists:

The high price we pay for low-rent housing

California has a severe housing crisis but it's compounded by the high price of building or even rehabbing low-cost housing.

Mon, Jan 21, 2019 12:01 am

My turn: What I learned from the last time PG&E went bankrupt

PG&E's bankruptcy in 2001 and the one to come are at once similar and very different. But we did learn lessons the hard way in 2000 and 2001. Having lived through the last bankruptcy, my suggestion to policymakers is to slow down and conduct a thorough analysis to fully understand the nature of the problem.

Sun, Jan 20, 2019 8:30 am

San Francisco gives kindergartners free money for college. Could it work statewide?

San Francisco automatically sets up college savings accounts for every kindergartner in its public schools. If Governor Gavin Newsom gets his way, the model could soon roll out to other cities across California.

Sun, Jan 20, 2019 8:00 am

Two crises point to a larger societal ill

A strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Pacific Gas and Electric's announced intention to declare bankruptcy are symptoms of a larger malady of arrogance and irresponsibility by large institutions.

Sun, Jan 20, 2019 12:01 am

My turn: What Trump could have said from the Oval Office

What if Donald Trump had used those nine minutes, or even a portion of them, to convey a different message, one that reminded us of what binds us rather than what separates us, reminded us to help those, as the song says, who are walking on the boulevard of broken dreams? What if?

Sat, Jan 19, 2019 8:30 am

Weekly CALmatters 01/18/2019

Highlighting all of CALmatters' work over the past week

Fri, Jan 18, 2019 8:58 pm

My turn: Air board’s plan to raise fees threatens our economy and climate goals

The California Air Resources Board has adopted an aggressive regulation, baking in higher consumer and industry costs in the hope of squeezing out more emission reductions. This approach not only flouts the express will of the Legislature, but undermines the moral authority for engaging in state-level greenhouse gas regulation.

Fri, Jan 18, 2019 11:59 am

Weekly Walters 01/18/2019

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

Fri, Jan 18, 2019 4:46 am

A PG&E bankruptcy, climate change and the shutdown

Good morning, California. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, their four kids, two dogs and one rabbit won’t live in the Governor’s Mansion after all, The Sacramento Bee reports. Instead, they’ll move a few miles from downtown Sacramento to what Realtors called a “sophisticated Santa Barbara Montecito styled home” with a wine cellar, pool, […]

Fri, Jan 18, 2019 4:30 am

CALQuiz: An aging electric grid, another harassment investigation, and the first openly LGBT legislator

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 5:39 pm

Will PG&E customers pay more in bankruptcy? Not if state watchdog can stop it

PG&E customers shouldn't have to foot the bankruptcy bill if the utility is responsible for deadly California wildfires, says a state watchdog.

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 5:35 pm

California’s thriving LGBT caucus: Because sometimes, lawmaking is personal

A quarter-century after California elected Sheila Kuehl as its first openly gay or lesbian legislator, its LGBT caucus has a series of successes and a to-do list for the future. Said Kuehl: “You don’t get any respect unless you’re in the room where it happens. And that is symbolic sometimes but it is noticed by society—because you’re making policy for your community as well as for everybody else.”

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 3:57 pm

My turn: Why I joined the picket line at Manual Arts High in L.A.

For many people outside Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District strike might seem far away, with little relevance to their daily lives. But the strike hits closer to home than you might think.

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 2:46 pm

My turn: Finally, California seems determined to end homelessness

If our government is going to truly prioritize housing all Californians, cities and counties must be required to put a significant portion of any incentive funding from the state toward directly supporting the production of homes at levels affordable to people most in need.

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 9:47 am

Report for America Enables a Unique Journalism Collaboration

Report for America, the national service program that places journalists in under-covered communities, is funding three reporters for an ambitious effort focused on California’s worst-in-the-nation poverty rate and the growing divide between the state’s rich and poor. The project brings together CALmatters, McClatchy’s five California news organizations and the 25 Digital First newsrooms across the […]

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 8:25 am

Gig economy, independent truckers and #MeToo claims

Good morning, California. “In broad terms, this is about much more than pay. This is about the soul of our schools and the way L.A. does or does not build a culture to collectively invest in our future.”—Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, as a strike by teachers continued against the Los Angeles Unified School District. […]

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 4:30 am

Should California revive redevelopment?

Seven years ago, Jerry Brown and the Legislature abolished redevelopment. There are efforts to bring it back, but Brown's successor as governor, Gavin Newsom, has thrown cold water on the idea.

Thu, Jan 17, 2019 12:01 am

That Newsom proposal for six-month paid family leave? It’s bold—but less so than it seems

Californians who like the idea of getting more paid time off work to care for a new baby may find good news and bad news in the details of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 7:06 pm

Progressive leader? When it comes to female lawmakers, California ties Georgia for 20th place

The 2018 election was hailed as the "Year of the Woman," but California still lags behind its Western neighbors and many other states when it comes to female representation. Among the ideas to boost the number of elected women: let campaigns pay for child care.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 6:58 pm

Ex-Assemblyman Ridley-Thomas sexually harassed staffers, investigation finds

An investigation commissioned by the California Assembly found that former California Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas of Los Angeles, who resigned abruptly in 2017 citing health problems, likely harassed at least two legislative staff members while he was in office.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 3:53 pm

My turn: Sell PG&E for parts and build community energy instead

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 3:15 pm

California’s grid: PG&E isn’t all that’s changing

The bankrupcy of California's largest utility is just one wrinkle in the new world of electricity delivery Plus: the surplus, housing and a new GOP leader.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 4:30 am

Frayed Wires: As California enters a brave new energy world, can it keep the lights on?

California is casting off fossil fuels on its way to becoming a fully electrified state. But it's unclear whether the aging electricity grid can deliver.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 12:01 am

State tax reforms or state tax increases?

California's budget is dangerously dependent on taxing a relative handful of wealthy people. Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will work on tax reform.

Wed, Jan 16, 2019 12:01 am

About that giant, surplus-plus budget surplus

The governor put the surplus into three buckets: $3 billion for education and social services, $8.5 billion in one-time spending and $10 billion to build what he is calling “budget resiliency.”

Tue, Jan 15, 2019 4:12 pm

My turn: Don’t blame environmental law for California’s housing crisis

As legislators resume discussions regarding policy solutions, we must be clear: California’s environmental regulations did not cause the housing crisis and eviscerating the California Environmental Quality Act would harm disadvantaged communities.

Tue, Jan 15, 2019 2:01 pm

Fixing the strike, keeping PG&E’s lights on and selling weed

Good morning, California. “It’s why I took the job. By the way, we will get through this and we will come out stronger on the other side.”—Gov. Gavin Newsom, asked how he’s feeling about dealing with the L.A. teachers’ strike and the impending bankruptcy of the state’s largest utility. Newsom: Bankruptcy doesn't mean blackoutsNewsom tackles […]

Tue, Jan 15, 2019 4:30 am

Day 1 of LA teachers’ strike: Newsom pushes for more transparency of charter schools

On the first day of a massive LA teachers' strike, Gov. Gavin Newsom pressed for legislation adding more “transparency” to the state’s 1,200-plus charter schools—a point of contention between the LA district and the union.

Mon, Jan 14, 2019 7:06 pm

Lawmakers asked to consider anti-price gouging laws to slow rising rents

Talk is underway about putting a law on the books that would bar California landlords from raising rent beyond a certain percentage.

Mon, Jan 14, 2019 6:11 pm

VIDEO Breakdown: Does California’s new class of legislators reflect the state?

After a political "Year of the Woman," what percentage of California's new legislature is made up of women? With Latinos a plurality of California, are they a plurality among state legislators? Who's over-represented compared to their share of the adult population? Who's under-represented by the same metric? Watch to see how these lawmakers' demographics stack up agains the state as a whole.

Mon, Jan 14, 2019 5:39 pm

My turn: The Delta is California’s heart. Gavin Newsom must save it

Mon, Jan 14, 2019 1:42 pm

PG&E bankruptcy, LAUSD strike—and it’s only Gavin Newsom’s second week

Good morning, California. Choose your crisis. California’s largest school district is set to strike, California’s largest utility is signaling bankruptcy and President Trump is threatening to divert emergency aid from California to fund his border wall. Can PG&E be saved?PG&E crews remove fire-damaged power lines in Paradise.Expect Gov. Gavin Newsom to respond quickly if, as […]

Mon, Jan 14, 2019 4:30 am

It didn’t fix the L.A. teacher strike, but Newsom’s pension idea would help schools, anyway

Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to pay down pension liability would save California school districts an estimated $50 per students. It wasn't enough to head off the Los Angeles teachers strike, but districts are welcoming it anyway.

Sun, Jan 13, 2019 9:33 pm

We pay through the nose to live in California

Gov. Gavin Newsom has recognized California's high living costs, but government is a major driver of those costs.

Sun, Jan 13, 2019 12:01 am

Weekly CALmatters 01/11/2019

Highlighting all of CALmatters' work over the past week

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 8:26 pm

‘Lock the door and throw away the key’: As strike looms, LAUSD asks Newsom to intercede

Los Angeles teachers are set to strike Monday despite a fresh offer from California's largest school district after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed freeing some $40 billion at Los Angeles Unified School District by paying pension debt. The strike would impact more than a half-million students and their families.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 8:03 pm

My turn: The federal shutdown could have cost me my life

Yosemite was a refuge where I could momentarily escape thoughts of petty politics and news of the day that typically consume most of my waking hours as a journalist. This time, though, a political stunt encroached into this natural refuge.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 1:59 pm

Weekly Walters 01/11/2019

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 4:46 am

Newsom goes big in his budget and Nunes goes after L.A.’s subway

Newsom's first budget, the taxes behind his agenda, prison guards go after Jerry Brown's legacy on justice and Devin Nunes goes to Beverly Hills.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 4:30 am

A cautious budget with a bold housing plan

Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes his first budget, takes cautious approach to spending and outlines assault on housing shortage.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 12:01 am

10 takeaways from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $209 billion budget

A huge surprise surplus, a big push on affordable housing, help for college students, working poor tax credits, credit cards at the DMV, kindergarten potties.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 7:16 pm

Newsom wants extra pension payments as retirement liability tops $256B

The governor proposes extra payments and offers to help school districts meet their pension obligations as retirement liabilities top $256 billion.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 7:15 pm

It’s a big deal: Newsom’s housing budget, explained

Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal provides a good sense of his priorities to combat what he has called “the issue when it comes to California poverty”—affordable housing.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 6:23 pm

My turn: Why we must expand California’s child care system

As California looks to build the ramp that will help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds cross the opportunity gap, it is critically important that early educators fighting to give our kids a stronger future have a voice in building the system that best serves children and families. That’s why this year we at Service Employees International Union will continue our fight for legislation allowing us to form a union.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 2:25 pm

Budget hopes, shutdown fears, Trump tweets

Newsom reveals his budget, Republicans slam Trump on FEMA threats, shutdown could worsen wildfires, CA vs. Big Pharma, DMV reinvention and why tiny toilets matter.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 4:30 am

Dr. Newsom wants to cure state’s tech disease

California chronically fails in using technology to improve state government operations, but Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to fix it.

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 12:01 am

Newsom’s got an idea even Trump likes—will it lower California’s drug prices?

In one of his first official actions, Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed that state agencies, including the one that oversees Medi-Cal, negotiate as a block to demand prescription drug makers lower their prices. The move will make California the nation’s largest negotiator against pharmaceutical companies and could become a model for other states—if it works.

Wed, Jan 9, 2019 8:45 pm

Gavin Newsom wants more bathrooms for kindergartners

Before Gavin Newsom can expand preschool, California will first have to get to full-day kindergarten by building classrooms with those little toilets attached.

Wed, Jan 9, 2019 7:37 pm

My turn: California’s other fiscal time bomb

California’s state and local agencies have $187 billion in unfunded retiree health care and other benefit liabilities that threaten to crowd out public services, such as public safety and education, that Californians expect government to provide. Government must confront the debt.

Wed, Jan 9, 2019 9:00 am

Trump, Newsom share a similar problem

Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom have similar political problems in delivering on promises they made during their campaigns.

Wed, Jan 9, 2019 12:01 am

California has a severe housing crisis but it's compounded by the high price of building or even rehabbing low-cost housing.

San Francisco automatically sets up college savings accounts for every kindergartner in its public schools. If Governor Gavin Newsom gets his way, the model could soon roll out to other cities across California.

A strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Pacific Gas and Electric's announced intention to declare bankruptcy are symptoms of a larger malady of arrogance and irresponsibility by large institutions.

What if Donald Trump had used those nine minutes, or even a portion of them, to convey a different message, one that reminded us of what binds us rather than what separates us, reminded us to help those, as the song says, who are walking on the boulevard of broken dreams? What if?

Highlighting all of CALmatters' work over the past week

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

PG&E customers shouldn't have to foot the bankruptcy bill if the utility is responsible for deadly California wildfires, says a state watchdog.

For many people outside Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District strike might seem far away, with little relevance to their daily lives. But the strike hits closer to home than you might think.

If our government is going to truly prioritize housing all Californians, cities and counties must be required to put a significant portion of any incentive funding from the state toward directly supporting the production of homes at levels affordable to people most in need.

Seven years ago, Jerry Brown and the Legislature abolished redevelopment. There are efforts to bring it back, but Brown's successor as governor, Gavin Newsom, has thrown cold water on the idea.

Californians who like the idea of getting more paid time off work to care for a new baby may find good news and bad news in the details of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget.

The 2018 election was hailed as the "Year of the Woman," but California still lags behind its Western neighbors and many other states when it comes to female representation. Among the ideas to boost the number of elected women: let campaigns pay for child care.

An investigation commissioned by the California Assembly found that former California Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas of Los Angeles, who resigned abruptly in 2017 citing health problems, likely harassed at least two legislative staff members while he was in office.

The bankrupcy of California's largest utility is just one wrinkle in the new world of electricity delivery Plus: the surplus, housing and a new GOP leader.

California is casting off fossil fuels on its way to becoming a fully electrified state. But it's unclear whether the aging electricity grid can deliver.

California's budget is dangerously dependent on taxing a relative handful of wealthy people. Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will work on tax reform.

The governor put the surplus into three buckets: $3 billion for education and social services, $8.5 billion in one-time spending and $10 billion to build what he is calling “budget resiliency.”

As legislators resume discussions regarding policy solutions, we must be clear: California’s environmental regulations did not cause the housing crisis and eviscerating the California Environmental Quality Act would harm disadvantaged communities.

On the first day of a massive LA teachers' strike, Gov. Gavin Newsom pressed for legislation adding more “transparency” to the state’s 1,200-plus charter schools—a point of contention between the LA district and the union.

Talk is underway about putting a law on the books that would bar California landlords from raising rent beyond a certain percentage.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to pay down pension liability would save California school districts an estimated $50 per students. It wasn't enough to head off the Los Angeles teachers strike, but districts are welcoming it anyway.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has recognized California's high living costs, but government is a major driver of those costs.

Highlighting all of CALmatters' work over the past week

Yosemite was a refuge where I could momentarily escape thoughts of petty politics and news of the day that typically consume most of my waking hours as a journalist. This time, though, a political stunt encroached into this natural refuge.

A collection of commentaries by Dan Walters over the past week.

Newsom's first budget, the taxes behind his agenda, prison guards go after Jerry Brown's legacy on justice and Devin Nunes goes to Beverly Hills.

Newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes his first budget, takes cautious approach to spending and outlines assault on housing shortage.

A huge surprise surplus, a big push on affordable housing, help for college students, working poor tax credits, credit cards at the DMV, kindergarten potties.

The governor proposes extra payments and offers to help school districts meet their pension obligations as retirement liabilities top $256 billion.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal provides a good sense of his priorities to combat what he has called “the issue when it comes to California poverty”—affordable housing.

Newsom reveals his budget, Republicans slam Trump on FEMA threats, shutdown could worsen wildfires, CA vs. Big Pharma, DMV reinvention and why tiny toilets matter.

California chronically fails in using technology to improve state government operations, but Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to fix it.

Before Gavin Newsom can expand preschool, California will first have to get to full-day kindergarten by building classrooms with those little toilets attached.

California’s state and local agencies have $187 billion in unfunded retiree health care and other benefit liabilities that threaten to crowd out public services, such as public safety and education, that Californians expect government to provide. Government must confront the debt.

Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom have similar political problems in delivering on promises they made during their campaigns.

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