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How California's Sales Tax Actually Gets Collected and Remitted
You charge it, you hold it, and you owe it — here is how the money moves from the register to the state.
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How California Newspaper Archives Preserve Local History
Microfilm programs and the free California Digital Newspaper Collection keep more than six million pages of the state's local history searchable.
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School Funding California: How Prop 13 Limits Reshape California School Funding
Proposition 13 capped California property taxes in 1978 and pushed school funding to the state. Here is how the caps still shape classroom budgets today.
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Why California Gas Prices Run Higher Than the Rest of the Country
Taxes, climate program costs, and refining margins stack up in California. Here is the state's own breakdown of why gas costs more there than elsewhere.
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Politics Meaning: Why Political Language Uses 'Meaning' as a Weapon
Words like 'liberal' and 'radical' have carried different meanings in different decades. The fight over definitions is often the fight over policy itself.
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Inside the Culture War: How Ordinary People Get Pulled In
The fights that start as national slogans rarely stay national. Here is how the framing works, and where it lands.
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A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Politics, Without the Jargon
How decisions get made, who makes them, and why the words used to describe it all matter less than the outcomes.
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Housing Authority — How Housing Authorities Work: An Applicant's Guide
What a housing authority actually does, how waitlists move, and what happens after your name comes up.
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How to Use a Culture Pass for Free Museum Visits in California
Your library card may already cover admission to museums, gardens and zoos. Here is how the programs work and how to book a visit.
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How Local Newspapers Keep Small Towns Connected
The weeklies that still sit through zoning fights and school board votes do a job no one else does.