California politics

Why Do Local Governments Keep Swiping Your Money?

Because California Is About 6,500 Times Crazier Than You’d Think

The FBI has raided the offices of State Senator Ron Calderon of Montebello as part of an investigation that, according to published reports, is examining practices at the Central Basin Municipal Water District. Scandals involving the state’s many commissions and special districts have become common. In November 2011, former Pasadena mayor and Ventura city manager Rick Cole explained why this sort of thing keeps happening.

Another Sunday, another dreary Southern California scandal.

We’ve gotten used to opening up the paper and routinely seeing some new abuse of unchecked power. The most recent …

by Rick Cole |

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Do We Have To Take This Much Initiative?

Contemplating California’s Century of Direct Democracy

For a century, Californians have been making and unmaking laws at the ballot box thanks to direct democracy, which was instituted with the promise of leveling the state’s playing field …

This Doggone Direct Democracy

Would California Be Better Off Without Ballot Initiatives?

A century ago this month, voters approved Gov. Hiram Johnson’s plan to bring direct democracy to California. Today, some Californians wonder whether to be thankful for the effort. Ballot initiatives …

State of Power

Who Runs California: L.A., San Francisco, or Someplace Else?

The power centers of California have traditionally alternated between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Today, though, the old patterns are being disrupted, and new spheres of influence have arisen. Who …

Our Insanely Direct Democracy

A Panel Suggests California’s Ballot Initiatives Could Work Better With a Lot, Lot, Lot of Changes

Some say you can never have too much wealth or too much good health, but can you have too much democracy?

California has one of the world’s most robust systems for …

Mend, If Not End

What’s the Single Best Thing We Can Do to Improve the Initiative Process?

California’s statewide system of direct democracy–the initiative, referendum, and recall–turns 100 years old this fall. Remarkably, the system approved by voters in October 1911 has not changed all that much …


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