In 1978, Californians voted to pass Proposition 13, which slashed property taxes and ushered in an era of underinvestment, ending the ‘California dream’ for many.
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California – Analysis and Comment
As firefighters contain the fires that have been raging since Oct. 8, California’s wine industry is assessing the damage and hoping the tourists who fled the ash-filled air return.
Fire is part of the ecology in much of California, but recent wildfires have caused much more damage than past burns of similar size. A fire ecologist points to two key factors: winds and population growth.
The media and policymakers often say a ‘perfect storm’ of environmental factors cause wildfires but that ignores the role of irresponsible urban planning and development in raising fire risks.
A California fire expert explains why municipalities need to reassess urban fire risk and take steps to learn how to coexist with fire.
Wildfires in California have triggered a public health emergency. One threat is smoke inhalation: Some air readings have registered pollution levels comparable to bad air days in Beijing or Mumbai.
Precisely because of his problems at home, Donald Trump wants to do more abroad – possibly with disastrous results. How can those who know foreign policy rein him in?
For 50 years California has used laws and policies to manage development along its 1,100-mile coastline and preserve public access to the shore. Climate change will make that task harder.
First They Killed My Father works hard to achieve authenticity in a genre that is as old as cinema itself.
Knott’s Berry Farm and others romanticize the state’s past and influence visitors’ sense of history. But their ideology reflects mid-20th-century political conservatism more than settlers’ reality.
As states begin to plan budgets, the future of Obamacare is still undecided. A former Ohio state senator explains how budget directors are bracing for billions of dollars in shortfalls.
International problems and local policies are integrally interwoven, whether the nationalists in Washington like it or not.
Of the 34 state ballot initiatives seeking to limit or abolish the death penalty, 31 have failed. Is this democracy at its worst?
Defiant against Trump’s policies on immigration and environment, California finds itself defending its way of life – the California Dream itself.
Music festivals have been a boon to the music industry, but now we’re starting to witness some pitfalls of commercial success: consolidation and creeping conformity.
Can California’s wet weather make earthquakes more likely? Scientists are still learning about what triggers these events. Even human activity can be a culprit.
A new federalism? Trump’s decision to green-light the Dakota Access Pipeline and early battles with states show a disregard for the sovereignty of domestic government bodies.
California has set ambitious goals for cutting carbon emissions and shifting to a clean energy economy. How will this strategy affect the state’s huge economy? An economist weighs the evidence.
At many Spanish missions in the US and Latin America, the rising sun illuminates the altar on the winter solstice or other symbolic days. To the faithful, these events meant that Christ was with them.
What if you could go into a voting booth and rank your first, second and third choices? It could happen in Maine, if voters approve.
We can’t keep blaming the MMR-autism scare – there are other forces at play.
No federal database provides reliable info on deaths that occur in police custody. It’s the same situation in 48 states. But now California and Texas are offering new models of accountability.
Can nuclear power plants like California Diablo Canyon be replaced without greatly raising emissions? It’s an open question.
Nearly 650,000 new voters have registered to vote in the California primary. What the influx of new voters will mean is anyone’s guess.
From floods to drought, fire to famine, the 2015-16 El Nino has had a global impact.