Holding California Accountable

Overall, California ranked fourth among the nation’s 50 states in transparency, thanks to laws aimed at making government more transparent and accountable. Read More »

The state's loopholes, size, and unlimited funding of ballot measures helps explain why California is top in the nation in campaign spending. Read More »

inewsource explores the rise of the proposition in California as part of its series on government accountability. Read More »

While some pension reforms have been implemented over the years, built-in conflicts of interest mean bigger bills for the taxpayers now and in the future. Read More »

Gov. Jerry Brown says his 12-point pension reform plan would cut about half the cost to taxpayers and reduce their risk of pension debt. Read More »

by Carol Goodhue Shull and Bob Shull | inewsource When California legislators are termed out of office, they don’t necessarily leave the capital. They just move to new offices. State law requires a one-year cooling-off period to keep state officials from trying to influence their former colleagues. But experts say there are ways around the law. Former lawmakers can work ... Read More »

by Carol Goodhue Shull and Bob Shull | inewsource While California’s public records access laws are strong, they have a notable weakness: There’s no agency to handle appeals when requests are denied. Citizens have to go to court, and although these cases get priority, the process can be slow and the cost prohibitive unless a nonprofit group steps in. Putting ... Read More »

Commissioners drew praise for conducting 34 public hearings around the state and for considering at least 46 proposed maps. Read More »