Blog
Congestion pricing an open question, but equity concerns are bogus
Congestion pricing an open question, but equity concerns are bogus by Rafael Perez | October 10, 2025 New York City in January became the first city in America to implement congestion charges in an effort to curb traffic, reduce pollution and raise funds to improve transit systems. Los Angeles is ...
Blog
San Diego Banned Digital-Only Coupons. Then The Deals Went Away.
Last week, another “first in the nation” law took effect in the City of San Diego. There’s usually a reason no one decides to jump in front of California to grab “first in the nation” honors for themselves – it is a bad idea. Such is the case with San ...
Blog
Learn How Drug Price Controls Hurt Patients
Big Pharma Is Not Gouging Americans nor Driving Up Healthcare Costs
Whether it is Sanders vilifying pharmaceutical companies or Trump’s emphasis on imposing price controls, they both allege that drug spending is a primary driver of the nation’s rising healthcare costs. Even a cursory look at the data demonstrates their focus is misplaced. Let’s start with the national health expenditure data ...
Blog
Government Shutdown Threatens Billions in IPO Funding
The federal government has been shut down since October 1 because of a funding disagreement between Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Though a deal could theoretically be struck at any moment, there does not appear to be any end in sight. Only services deemed essential are permitted through the shutdown, which means ...
Blog
Learn about the impact of the latest refinery fire
How Much Will Gas Prices Rise After So Cal Refinery Fire?
Producing 269,000 barrels a day of useful fossil fuels, the El Segundo facility is second in the state only to Marathon’s Los Angeles refinery, which puts out 365,000 barrels a day, good for 22.5% of state’s capacity. The Chevron site provides 20% of motor vehicle fuel in California and 40% of the ...
Blog
Spending Watch
California’s FY2025-26 Budget Failed to Address the State’s Long-term Financial Risks
California’s FY2025-26 Budget Failed to Address the State’s Long-term Financial Risks Wayne Winegarden October 2025 Politicians too often assume that California’s fiscal health is synonymous with the state of its annual budget. When revenue growth is strong, the state is allegedly in a sound fiscal position. It is only when ...
Blog
Yes In God’s Back Yard: YIGBYs fight for more housing
Yes In God’s Back Yard: YIGBYs fight for more housing by D. Dowd Muska | October 3, 2025 When it’s time to thwart an unwanted land use, NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yarders) consult a list of hardy perennials. Parking. Traffic. Crime. Noise. Property values. “Preserving the character of the ...
Blog
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Insurers return to California, but we’re not yet out of the woods
California’s property insurance market had been on the precipice before the massive wildfires wreaked havoc in Pacific Palisades and Altadena this year, with insurers fleeing the state following a series of costly wildfires from 2017 to 2021. January’s fires were among the worst in the state’s history, with estimated industry ...
Agriculture
Ag labor myths persist, posing challenges to reform
The national average for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is $17.33/hr., with individual states being held to a fluctuating rate. California’s current federally mandated AEWR is $19.75/hr., making it one of the top five highest in the nation. However, wage rates are not the only cost associated with the ...
AI
Has California Created A Free Speech Problem?
He is deliberating whether to sign or veto Senate Bill 771, which would impose civil penalties of up to $1 million against social media companies that knowingly or recklessly aid their users in violating the state’s hate speech and civil rights laws. “Hate speech” isn’t mentioned by name, but the bill contains references to ...
Congestion pricing an open question, but equity concerns are bogus
Congestion pricing an open question, but equity concerns are bogus by Rafael Perez | October 10, 2025 New York City in January became the first city in America to implement congestion charges in an effort to curb traffic, reduce pollution and raise funds to improve transit systems. Los Angeles is ...
San Diego Banned Digital-Only Coupons. Then The Deals Went Away.
Last week, another “first in the nation” law took effect in the City of San Diego. There’s usually a reason no one decides to jump in front of California to grab “first in the nation” honors for themselves – it is a bad idea. Such is the case with San ...
Learn How Drug Price Controls Hurt Patients
Big Pharma Is Not Gouging Americans nor Driving Up Healthcare Costs
Whether it is Sanders vilifying pharmaceutical companies or Trump’s emphasis on imposing price controls, they both allege that drug spending is a primary driver of the nation’s rising healthcare costs. Even a cursory look at the data demonstrates their focus is misplaced. Let’s start with the national health expenditure data ...
Government Shutdown Threatens Billions in IPO Funding
The federal government has been shut down since October 1 because of a funding disagreement between Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Though a deal could theoretically be struck at any moment, there does not appear to be any end in sight. Only services deemed essential are permitted through the shutdown, which means ...
Learn about the impact of the latest refinery fire
How Much Will Gas Prices Rise After So Cal Refinery Fire?
Producing 269,000 barrels a day of useful fossil fuels, the El Segundo facility is second in the state only to Marathon’s Los Angeles refinery, which puts out 365,000 barrels a day, good for 22.5% of state’s capacity. The Chevron site provides 20% of motor vehicle fuel in California and 40% of the ...
Spending Watch
California’s FY2025-26 Budget Failed to Address the State’s Long-term Financial Risks
California’s FY2025-26 Budget Failed to Address the State’s Long-term Financial Risks Wayne Winegarden October 2025 Politicians too often assume that California’s fiscal health is synonymous with the state of its annual budget. When revenue growth is strong, the state is allegedly in a sound fiscal position. It is only when ...
Yes In God’s Back Yard: YIGBYs fight for more housing
Yes In God’s Back Yard: YIGBYs fight for more housing by D. Dowd Muska | October 3, 2025 When it’s time to thwart an unwanted land use, NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yarders) consult a list of hardy perennials. Parking. Traffic. Crime. Noise. Property values. “Preserving the character of the ...
Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center
Insurers return to California, but we’re not yet out of the woods
California’s property insurance market had been on the precipice before the massive wildfires wreaked havoc in Pacific Palisades and Altadena this year, with insurers fleeing the state following a series of costly wildfires from 2017 to 2021. January’s fires were among the worst in the state’s history, with estimated industry ...
Ag labor myths persist, posing challenges to reform
The national average for the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is $17.33/hr., with individual states being held to a fluctuating rate. California’s current federally mandated AEWR is $19.75/hr., making it one of the top five highest in the nation. However, wage rates are not the only cost associated with the ...
Has California Created A Free Speech Problem?
He is deliberating whether to sign or veto Senate Bill 771, which would impose civil penalties of up to $1 million against social media companies that knowingly or recklessly aid their users in violating the state’s hate speech and civil rights laws. “Hate speech” isn’t mentioned by name, but the bill contains references to ...
