Cheryl Getuiza is the in-house reporter for California Forward, specializing in both print and broadcast reporting. A veteran of the KTLA general assignment desk and other television stations across the country, she hails from the San Diego State University's journalism program and is a native of the Bay Area.
More than a year ago, the city and its citizens started the first ever city wide Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, where the community decides how to spend $3.2 million dollars. Read More
There are 1.5 million Filipinos living in the Golden State with half living in the greater Los Angeles region. San Diego and Santa Clara counties also have large Filipino American communities. Read More
The question posed to Vallejo residents: How would you spend $3.2 million dollars of a city’s budget? Read More
When the White House calls you, you know you’re doing something special. Such is the case for 15 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) nationally who were recognized by the White House as “Champions of Change.” Read More
First and most importantly, for the first time in 10 years, California opened--or re-opened--the California-China Trade and Investment office in Shanghai Read More
If you think you have the answers, San Francisco elected leaders want to hear from you. Read More
In 2010, San Francisco leaders passed the city’s first open data ordinance, which essentially said that “as a city we should consider any and encourage the release of data by our various city agencies.” Read More
To say finances for local governments in California are challenging, is a drastic understatement. Read More
According to the county’s registrar’s office, the cost estimate for the March 12, 2013 Senate District 32 special primary election is $560,000. Out of 58,520 voters in Pomona, 5,634 voted. Read More
For many, voter guides are life lines before heading to the polls to cast their votes. Read More
A U.S. Bankruptcy judge has given the green light for the city of Stockton to enter into bankruptcy protection, making it the most populous city in the nation to do so. Read More
“Voting materials in post office trash may point to Compton election hanky-panky.” Read More
City officials' texts, emails, and electronic communications will be made part of the public record Read More
The City Council Salary Setting Commission is gathering input regarding compensation for the Mayor and City Council Read More
Palo Alto is leading the charge in creating a more inclusive form of local California government with its Open Data Platform. Read More
For those interested in higher education, when it comes time, choosing the right institution is a tough decision. Read More
Voters in Los Angeles will be at it again, tomorrow, March 5th, this time for the primary election to pick the city’s next mayor. Read More
The 2010 Census states that there were 9.8 million people living in L.A. County. Of those, 1.3 million were Asian including Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Japanese. Read More
The city of Anaheim hopes to make it easier to communicate with the City Council by providing Spanish translation services at meetings. Read More
Oakland residents now have the city's data at their fingertips thanks to the recently launched Open Data Platform Read More
The San Rafael Schools district is taking the "skills gap" head-on by incorporating business philosophy into the curriculum to better prepare students Read More
We had the opportunity to sit down with California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris. With just three months under his belt, the Chancellor explains why he believes better days are on the horizon. Read More
The city is using technology to create a more inclusive form of local government. Months after its launch, we wanted to find out how if citizens are answering the call to become more engaged. Read More
When we hear about citizens taking action, we want to share their efforts. The Lakewood Accountability Action Group is a nonprofit “holding elected officials accountable for their action or inaction.” Read More
The coalition, called the Future of California Elections Project (FOCE), held its first public conference to help develop an agenda for 2013 to continue to move California elections forward. Read More
Imagine if your city asked its citizens: how would you spend $3.2 million to improve your town? Read More
Tri Ta is not only the newest mayor of the Orange County city of Westminster but he is the first Vietnamese American elected in the nation. Read More
Campaigning for the March municipal elections for incumbents in two cities in Los Angeles Counties have officially ended, even before folks head to the polls. Read More
While most of his 19 year old peers have college on their minds, Jose Gurrola, has his eyes set on much bigger plans—having a successful first term as the newest councilmember in the city of Arvin. Read More
Los Angeles is heating up for the 2013 election with the field set for the mayor, city attorney, controller and eight city council races. Out of 57 candidates, there are only 10 females. Read More
It’s the holiday season, so in the spirit of giving, California State Controller John Chiang released some new data on workers compensation via his new website Government Compensation in California. Read More
First there was the City of San Bernardino. Then there was Patterson. Now, you can add the Tracy to the list of places where internet retailer Amazon is calling home. Read More
California's economic recovery is unquestionably hampered by the 850,000 people aged 16-24 who are neither in school nor working Read More
Nearly five months later, community members say enough’s enough with the bad press. Many have banded together to tell a different story. This grassroots movement has a name: Stockton Forward. Read More
California State University Sacramento’s Hornets Policy and Politics alumni chapter, along with California Forward, is hosting a thoughtful discussion with folks who have explored and have been successful with new policy approaches. Read More
Los Angeles will not have pension reform on the ballot in the coming city election but the next mayor will most likely need to make the contentious and complex issue a top priority. Read More
It looks like turning to technology paid off for the City of Riverside, which, for the sixth year in a row, was named a Top Digital City in the U.S. by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities. Read More
Code for America recently selected the Bay Area city to participate in its 2013 Code for America program. The organization will connect the city with top talent from the tech industry to develop civic technology. Read More
Larry Gerston, author and California politics expert, sits down with California Forward Executive Director Jim Mayer to discuss what why our Golden State isn’t shining anymore and how more people can get involved and engaged. Read More
It’s now down to 20 finalists, with two California cities vying for the top spot: San Francisco and Santa Monica. Read More
Environmentalists say CEQA is a necessary defense against development and urban sprawl that would harm the ecosystem. On the other hand, developers and business leaders often see the law as excessive red tape and regulations that cause delays and increase construction costs. Is it time to reform the 42 year old law? Read More
Twenty two national Asian Pacific Islander American organizations have joined forces to create the first comprehensive overview on nine critical California ballot measures. Read More
Listen up Los Angeles. The Inland Empire is sending out a message they hope is loud and clear: Set Ontario Free! Read More
The Associated Press, this week, reported exclusively that it had analyzed every vote cast during the 2012 session and discovered California Assembly members changed and added their votes to legislation more than 5,000 times. Read More
A government at your fingertips. That’s what leaders in the city and county of San Francisco hope with new legislation to strengthen the city by the bay’s landmark Open Data initiatives. Read More
If you pay any attention to politics in California, here are two words for you: Berman-Sherman. Read More
Thanks in part to newly drawn districts and the top two primary system, voters will see some changes on their ballots. One positive change through the eyes of their respective communities is the number of Latino and Asian Americans running for office. Read More
According to the Secretary of State's office, in the first three weeks, approximately 380,000 people used the online application to register for the first time OR to update their existing voter records. Read More
A conference at UCLA's Anderson School of Management tackled the effects of early education on job skills and workforce issues Read More
The city of Temecula has a budget surplus. Your eyes don't deceive you. City leaders in Temecula recently announced that the city finished the 2011-2012 fiscal year more than $2.7 million in the black. Read More
The California Community College system is hosting a series of regional forums around the state to forge partnerships with the business community that will help address the state's high unemployment rate Read More
Partisan politics aside, it would appear California elected leaders agree on one thing: boosting voter turnout by making it easier, thanks to innovation and the use of technology. Read More
The job numbers for the month of August are out. Brace yourselves: California’s unemployment dropped just 0.1 percent from 10.7 percent in July to 10.6 percent. One has to look at the bigger picture, however Read More
Asian Americans make up a big chunk of California’s population. So they could make a huge impact come November. But the key word here is "could" as people who are eligible to vote...aren’t registering to vote. Read More
California has added nearly 300,000 jobs in the last year. The unemployment rate for August dropped to 10.6 percent, down a tick from July, and down over a point since it peaked at nearly 12 percent last year. Read More
California--like much of the nation-- is dealing with a big skilled labor shortage. Employers are simply having a very hard time finding the skilled workers. Read More
Think of "Nextdoor" as a Facebook for your neighborhood Read More
Forty four percent of state legislative seats are open, according to a recent study released by Ballotpedia, giving California the most competitive elections of all 50 states Read More
Social media has earned a prominent seat at the table with other large media companies and has started a new way to cover politics Read More
Latinos and Asian Americans make up half of California’s population, yet according to a new study, both ethnicities register to vote in far smaller percentages Read More
The Inland Empire is fast becoming a transportation and distribution hub for all of California...and the nation. But why? Read More
The City Council is no longer the highest paid in the Coachella Valley as Councilmembers voted unanimously to cut their paychecks in half Read More
Many believe that problems in the state and local relationship today reflect the fact that local officials don’t have the flexibility or authority to properly perform their jobs Read More
With an all-time low voter turnout for the California Primaries, many organizations and political candidates are scrambling to try to get more folks to vote. Read More
Current and past elected leaders, business, labor and community leaders gathered to offer their thoughts and ideas on this critical topic Read More
The November elections are still two and a half months away, but we can already call the winners of a handful of local races in two Southern California cities. Read More
Legislature approves film and tax credit extension but only for two years Read More
We are ready to help promote the best practices, shine light on those who don't live up to what the people want, and try to be a catalyst for positive change in the state. Read More
California Forward has been talking with people around the state for four years—and 22 percent say they are planning to leave the state because of the economy. Read More
In light of what's been going in Sacramento, many people believe things have become worse, but they still have faith things can get better. Read More
At a recent symposium held in Orange County, our own Cheryl Getuiza digs in to answer the monumental question of how we go about repairing a very broken California state government. Read More
Long Beach city leaders recently launched an online simulation for residents to better understand the complexities involved in the budget process. Read More
Online retail giant Amazon is the latest to sign up for business in San Bernardino Read More
San Francisco is raking in venture capital dollars and encroaching on Silicon Valley's status as the world's technological Mecca Read More
The city of Patterson, 27 miles southeast of Tracy, is a prime example of what happens when elected leaders are collaborative Read More
As the state uncovers hundreds of millions in its proverbial couch cushions, those who scrambled to raise money to save state parks are not happy Read More
We've seen it happen elsewhere recently, and despite there being solid pros and cons, can elected leaders really justify high pay or pay raises to their constituents? Read More
Concerned city residents, the city government and a family estate have all combined to do something the state government couldn't....keep historic Pio Pico State Park open for another year. Read More
May 29, 2013
Sacramento
A variety of issues swirling around the Capitol could have significant impacts on California counties: the Affordable Care Act, CEQA reform and...June 05, 2013
Online
Join us for a webinar featuring Lisa Rodriguez, Chief of the Case Issuance and Extraditions Division, District Attorney's Office, San Diego County,...June 06, 2013
Sacramento
Please join PPIC for a conversation with California Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg about the future of the state. Senator Steinberg will...June 10, 2013
Sacramento
What are local governments doing to facilitate the new kinds of civic engagement enabled by today's communications technologies? With the explosion...June 11, 2013
San Francisco
California's electorate is the largest and most diverse in the nation. How well is our election system working for state residents? What efforts...