California

Walters: When California politicians ignore policy risks, failure often results

Published

11 months ago

May 1, 2025

Walters: When California politicians ignore policy risks, failure often results

California’s governors and legislators have a very bad habit of enacting major programs and projects without fully exploring their downside risks.

The most spectacular example occurred in 1996, when a Republican governor, Pete Wilson, and a Democrat-controlled Legislature decided to overhaul California’s electric power industry.

The legislation was hammered out in lengthy and secret negotiations that participants dubbed the “Steve Peace death march” for the state senator who ramrodded the effort. It was enacted with only cursory public input.

As a 2003 autopsy of the ensuing disaster chronicled, “The act was hailed as a historic reform that would reward consumers with lower prices, reinvigorate California’s then-flagging economy, and provide a model for other states. Six years later, the reforms lay in ruins, overwhelmed by electricity shortages and skyrocketing prices for wholesale power. The utilities were pushed to the brink of insolvency and are only slowly regaining their financial footing. The state became the buyer of last resort, draining the general fund and committing itself to spending $42 billion more on long-term power deals that stretch over the next ten years.”

Other examples of the bad habit abound, such as beginning construction of a bullet train linking the two halves of the state with only rudimentary assumptions of its costs, ridership and other important factors — a project that limps along nearly two decades later.

Two others are the immensely costly expansion of pension benefits for public employees a couple of decades ago, which has hammered local government budgets, and big increases in unemployment insurance benefits without increasing revenues, which resulted in a $20 billion debt to the federal government that is still growing.

That brings us to Senate Bill 769, which appears superficially to be a positive effort to expand infrastructure financing but could be another example of unanticipated consequences. The measure, introduced by Sen. Anna Caballero, a Merced Democrat, would create the Golden State Infrastructure Corporation, a state-owned nonprofit company that could borrow money or issue bonds and provide financing for public or private infrastructure projects.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma is the bill’s sponsor and would appoint the corporation’s top executive, who would answer to a five-member board of elected officials and governors’ appointees.

“By partnering public and private capital, SB 769 enables critical investments in climate resilience, water systems, energy infrastructure, housing and transportation, creating jobs and future-proofing California for generations to come,” Caballero’s office contends.

“California can’t afford to wait for Washington, or for outdated financing systems to catch up with 21st-century needs,” she said in a statement. “SB 769 is about building a resilient, modern California by creating a smarter, more flexible way to fund infrastructure that protects our communities, creates good jobs and prepares us for the challenges ahead.”

There are aspects to the proposal that should be triggering alarm bells.

There is no limit on how much debt the corporation could incur. The state would also not be liable if its financial structure collapsed. The decisions on financing private projects could be made secretly because the corporation would be exempt from some open meeting and open records laws.

The danger here is that with a potentially unlimited amount of money to be handed out with no public input, the political figures on the corporate board could be swayed to play favorites for reasons disconnected from infrastructure improvement.

We’ve seen scandals of that sort elsewhere in state government, such as in the Coastal Commission’s land use decisions and the California Public Employment Retirement System’s investments.

Without better safeguards and more sunshine, this is another scandal waiting to happen.

Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.

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California

I booked a bedroom and a roomette on the same overnight Amtrak train. The bedroom is worth the splurge for longer rides.

Published

6 minutes ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

I booked a bedroom and a roomette on the same overnight Amtrak train. The bedroom is worth the splurge for longer rides.

If you’re traveling somewhere between Chicago and San Francisco, I highly suggest making a trip of it by taking the California Zephyr, an incredibly scenic overnight Amtrak train through the American West.

I’ve ridden it twice. In January 2025, I took a 15-hour leg of the route from Denver to Salt Lake City and booked a roomette for $400. Then, in February 2026, I took the entire 53-hour journey from Chicago to Emeryville, California, and booked a bedroom for $2,200.

If you’re wondering if the bedroom was worth the upgrade, I think it depends on how long your trip is. But I’ll give you all the details so you can decide for yourself.

I’ve taken two overnight train trips aboard the California Zephyr.

A parked double-decker Amtrak train on a platform with a mountain in the background — The California Zephyr stopped at a platform in Colorado.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The California Zephyr is a double-decker Amtrak Superliner train that runs between Chicago and Emeryville, California.

The train has coach cars with regular seating and sleeper cars with private cabin accommodations — roomettes (the lowest tier), bedrooms, and bedroom suites (two joined bedrooms). There are also larger, family-sized bedrooms and accessible bedrooms.

First, I stayed in a roomette for a 15-hour trip from Colorado to Utah.

The author sits with her feet up in an Amtrak roomette looking out a window to the left — The author relaxes in a roomette on the California Zephyr.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

For the shorter journey from Denver to Salt Lake City, I booked a roomette for $400. With two seats and two beds, the roomette sleeps up to two passengers, though I was traveling alone.

Then I booked a bedroom for a 53-hour trip from Illinois to California.

The author standing smiling in the Amtrak bedroom with a bunk bed in the background — The author enjoys a bedroom in the California Zephyr.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I booked a bedroom for the full journey from Chicago to Emeryville for $2,200. The bedroom is roughly twice the size of a roomette and also includes a full bathroom. The bedroom also sleeps two, but again, I was traveling solo.

At 50 square feet, the bedroom was more than twice the size of the roomette.

Inside an Amtrak bedroom with two seats across from eachother in front of a wide window — Inside the bedroom accommodation.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bedroom had a couch and a seat facing each other, with a table between them. I appreciated having a couch for the longer trip because I could stretch out and relax during the day.

I also liked that there was a bit more floor space in the bedroom.

In the roomette, the two chairs folded down to form a lower bunk.

A composite image of two train seats converted into a bed with a blue blanket — Seats in the roomette folded down into a bed.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bed was cushy and wide enough to snuggle up comfortably.

In the bedroom, the couch folded down to form a cot that appeared to be slightly wider than the roomette bunk.

A composite image of the bottom bunk in the Amtrak bedroom with sheets and a blue blanket on top, and the author lying in bed looking out the window — The author rests in the lower bunk in the bedroom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The lower bunk in the bedroom felt more spacious than the one in the roomette.

Both rooms also had a top bunk that pulled down from the ceiling.

The author lays on the top bunk in an Amtrak bedroom. There's a couch below and a ladder on the left — The author relaxes in the bedroom’s top bunk.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I had two nights in the bedroom, I spent one night in each bunk.

The bedroom had a full en suite bathroom.

A composite image of a toilet behind a shower and a sink and vanity with a storage cabinet on the right in an Amtrak bedroom — The bathroom inside the bedroom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Inside the bedroom, there was a sink and vanity with a built-in cabinet where I found hand towels, soaps, toilet paper, and space to store my own toiletries. The toilet and shower were in a tiny space separated by a door.

For two nights on a train, I was thankful to have my own shower.

Roomette passengers shared a bathroom and a shower with other sleeper cabin passengers.

A composite image of a glass shower door with a skyline etching on it and the inside of the shower — The shared shower in the sleeper car.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I only spent 15 hours in the roomette, I didn’t mind not having a bathroom in my room. I didn’t use the shared shower; instead, I washed up once I arrived at my destination.

The bedroom had more storage space than the roomette.

A composite image of luggage storage in the roomette and bedroom — Storage in the roomette (left) and bedroom (right).

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Each room had a mini closet with two hangers inside, as well as a shelf that appeared to be for storing luggage. In the roomette, the shelf was only large enough for my backpack, but in the bedroom, it held my carry-on suitcase.

On both trips, I also had access to shared luggage storage space in the train car.

The bedroom also had a larger mirror.

A composite image of the author in mirrors in the roomette and bedroom — The mirror in the roomette (left) and the bedroom (right).

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Both rooms had mirrors, but the roomette mirror was shorter and thinner. So I appreciated the wide, full-length mirror in the bedroom. It wasn’t just convenient for getting ready — it also made the space feel larger.

Both bookings included meals.

Inside an empty train dining car with blue booths — Inside the dining car on the California Zephyr.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Passengers had the option of eating in the dining car or in their rooms.

I think I booked the right room for each trip.

A composite image of the author sitting in a seat inside an Amtrak train's roomette accommodation, looking out a window on the left, and the inside of an Amtrak bedroom with a sofa and closet on the left, a sink on the right, and a sliding door with a curtain in the middle — The author in the roomette (left) and a peek inside the bedroom (right).

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bedroom served me well for the two-night journey, and I would splurge on it for any Amtrak trip 24 hours or longer. I think it’s worth the added price for the extra space and full bathroom.

At the same time, I’m glad I booked the roomette for the 15-hour journey. It was a short trip compared to other overnight rides, so sacrificing some comforts and privacy to save money was a good move for me.

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California

Two California Powerhouse Football Programs Will Clash For First Time Since 2015

Published

12 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Two California Powerhouse Football Programs Will Clash For First Time Since 2015

Two of California’s most storied high school football programs are set to clash this upcoming 2026 season.

Concord De La Salle will host Corona Centennial on September 25 this upcoming fall in a supreme NorCal versus SoCal matchup. It will be the first time the two programs play against each other since they met in the 2015 state championship. De La Salle won 28-21.

De La Salle (12-1 in 2025) is coming off another championship season after winning the North Coast Section Open Division title with a 24-17 win over Pittsburg.

Centennial (11-2) didn’t take home any silverware, but had one of the program’s most successful seasons after beating Mater Dei twice and earning its way to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final.

WHAT MAKES THE MATCHUP LEGENDARY?

When considering the winning tradition and history of each program, it’s not hard to dial this game up as a marquee matchup. It will certainly be labeled the ‘Game of the Week’ locally and regionally, and maybe even nationally.

De La Salle is most notably known for its historic 151-game winning streak from 1992 to 2004. The program has won 40 CIF North Coast Section titles, 18 CIF State titles, and six national championships, according to the school’s website.

Centennial has won 10 CIF Southern Section championships, all under coach Matt Logan. The Huskies won a CIF State title in 2008, and that win came over De La Salle led by NFL linebacker

COACHING PEDIGREE

The coaching matchup makes this game special, too. But there’s where Centennial might have the edge with Matt Logan, who has more than 300 wins in his career along with 10 CIF titles.

Logan became just the 15th coach in California history to reach the 300-win mark this past October. Simi Valley’s Jim Benkert, who currently sits at 314, is the only other active coach, according to history records kept by CalHiSports. Logan started at Centennial in 1997.

De La Salle’s Justin Alumbaugh will enter his 14th season at the helm this coming fall. He’s won the top division in the North Coast Section every year since he’s been at the controls. Alumbaugh holds a career coaching record of 148-21.

CENTENNIAL 2026 SCHEDULE

AUG. 21: at Servite
AUG. 28: vs. Santa Margarita
SEPT. 11: at Mater Dei
SEPT. 18: vs. Rancho Cucamonga
SEPT. 25: at De La Salle
OCT. 2: at Vista Murrieta*
OCT. 9: vs. Murrieta Valley*
OCT. 15: vs. Norco*
OCT. 23: at Chaparral*
OCT. 29: at Murrieta Mesa*

De La Salle has not released its 2026 schedule yet.

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California

Uber and Rivian plan to bring robotaxis to California

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Uber and Rivian plan to bring robotaxis to California

Uber is expanding its role in the robotaxi industry through a new partnership with Rivian, the Irvine-based electric-vehicle maker.

Uber and Rivian announced a partnership Thursday that could bring up to 50,000 self-driving R2 vehicles to cities across the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2031.

The Rivian robotaxis would be available exclusively through Uber’s ride-hailing app.

The partnership will begin with Uber’s purchase of 10,000 fully autonomous R2s, with the option to purchase 40,000 more in 2030. Uber’s investment is subject to the achievement of autonomous performance milestones, the companies said in a news release.

Uber could invest as much as $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031. It already has committed to spending $300 million on the effort.

The first robotaxi deployments are planned for San Francisco and Miami in 2028, followed by 23 more cities, the release said.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with Uber,” Rivian Chief Executive RJ Scaringe said in a statement. “It will help accelerate our path to level 4 autonomy to create one of the safest and most convenient autonomous platforms in the world.”

The R2 is Rivian’s highly anticipated lower-priced SUV, starting at $48,490 for consumers in 2027. Investors hope the more affordable model will boost sales amid declining federal support for electric vehicles.

The company impressed investors with better than expected yearly earnings last month, but has laid off hundreds of employees over the last year.

Rivian is just the latest robotaxi partnership for Uber, which has established itself as a key player in the burgeoning market of self-driving cars.

Last month, Uber announced a set of services known as Uber Autonomous Solutions to offer robotaxi ventures access to its customers, data and software.

Uber is partnering with Volkswagen to bring self-driving ID. Buzz minivans to Los Angeles this year. It’s also teamed up with Silicon Valley-based EV maker Lucid to launch robotaxis later this year and has partnered with robotaxi leader Waymo in Austin and Atlanta.

Rivian announced its third-generation autonomy platform in December, which will launch in the R2 in late 2026. It includes 11 cameras, five radars and one lidar, a laser-based radar.

Rivian robotaxis will compete against Waymo, which operates in 10 major cities, and Elon Musk’s Tesla.

Amazon-backed Zoox also is serving the public in San Francisco and Las Vegas in purpose-built, pill-shaped autonomous vehicles with no steering wheel or gas pedal.

Uber shares, which have slid around 8% this year, gave up around 2% on Thursday, closing at $75.34. Rivian shares, which have fallen 18% this year, rose nearly 4% to $16.12.

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