San Diego County Is on the Brink of a Grim, Telling Housing Milestone

San Diego County is on the brink of a grim, telling housing milestone

It’s been 14 years since the Census Bureau began issuing reports on poverty that factored in the cost of living. Ever since, it’s been clear that California — not Mississippi or West Virginia — is the epicenter of American poverty, with the highest percentage of households living paycheck to paycheck. This led Gov. Jerry Brown to say in 2015 that bringing down the cost of housing should be an urgent state priority. Since then, dozens and dozens …

California's $100BN Railway to Nowhere Exposes the Cost of Democratic Incompetence

The latest broadside in the seemingly unending war between President Trump and California Governor Newsom came with a presidential attack on the state’s long-delayed, over-budget high-speed rail project. If Newsom were prone to self-reflection, he’d admit that the line – intended to connect LA and San Francisco – is an embarrassment. The rail authority estimated in 2008, when voters approved $9 billion for the system, that it would cost $33 bill…

California's high living costs and high poverty sharpen its economic divide

Forty years ago, I wrote a series of 14 articles for the Sacramento Bee describing major economic, social, cultural and political trends coursing through California as the 20th century was drawing to a close. One theme of the series, which later became a book, was the transformation of California from a state with high economic and social mobility to one of relatively rigid classes defined by ethnicity, education, incomes and wealth. I quoted tw…

Economic Disparity in California: High Living Costs vs. High Poverty

California, a state known for its diversity and economic opportunities, has seen significant changes over the past few decades. Back in the day, I penned a bunch of articles for the Sacramento Bee, highlighting the shifts in the Golden State as the 20th century came to a close. One key takeaway from my series, which […]