California
Blog
California Took Homes for the 710 Freeway Extension. The Extension Was Never Built
Drive through parts of El Sereno, Alhambra, South Pasadena or Pasadena and you’ll notice something strange. Homes sit behind aging fences, looking like they should belong to families—except they aren’t. For decades, they’ve been owned by the State of California, waiting for a freeway that was never built. In the ...
California
The Grizzly Bear Days of Summer
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the federal government halting some Medi-Cal payments to California due to fraud, Steve Hilton’s campaign appealing to anti-Trump voters, and Xavier Becerra being criticized for discussing street vendors. Then, they discuss a proposal to reintroduce the grizzly bear population to California.
California
Californians have a rare chance to rein in CEQA and support housing
Curious who‘s to blame for California’s housing crisis? Just look at who wants to kill the cure. A measure to reform the chief impediment to building homes in the state just qualified for the November ballot, and the same week, labor unions and environmental groups dumped millions into the effort ...
California
California Sues to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger and Newsom Says Democrats Should Do Better Fighting “Income Inequality”
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the passing and legacy of US Sen. Lindsey Graham. They then discuss AG Rob Bonta’s lawsuit to try and block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and Gov. Newsom’s challenge to fellow Democrats to do better fighting income inequality.
Free Cities
Watch: Learn How California’s New Reforms Are Making it Easier to Build ADUs
Watch below as a Sacramento-area homeowner gives us a tour of her family’s newly-build ADU and learn how California’s new reforms are making it much easier to build new ADUs.
California
Why the New State Budget Strips Power From Tony Thurmond . . . And Other Big Capitol News
This week, Tim and Matt talk about how they celebrated America’s 250th birthday. Then they discuss the hot news at the State Capitol including the (finally) enacted 2026-27 state budget, a last-minuted budget provision shifting more power over education into the Governor’s office, Gov. Newsom coming out for a federal ...
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: Newsom’s Final Budget Defers the Difficult Budget Decisions to California’s Next Governor
Newsom’s Final Budget Defers the Difficult Budget Decisions to California’s Next Governor Wayne Winegarden July 2026 The FY2026-27 Budget Basics Gov. Newsom has signed the FY2026-27 budget – Newsom’s final one as governor. He claims the budget “prioritizes fiscal restraint” and promotes “long-term sustainability,” but the numbers tell a different ...
Blog
A Tribute to The Honorable Daniel Oliver
A Tribute to The Honorable Daniel Oliver Pacific Research Institute Chairman Emeritus and Board Member since 1991 The Honorable Daniel Oliver was a rare and remarkable man—steadfast in market-based principles and freedom, generous in spirit, and deeply devoted to the people and institutions he loved. For my husband Charles Kesler ...
California
The affordability crisis is real. Sacramento just made it worse.
Californians are told almost daily that Sacramento understands the state’s affordability crisis. Lawmakers hold hearings about it. The gubernatorial candidates are campaigning on it. Gov. Gavin Newsom promises to fix it. Then, when budget season arrives, Sacramento does what it always does: make California more expensive. State lawmakers just approved ...
California
Let’s Make a Deal!
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the frantic, last-minute negotiations going on at the Capitol to try and avert expensive ballot proposition fights this fall. They also discuss ideas to reform California’s electoral system in light of the June primary, and what can be done to speed up California’s notoriously ...
California Took Homes for the 710 Freeway Extension. The Extension Was Never Built
Drive through parts of El Sereno, Alhambra, South Pasadena or Pasadena and you’ll notice something strange. Homes sit behind aging fences, looking like they should belong to families—except they aren’t. For decades, they’ve been owned by the State of California, waiting for a freeway that was never built. In the ...
The Grizzly Bear Days of Summer
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the federal government halting some Medi-Cal payments to California due to fraud, Steve Hilton’s campaign appealing to anti-Trump voters, and Xavier Becerra being criticized for discussing street vendors. Then, they discuss a proposal to reintroduce the grizzly bear population to California.
Californians have a rare chance to rein in CEQA and support housing
Curious who‘s to blame for California’s housing crisis? Just look at who wants to kill the cure. A measure to reform the chief impediment to building homes in the state just qualified for the November ballot, and the same week, labor unions and environmental groups dumped millions into the effort ...
California Sues to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger and Newsom Says Democrats Should Do Better Fighting “Income Inequality”
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the passing and legacy of US Sen. Lindsey Graham. They then discuss AG Rob Bonta’s lawsuit to try and block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and Gov. Newsom’s challenge to fellow Democrats to do better fighting income inequality.
Watch: Learn How California’s New Reforms Are Making it Easier to Build ADUs
Watch below as a Sacramento-area homeowner gives us a tour of her family’s newly-build ADU and learn how California’s new reforms are making it much easier to build new ADUs.
Why the New State Budget Strips Power From Tony Thurmond . . . And Other Big Capitol News
This week, Tim and Matt talk about how they celebrated America’s 250th birthday. Then they discuss the hot news at the State Capitol including the (finally) enacted 2026-27 state budget, a last-minuted budget provision shifting more power over education into the Governor’s office, Gov. Newsom coming out for a federal ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: Newsom’s Final Budget Defers the Difficult Budget Decisions to California’s Next Governor
Newsom’s Final Budget Defers the Difficult Budget Decisions to California’s Next Governor Wayne Winegarden July 2026 The FY2026-27 Budget Basics Gov. Newsom has signed the FY2026-27 budget – Newsom’s final one as governor. He claims the budget “prioritizes fiscal restraint” and promotes “long-term sustainability,” but the numbers tell a different ...
A Tribute to The Honorable Daniel Oliver
A Tribute to The Honorable Daniel Oliver Pacific Research Institute Chairman Emeritus and Board Member since 1991 The Honorable Daniel Oliver was a rare and remarkable man—steadfast in market-based principles and freedom, generous in spirit, and deeply devoted to the people and institutions he loved. For my husband Charles Kesler ...
The affordability crisis is real. Sacramento just made it worse.
Californians are told almost daily that Sacramento understands the state’s affordability crisis. Lawmakers hold hearings about it. The gubernatorial candidates are campaigning on it. Gov. Gavin Newsom promises to fix it. Then, when budget season arrives, Sacramento does what it always does: make California more expensive. State lawmakers just approved ...
Let’s Make a Deal!
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the frantic, last-minute negotiations going on at the Capitol to try and avert expensive ballot proposition fights this fall. They also discuss ideas to reform California’s electoral system in light of the June primary, and what can be done to speed up California’s notoriously ...