Elected leaders throughout California say the California Forward Action Fund’s Government Performance and Accountability Act (GPAA) – based on the framework developed by California Forward - is essential to breaking down silos, holding elected leaders accountable to voters, and allowing agencies to collaborate. Read More
Categories: Restructuring, California Forward Action Fund
Even as frustration grows to a fever pitch throughout California about the sluggish economic climate and persistent governance issues, many found reason for hope at the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA)’s strategic planning workshop. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Governance Reform, Civic Engagement, Restructuring
Close is a longtime leader in Sherman Oaks and the San Fernando Valley, known for his tenacious work to protect the quality of life in his community. Since 1976, he's been president of the influential Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association (SOHA), which impressively averages 175 people per meeting. Read More
Categories: Forward Thinkers, Civic Engagement, Restructuring
California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom has a plan to fix California’s broken governance system, and it begins with government investment in the future and innovation from Californians all over the state. Read More
Categories: Governance Reform, Civic Engagement, Restructuring
San Ramon Fire Chief Richard Price was eating lunch with members of his team one day, when they heard sirens and saw a team of medics pulling up to the grocery store next door. Someone had gone into cardiac arrest. Not realizing there were trained responders nearby, store managers had called 911, but by the time medics arrived, it was too late to administer CPR. A life could have been saved if only there had been a way to ask for help. Read More
Categories: Governance Reform, Civic Engagement, Restructuring
Perhaps not surprisingly, the state of California announced this week it is $705 million short of first quarter revenue estimates, meaning so-called “trigger cuts” to the budget will go into effect. The only glimmer of hope – though dim – is word that school districts and Cal State and UC campuses have already been making plans to cover the automatic cuts triggered by this shortfall. Read More
Categories: Governance Reform, Budget Reform, Restructuring
The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley chose a single-word theme for last week’s summit: “Elevate.” In one sense, the word reflects progress in improving the region's quality of life. In another, it meant more hard work lies ahead to lift the Valley's fortunes. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Civic Engagement, Restructuring
Shrinking budgets and bipartisan politics have not shaken the trust Americans have in local governments--finds a recent Gallup Poll. However, in western states such as California, that trust is a little less bulletproof. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Governance Reform, Civic Engagement, Budget Reform, Restructuring
AB109 is the unassuming name for the single most significant reform in a century to California's prison system and the state's approach to criminal justice. Beginning Oct. 1, anyone convicted of nonviolent, nonsexual and/or non-serious criminal offenses (a.k.a. triple nons) will head to county jail instead of state prison. Anyone up for parole on a similar offense will be supervised by county officials. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Governance Reform, Accountability, Transparency, Restructuring
California voters remain fed up with their legislature, as seen in the latest Field Poll, which finds that people have little confidence in the body charged with passing laws and budgeting taxpayer dollars. Their support for the governor, however, remains steady. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Jerry Brown, Accountability, Transparency, Restructuring
The latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau finds that the number of Americans living in poverty swelled to almost 1 in 6 people last year, reaching a new high as long-term unemployment left millions of Americans out of work. But, data have the power to make people act. Read More
Categories: Restructuring
Communities across California are working to figure out how come out of this recession by building healthy, resilient communities. Read More
Categories: Civic Engagement, Restructuring
California is about to embark on far-reaching changes in the way it manages adult prisons and jails, and the PPIC takes a closer look at how this will impact county and city governments. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Governance Reform, Restructuring
You’ve heard the statistics. California spends more on prisons than higher education. About 11% of the state budget - roughly $8 billion - goes to the penal system yet seven in ten offenders return to prison - the highest level in the nation. Read More
Categories: Civic Engagement, Accountability, Transparency, Restructuring
Coming off a tough budget battle in Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown gave a Fresno audience a straightforward assessment of the fractured political climate in the state's capital – but also a dose of optimism that change can happen. Read More
Categories: Jerry Brown, Restructuring
It is hard to talk about dysfunction in California government without talking about money. And it is hard everywhere these days to talk about taxes. Read More
Categories: Selected Blog Posts, Governance Reform, Accountability, Transparency, Budget Reform, Restructuring
Cities are the closest government to the people. To the League of California Cities, that is an important responsibility, and they are working to engage everyday people in efforts to improve government and enhance their communities. Read More
Categories: Civic Engagement, Restructuring
CA Fwd Policy Director Richard Raya has been profiled by InnovatingSMART, an organization working to share stories of people and organizations doing innovative work to create systems that improve lives. Read More
Categories: Governance Reform, Education, Restructuring
With a strong bipartisan support (74-2) in the Assembly of AB18 last month, it appeared that the Legislature would actually begin to fulfill its constitutional obligation to support our public schools and students. Unfortunately, Assembly Education Committee chair Julia Brownley, pulled the bill from its scheduling hearing in the Senate, essentially shelving it until 2012. Read More
Categories: Education, Restructuring
Two agencies in LA County are battling for the authority to oversee the incoming group of low-risk inmates from the state. Read More
Categories: Restructuring