Report Policy Priorities for Managing Drought By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Jeffrey Mount, Peter Moyle ... Mar 16, 2015 State, federal, and local water managers have worked diligently to reduce the economic, social, and environmental harm from the current drought. But as the drought continues, the challenges will grow more acute. California can learn from experiences to date—and from Australia’s response to its Millennium Drought—to better prepare both for the year ahead and for future droughts. State leaders should address weaknesses in four areas of drought preparation and response, by: 1) improving water use information, 2) setting clear goals and priorities for public health and the environment, 3) promoting water conservation and more resilient water supplies, and 4) strengthening environmental management.
press release If Drought Continues: Environment and Poor Rural Communities Most Likely to Suffer Aug 19, 2015
blog post Discontent with Major Political Parties Continues to Simmer By Lauren Mora Mar 19, 2024 More than one-third of Californians have unfavorable views of both the Democratic and Republican parties—a larger share than four years ago—and an overwhelming majority believe the country needs a third major party.
blog post Feeding Children When Schools Are Closed for COVID-19 By Caroline Danielson, Niu Gao Mar 26, 2020 With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, local, state, and federal officials are taking steps to provide meals to students who usually obtain meals from their school.
Report The Season of Our Discontent: Voters’ Views on California Elections By D. E. Apollonio, Mark Baldassare, Jon Cohen, Bruce E. Cain Oct 26, 2004 Over the past 20 years, two particular trends have emerged in California politics: Gubernatorial campaigns have spent increasing, record amounts of money—most of it on negative TV commercials attacking opponents. And at the same time, a growing percentage of voters have signaled their disaffection for negative campaigns by simply staying away from the polls. In this study, the authors use their findings from 10 surveys of over 20,000 Californians conducted during the 2002 election cycle to examine the disconnect between politicians and the public in California. The surveys show a high degree of dissatisfaction among Californians with their choice of candidates and the way campaigns are run in the state. They are highly supportive of campaign reforms, including candidate debates, public disclosure, finance reform, and pledges of campaign conduct.
blog post California’s Major Cities See Increases in Homicides and Car Thefts By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Apr 27, 2021 New crime data show that four major cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco—have seen an increase in homicides and car thefts, though violent and property crimes overall remain below pre-pandemic levels.
blog post Redistricting Opens New Opportunities for Communities of Color By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Vicki Hsieh Oct 13, 2021 As California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission draws new political districts, how might the state’s increased diversity affect the racial/ethnic composition of the resulting districts?
blog post PPIC Turns 30 By Tani Cantil-Sakauye Jan 18, 2024 Since its founding in 1994, PPIC has been committed to providing independent, nonpartisan research on the critical policy questions facing our state. President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye reflects on the institute's three decades of impact—and what lies ahead.
blog post Got Surface Water? Groundwater-Only Lands in the San Joaquin Valley By Jelena Jezdimirovic, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou Jul 8, 2019 Twenty percent of the San Joaquin Valley’s irrigated farmland doesn’t have access to surface water. This creates complications for sustainable groundwater management planning.
