California
Business & Economics
New PRI Study Finds California Job Growth Lags Nation, High Costs Turn State’s Income Advantage into 35% Deficit
A new study released today by the Pacific Research Institute finds that California’s economic performance has fallen sharply behind the rest of the nation, with job growth since the COVID-19 pandemic at less than half the national rate, while the state’s high cost of living is erasing its income advantage. ...
Blog
Why Don’t We Find More Waste, Fraud and Abuse in California?
Shocking exposes of waste, fraud, and abuse in state government have dominated media headlines in recent weeks. Our friends Christopher Rufo and Kenneth Schrupp at the Manhattan Institute uncovered an unfinished wildlife “bridge to nowhere” in Agoura Hills, which has cost taxpayers over $100 million to date and counting. CBS ...
Blog
Despite setbacks, inter-city bullet train boondoggles keep chugging along
The high-speed rail (HSR) community had a tough 2025. In April, the Trump administration nixed a $63.9 million grant to “the Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor previously known as the Texas Central Railway project.” Justifying the decision, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy explained that if “the private sector believes ...
California
Stuck in Line
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the legislative and communications strategies surrounding the ongoing TSA funding dispute causing airport chaos, and the latest happenings in the California’s governor race – including whether Republican candidates might finish first or second in the Top Two primary. Plus, they discuss rising gas prices ...
Blog
Read the latest on fraud in California government
Fraud in California Community Colleges Spurs Congress to Act
Across the country, financial aid fraud in higher education has skyrocketed, causing big budgetary hits for colleges and negative impacts for law-abiding students in true need. Perhaps the biggest explosion in financial aid fraud has taken place in the nation’s largest system of higher education—the California Community Colleges. With 2.2 ...
Blog
What Happens When the Government Pays for Enrollment Without Verifying Attendance
To understand why, you have to understand how the system actually works. The state does not simply write checks to parents. A low-income family qualifies for a subsidy, selects a licensed provider, and the state reimburses that provider directly on the family’s behalf through a network of Alternative Payment Program agencies. ...
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: Stock Market Volatility Is a Growing Threat to California’s Upcoming Budget
Stock Market Volatility Is a Growing Threat to California’s Upcoming Budget Wayne Winegarden March 2026 Warren Buffett famously noted that “when the tide goes out, you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Heeding Buffet’s wisdom, we will soon discover whether Governor Newsom and state legislative leaders are in need of some ...
Blog
California Should Get Out of the Way of the Charter-Cox Merger
Of course, the CPUC regulates public utilities in California. The Commission gains a say in many mergers because of its broad oversight to evaluate potential effects on the price and access to telecommunications services for California residents. In that, the CPUC works with the Federal Trade Commission to align state ...
California
Addressing California’s Insurance Crisis
From PRI’s 2026 California Ideas in Action Conference, hear Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut moderate a panel with some of the state’s top policy insiders and elected officials exploring the ongoing challenges facing Californias insurance industry, which were exacerbated by last year’s Southern California wildfires.
Blog
California Can’t Address Affordability Crisis Without Lowering Tax Burden
“(We need) someone who will bring prices down,” Rep. Eric Swalwell says. “Californians can’t afford to live in California,” says billionaire Tom Steyer. They’re both right, but they should look in the mirror for a culprit. Big government policies –including several they are promoting in their platforms – are driving ...
New PRI Study Finds California Job Growth Lags Nation, High Costs Turn State’s Income Advantage into 35% Deficit
A new study released today by the Pacific Research Institute finds that California’s economic performance has fallen sharply behind the rest of the nation, with job growth since the COVID-19 pandemic at less than half the national rate, while the state’s high cost of living is erasing its income advantage. ...
Why Don’t We Find More Waste, Fraud and Abuse in California?
Shocking exposes of waste, fraud, and abuse in state government have dominated media headlines in recent weeks. Our friends Christopher Rufo and Kenneth Schrupp at the Manhattan Institute uncovered an unfinished wildlife “bridge to nowhere” in Agoura Hills, which has cost taxpayers over $100 million to date and counting. CBS ...
Despite setbacks, inter-city bullet train boondoggles keep chugging along
The high-speed rail (HSR) community had a tough 2025. In April, the Trump administration nixed a $63.9 million grant to “the Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor previously known as the Texas Central Railway project.” Justifying the decision, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy explained that if “the private sector believes ...
Stuck in Line
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the legislative and communications strategies surrounding the ongoing TSA funding dispute causing airport chaos, and the latest happenings in the California’s governor race – including whether Republican candidates might finish first or second in the Top Two primary. Plus, they discuss rising gas prices ...
Read the latest on fraud in California government
Fraud in California Community Colleges Spurs Congress to Act
Across the country, financial aid fraud in higher education has skyrocketed, causing big budgetary hits for colleges and negative impacts for law-abiding students in true need. Perhaps the biggest explosion in financial aid fraud has taken place in the nation’s largest system of higher education—the California Community Colleges. With 2.2 ...
What Happens When the Government Pays for Enrollment Without Verifying Attendance
To understand why, you have to understand how the system actually works. The state does not simply write checks to parents. A low-income family qualifies for a subsidy, selects a licensed provider, and the state reimburses that provider directly on the family’s behalf through a network of Alternative Payment Program agencies. ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: Stock Market Volatility Is a Growing Threat to California’s Upcoming Budget
Stock Market Volatility Is a Growing Threat to California’s Upcoming Budget Wayne Winegarden March 2026 Warren Buffett famously noted that “when the tide goes out, you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Heeding Buffet’s wisdom, we will soon discover whether Governor Newsom and state legislative leaders are in need of some ...
California Should Get Out of the Way of the Charter-Cox Merger
Of course, the CPUC regulates public utilities in California. The Commission gains a say in many mergers because of its broad oversight to evaluate potential effects on the price and access to telecommunications services for California residents. In that, the CPUC works with the Federal Trade Commission to align state ...
Addressing California’s Insurance Crisis
From PRI’s 2026 California Ideas in Action Conference, hear Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut moderate a panel with some of the state’s top policy insiders and elected officials exploring the ongoing challenges facing Californias insurance industry, which were exacerbated by last year’s Southern California wildfires.
California Can’t Address Affordability Crisis Without Lowering Tax Burden
“(We need) someone who will bring prices down,” Rep. Eric Swalwell says. “Californians can’t afford to live in California,” says billionaire Tom Steyer. They’re both right, but they should look in the mirror for a culprit. Big government policies –including several they are promoting in their platforms – are driving ...