Commentary
Court Challenge Over Orange Unified Ballot Statements Backfires on Union Allies
Teacher union activists are like dogs that chase cars—they wouldn’t know what to do if they caught one. Take the recent case of Darshan Smaaladen, a teacher union ally in the Orange…
Apple Valley: The Town That Can’t Afford to Quit
The Town of Apple Valley’s mission promises “a better way of life through local control of public safety, development, services and amenities.” This leaves unanswered what the town should leave to someone…
Public Sector Pensions Break More Than Government Budgets
In a display of power that ought to be used for public benefit, California’s public servants have instead prioritized their personal financial interests. Unions representing the state’s police and firefighters pushed a…
California’s ballot argument rules give tax proponents an unfair advantage
This year’s California county voter information guides will once again display a serious inequity. Arguments in favor of bond and tax measures will usually be well written and signed by several local…
Gavin Newsom Walks the AI Tightrope
The California governor embraces the tech’s possibilities with one hand, imposes a mountain of regulations with the other. On a single day last week, Gavin Newsom showed that he remains one of…
El Nino Planning Must Include Dredging
On September 21, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the “strong and likely historic El Nino event in the Pacific Ocean.” The timing of the announcement is in…
The Energy and Water Footprint of AI
Whether artificial intelligence should be regulated, and if so, how, has almost overnight become one of the biggest political issues of our time. And with AI comes a surge in construction of…
Fight Over Parental Notification Continues After Chino Valley Ruling
SAN BERNARDINO — In a convoluted ruling from the bench Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Superior Court granted in part and denied in part Chino Valley Unified School District’s motion to dissolve…
Comments on the “Water Quality Control Plan” for the Delta
The August 2026 final draft of the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) “Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed” has been released. Written comments will be…
Los Angeles Should Follow San Francisco’s Path to Recovery — Says Man Who Helped Set Back Both
A former aide who served and defended two disastrous DAs now offers advice on urban governance. Alex Bastian has lived and worked in California’s two most important cities, and he has advice…