blog post Commentary: Water-use Challenges Affecting Farmers Means Reinventing the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson Sep 26, 2023 To ensure the San Joaquin Valley’s future, groundwater overpumping has to end—and some 500,000 acres of farmland will likely need to come out of intensively irrigated production. But unplanned, haphazard fallowing would harm the valley. In our Fresno Bee commentary, we share insights on how to protect the valley’s residents, agriculture, and environment, drawing on over seven years of research.
blog post Wage Growth Is Struggling to Keep Up with Inflation By Jenny Duan, Daniel Payares-Montoya Sep 19, 2023 Average hourly wages for private-sector workers have increased 15% since just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But in many parts of the economy, wages are not rising fast enough to keep up with inflation.
Report Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Sep 18, 2023 How can the San Joaquin Valley adapt to a future with less water? We’ve been researching this issue for the past seven years, and our new report presents highlights from we’ve learned, including a robust list of policy suggestions to help the valley weather—and make the most of—the coming changes.
blog post Regional Trends in Unemployment By Sarah Bohn, Jenny Duan Sep 6, 2023 While California’s unemployment rate has ticked up over the past year, in some regions unemployment is lower than it was before the pandemic.
blog post California’s Economic Outlook as Inflation Dips By Sarah Bohn, Daniel Payares-Montoya Aug 3, 2023 Growth in prices has slowed from a year ago, but a number of challenges for the post-COVID economy remain—along with considerable uncertainty. Where does California stand, and what’s ahead?
blog post From Litigation to Collaboration on the San Joaquin River By Molly Peterson, Sarah Bardeen Jul 18, 2023 The San Joaquin Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, and much of its success comes from the waters of the San Joaquin River. Today, the challenge is how to undo some of the damage done to the river’s ecosystems—and how to reconnect the river to its many communities.
blog post Californians Hold Mixed Views on Their Personal Finances By Rachel Lawler Jun 29, 2023 A slim majority of Californians say they and their family are in about the same financial situation as a year ago, while one in three say they are worse off and a smaller share say they are better off.
blog post Signs of Increased New Business Growth since the Pandemic By Jane Sawerengera, Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn Jun 13, 2023 New businesses are critical to the economy, partly due to their role in spurring job creation. We look at how California has fared in business creation over the course of the pandemic and the economic recovery.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jun 5, 2023 Californians name economic conditions, homelessness, and housing as the most important issues facing the state today. A majority of Californians favor changing state environmental regulations as a way to increase housing affordability.
blog post How Is California’s Labor Market Doing amid Inflation Pressures? By Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn May 25, 2023 Falling inflation has coincided with a slowdown in employment growth in California, though overall the state’s labor market still appears solid.
