Here a report and video on the Zocalo Public Square panel I moderated last night in Los Angeles. The subject was the human cost of state budget cuts. We were joined by Mike Herald of the Western Center on Law & Poverty, journalist and activist Marta Russell, parent and advocate Michelle Wolf, Community Clinic Assn. of LA County chief Gloria Rodriguez, and state Sen. Gilbert Cedillo.

And here's a link to my story in Saturday's Wall Street Journal on the possibility of major tax changes in California.

I'll be moderating a panel at 7:30 p.m. on July 9 at the California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda, in Los Angeles. And yes, Jake, I know where that is--Chinatown.

The subject: the human cost of cuts to social services in the state of California. The event is free and open to the public (with a free reception to follow--free drinks!). You can reserve a seat and find out more about the program here.

I'll be interviewing former California Gov. Pete Wilson tomorrow night (that's Monday, June 29) at 7 p.m. at RAND, 1776 Main Street in Santa Monica. We'll discuss our state and how it might be governed. Then the floor will be open to audience questions. The event is free and open to the public, with a reception with food and drinks to follow. You can reserve a seat here.

The full description of the event is below.

WAS PETE WILSON RIGHT?

Pete Wilson’s California wasn’t too different from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s. The state’s education system lagged behind the rest of the country, interest groups had a tight grip on Sacramento, healthcare costs were rising, and the economy was the worst it had been since the Great Depression. While Wilson may be best remembered for his more controversial stances—like supporting Proposition 187, which sought to refuse services to illegal immigrants—he also managed to pass budgets and break partisan stalemates, ultimately leaving his successor a budget surplus. Ten years after he left office, at a time when many claim California is ungovernable, Pete Wilson visits Zócalo to chat about the economy, interest groups, and how he might address the problems the state faces today.

Last night in LA, I moderated a panel with State Controller John Chiang, Barclays Capital managing director Peter J. Taylor (a public finance expert), and New America senior scholar Mark Paul on California's cash crunch. A report on what was said is here. One message: even if the tentative deal that legislators and the governor appear to have reached in the last 24 hours won't end the cash crunch. The state still has serious cash flow problems, said Chiang, comparing a state with a budget deal to an unemployed person who has suddenly found a job and income -- but still has to deal with the debts and bills he delayed paying while he was unemployed.