Steven Greenhut is western region director for the R Street Institute and was previously the Union-Tribune's California columnist. He is based in Sacramento.
Steven Greenhut
Latest from Steven Greenhut
Kelly Thomas Police-Beating Verdict is Cause for Deep Cynicism
The Kelly Thomas case makes it hard to be optimistic about police.
Jerry Brown is All Talk on Teacher-Pension Mess
Talking about a problem is one thing, and using one's political capital to fix it is quite another.
California Gun Law Paves the Way for Confiscation
Starting in 2014, the state will keep a list of every gun owner and the specific guns each person buys.
Does the Bell Toll for Excessive Public Pay?
Increasingly, the public may be seeing that the problem isn't a handful of officials who illegally gamed the system, but a system that allows a powerful minority to legally game the majority.
What Does Sriracha-geddon Say About California's Business Climate?
Perhaps Huy Fong officials will seek out locations that don't subject them to lawsuits and costly production stoppages.
Court Pension Ruling Gives Detroit New Hope
We shouldn't have to wait for a city to crumble before it can get control of its debts.
California Agency Plans 'Green' Car Vouchers for the Poor
Remember how well Cash for Clunkers worked out?
Fixing California: Freer Markets and Fewer Contraptions
The state currently operates like a Rube Goldberg Machine.
San Francisco 'Values' Pricing Poor Out of the City
Rent control is killing the city's stock of apartments.
Cigarette Sin-Tax Hike Could Boost Black Markets
"Do-gooder" types are just making the situation worse.
Has Direct Democracy Outlived Its Usefulness?
California fiddles with long-established initiatives and referenda.
How the Police Endanger Public Safety
Law enforcement policies increasingly put the public at risk.
How to Break an American City
The municipal bankruptcy mess is heading to a local government near you.
The Specter of Bankruptcy Haunts California
Will state lawmakers heed the lesson of Stockton?
Pot Legalization Effort Defies Stereotypes
It's time for government officials to accept reality and legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The Real Crisis in California's Public Schools
The state's truancy report is silent on core issues.
California Struggles to Solve Its Water Problem
The state's water "superhighway" may dead end in a delta.
Moderate Reforms Don't Prevent Immoderate Results
It will take radical measures to save California from the recklessness of its officials.
Why a Secessionist Movement Is Brewing in California
Supporters of the new state of Jefferson raise serious grievances against the state and federal governments.
California Slides Down Slippery Gun Control Slope
The latest bad ideas from the Golden State.
The Shaky Case for High-Speed Rail
Rail supporters in California keep chugging ahead despite a court rebuke.
California Lawmakers Continue to Undermine Property Rights
Urban renewal rears its ugly head again in the Golden State.
Forfeiture Laws Turn Public Officials Into Profiteers
The lure of revenues has distorted police priorities as money-hungry agencies think more about grabbing property than about fairly applying the law.
California Proposes Crony Capitalism to Fix Housing Crisis
Government officials want to use eminent domain to acquire mortgages.
The Case for Prison Reform
It's time to fix what's wrong with America's criminal justice system.
Janet Napolitano Is Wrong Pick to Lead University of California
Based on her tenure in the federal government, the DHS chief will be an advocate for more of everything that has turned the current university system into such a bureaucratic, scandal-plagued mess.
Journalism Is an Act, Not a Profession
Sometimes great acts of journalism are the work of average citizens.
Independence Day Celebrates a Nation Founded on the Right Ideals
Why the U.S. is still prosperous.
Let's Divorce Marriage from the Government
Government neutrality is the best way to ensure fairness and social peace.
Easy Credit Is Inflating a Massive Student-Loan Bubble
Those degrees are about to cost taxpayers a lot of money.
NSA Scandal Separates Liberty Lovers from Poseurs
Party lines play no role in the fight for privacy rights.
Why New Urbanism Doesn't Work
The latest trend in urban planning builds bureaucracy, not affordable living.
IRS Scandal Highlights the Dangers of Big Government
Both parties need a powerful tax agency to support their favored programs.
Obama's Scandals Reveal the True Face of Government
Power and force are the name of the game.
Free Markets Are More Important Than Safety Regulations
Lessons from the recent tragedies in Texas and Bangladesh.
California Considers Adopting a Homeless Bill of Rights
The latest foolishness from Golden State lawmakers.
Stop Granting Special Privileges to the Police
America's cops need more oversight, not more leeway to evade the law.
California's Latest Environmental Boondoggle
The facts about Jerry Brown's misguided plan to "save" the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Big Government and High Taxes Definitely Didn't "Save" California
California is far from being saved.
Union Greed Drives California to Bankruptcy
The Stockton example could encourage cities to view bankruptcy as something other than a last resort.
Politicians Prefer Scare Tactics to Sensible Reform
Bogus fears about budget cuts at the state level.