Blog
Blog
The Infrastructure Bill – What’s in it for California
Of the Senate’s $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill, California expects to receive at least $39.4 billion over the next five years to help rebuild its roads and bridges, and to improve public transportation. The problem is, writes Reason’s Adrian Moore in PRI’s new book Saving California, “Infrastructure takes long-term thinking, planning, ...
Rowena Itchon
August 19, 2021
Blog
California Lost, California Regained
Gov. Gavin Newsom, running for his political life, is right, not everything is grim in California. At the same time, a lot of damage has been done over the last 25 years. Don’t believe it? Take a look at any list that ranks the states for any reason and California ...
Kerry Jackson
August 18, 2021
Blog
New Analysis: Social Justice Math in San Francisco Hurt Kids’ Performance
In the controversy over the proposed “woke” California math curriculum framework, which has thankfully been shelved for at least the time being, proponents often pointed to San Francisco as an example where a similar math program supposedly improved student achievement. New research, however, shows just the opposite—woke math hurt student ...
Lance Izumi
August 17, 2021
Blog
Legislature Comes Back in Session This Week with Lots of Unfinished Business
Today, the Legislature reconvenes for the final month of the 2021 legislative session. For the next four weeks, lawmakers will be on a mad dash to finalize its work before the September 10 deadline. This year’s legislative session can best be described as being overshadowed by events. On last week’s ...
Tim Anaya
August 16, 2021
Blog
New Research Shows Covid Impact on Student Learning Loss and Mental Health
With uncertainty over the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant on the start of the upcoming school year, new research shows the extent of learning loss and mental health problems experienced by students during the pandemic-caused school closures. Not coincidentally, state and federal data also show that parents are increasingly ...
Lance Izumi
August 13, 2021
Blog
In Bipartisan Vote, U.S. Senate Follows PRI’s Advice in Rejecting ‘Costly Subsidies for the Rich’
You may have missed it amidst the “vote-a-rama” on dozens of amendments to the Senate Democrats’ $3.5 billion budget reconciliation bill being voted on early Wednesday morning, but a key bipartisan vote could put an end to what PRI has termed “costly subsidies for the rich,” or taxpayers subsidizing electric ...
Tim Anaya
August 12, 2021
Blog
Larry Elder Says the Ideal Minimum Wage Should Be $0.00 – Why Is This Controversial? It Shouldn’t Be
Judging from the reaction to Larry Elder’s comment that the appropriate minimum wage is zero, one would think he had suggested harvesting California’s iconic giant sequoias or closing the Golden Gate Bridge. But what the radio talk show host and gubernatorial recall candidate said should not have stirred controversy. The ...
Kerry Jackson
August 11, 2021
Blog
What Can Policymakers Do About Surging Building Materials Costs?
According to a recent study by real estate data firm CoreLogic, 2021 saw the highest annual growth in home values since 1979. Across high growth regions like the Mountain West and South, this has triggered a building boom as developers struggle to keep up with demand. Yet even where onerous ...
M. Nolan Gray
August 10, 2021
Blog
San Francisco’s Summer of Discontent
This summer, San Francisco’s politicians have likely endured their coldest winter ever. As we write, there are no less than four recall efforts underway – three school board members and the district attorney. If we throw in the statewide effort to recall the city’s former mayor, Gavin Newsom, that makes ...
Rowena Itchon
August 9, 2021
Blog
Biden’s Electric Vehicle Push Shows He Hasn’t Learned from California’s Mistakes
President Biden announced new federal action on Thursday designed to increase the role of government officials as car salesmen. Politico reports that Biden signed an executive order “setting a target that half of all new vehicle sales by 2030 will be zero-emissions vehicles, primarily electric cars and trucks.” The administration ...
Tim Anaya
August 6, 2021
The Infrastructure Bill – What’s in it for California
Of the Senate’s $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill, California expects to receive at least $39.4 billion over the next five years to help rebuild its roads and bridges, and to improve public transportation. The problem is, writes Reason’s Adrian Moore in PRI’s new book Saving California, “Infrastructure takes long-term thinking, planning, ...
California Lost, California Regained
Gov. Gavin Newsom, running for his political life, is right, not everything is grim in California. At the same time, a lot of damage has been done over the last 25 years. Don’t believe it? Take a look at any list that ranks the states for any reason and California ...
New Analysis: Social Justice Math in San Francisco Hurt Kids’ Performance
In the controversy over the proposed “woke” California math curriculum framework, which has thankfully been shelved for at least the time being, proponents often pointed to San Francisco as an example where a similar math program supposedly improved student achievement. New research, however, shows just the opposite—woke math hurt student ...
Legislature Comes Back in Session This Week with Lots of Unfinished Business
Today, the Legislature reconvenes for the final month of the 2021 legislative session. For the next four weeks, lawmakers will be on a mad dash to finalize its work before the September 10 deadline. This year’s legislative session can best be described as being overshadowed by events. On last week’s ...
New Research Shows Covid Impact on Student Learning Loss and Mental Health
With uncertainty over the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant on the start of the upcoming school year, new research shows the extent of learning loss and mental health problems experienced by students during the pandemic-caused school closures. Not coincidentally, state and federal data also show that parents are increasingly ...
In Bipartisan Vote, U.S. Senate Follows PRI’s Advice in Rejecting ‘Costly Subsidies for the Rich’
You may have missed it amidst the “vote-a-rama” on dozens of amendments to the Senate Democrats’ $3.5 billion budget reconciliation bill being voted on early Wednesday morning, but a key bipartisan vote could put an end to what PRI has termed “costly subsidies for the rich,” or taxpayers subsidizing electric ...
Larry Elder Says the Ideal Minimum Wage Should Be $0.00 – Why Is This Controversial? It Shouldn’t Be
Judging from the reaction to Larry Elder’s comment that the appropriate minimum wage is zero, one would think he had suggested harvesting California’s iconic giant sequoias or closing the Golden Gate Bridge. But what the radio talk show host and gubernatorial recall candidate said should not have stirred controversy. The ...
What Can Policymakers Do About Surging Building Materials Costs?
According to a recent study by real estate data firm CoreLogic, 2021 saw the highest annual growth in home values since 1979. Across high growth regions like the Mountain West and South, this has triggered a building boom as developers struggle to keep up with demand. Yet even where onerous ...
San Francisco’s Summer of Discontent
This summer, San Francisco’s politicians have likely endured their coldest winter ever. As we write, there are no less than four recall efforts underway – three school board members and the district attorney. If we throw in the statewide effort to recall the city’s former mayor, Gavin Newsom, that makes ...
Biden’s Electric Vehicle Push Shows He Hasn’t Learned from California’s Mistakes
President Biden announced new federal action on Thursday designed to increase the role of government officials as car salesmen. Politico reports that Biden signed an executive order “setting a target that half of all new vehicle sales by 2030 will be zero-emissions vehicles, primarily electric cars and trucks.” The administration ...