The State of California

Ancient Persian Water Technology Could Revolutionize California's Water Management By Environmental Reporter April 30, 2025 SACRAMENTO — As California faces increasingly severe water challenges from climate change, drought, and seawater intrusion, water experts are turning to an unexpected source for solutions: 3,000-year-old Persian water technology. A team of researchers from the California Water Institute has proposed adapting the qanat system — an ancient underground aqueduct technology developed in Persia (modern-day Iran) — to address multiple water crises facing the Golden State. "We've been overlooking one of history's most sustainable water technologies," said Dr. Maria Rodriguez, lead author of the groundbreaking proposal. "The qanat system allowed civilizations to thrive in arid regions for millennia without pumps, electricity, or modern equipment. It's essentially the original green infrastructure." The ancient technology consists o...

This graphic visually highlights the stark cost differences between building an apartment in California ($430,000) versus Texas ($150,000) and Colorado ($240,000), along with the key factors contributing to these higher costs. Government imposed developer fees in California are off the scale. TIME EQUALS MONEY: Why California's Housing Construction Costs Triple Those of Other States April 16, 2025 California's housing crisis has reached a breaking point, with new research revealing that building costs in the Golden State are nearly three times higher than in comparable housing markets, largely due to a factor that money can't easily solve: time. A privately financed apartment building that takes just over two years to produce from start to finish in Texas would take over four years in California. It takes twice as long to gain project approvals and the construction timeline is 1.5 times longer. This extended timeline dramatically increases costs across the board, accord...

The Secret Legislative Graveyard: California's "Suspense File" Process Under Scrutiny In the California Legislature, hundreds of bills meet their end each year without debate, public vote, or explanation through a secretive process known as the "suspense file." Last week, the process was on full display as the Senate moved 33 bills to suspense in just 24 minutes, while the Assembly sent 82 bills to the same fate in under two minutes. If history holds true, between a quarter to a third of these bills will be killed next month with little public explanation or accountability. The decisions are largely made behind closed doors, known only to lobbyists, legislative staffers, lawmakers, and Governor Gavin Newsom's policy team. "The way we treat the appropriations process is a non-democratic process; I believe that it's a corrupt process," said Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a Democrat representing Moreno Valley, who has criticized the system ...