New America in California: Recent and Upcoming Events

California has a history of urban innovation, from the earliest missions to the rise of the Gold Rush era in San Francisco, the sprawling metropolis of Southern California and the "technopolis" that emerged in late 20th Century in places like San Jose, San Diego and Orange County.

Today most Californians -- including those in the Central Valley -- live in cities. These cities face many challenges, from growing populations of poor, immigrants to soaring housing prices. Some, like Los Angeles and… more

The half-day conference highlighted arguments and expert analysis surrounding recent proposals for redistricting and other electoral reforms. Distinguished panelists --including Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Assembly Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy -- previewed the upcoming public debate and discussed the performance and priorities of the California Legislature.

California is struggling to cope with a wide array of serious policy challenges: Job creation, education, health care costs, a budgetary crisis, political leadership, immigration and regional inequities. An opportunity exists to tackle these issues head on, but partisanship and parochialism threaten to stifle real progress.

The New America Foundation's California Program delivered its analysis of the "State of the State" in Los Angeles on Jan. 19, 2005. Panelists provided a wide range of innovative proposals to address the most… more