Website of the Week

Public Policy Institute of California

"The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. We are dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research." 

PPIC reports are routinely cited in the media (from The Los Angeles Times to Breitbart) and are a great way to get beyond a news item to the original source. 

When tasked with finding a 'California angle' to an issue, the PPIC can be an excellent place to start. Topics include: climate change, corrections, the economy, education, population and the political landscape to name a few. To whet your appetite, here are a few titles of some recent PPIC reports:

• Millennial Voters and California Politics (August 2017). Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, David Kordus, Lunna Lopes . Millennials are less likely to register and vote than older Californians.
• Californians and Transportation (February 2017). Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, David Kordus, Lunna Lopes . Californians view traffic congestion as a big problem in most regions.
• Groundwater in California (May 2017) Caitrin Chappelle, Ellen Hanak, Thomas Harter Groundwater is a vital component of California’s water supply. On average, underground aquifers provide nearly 40% of the water used by California’s farms and cities..... 
• Californians and Housing Affordability (September 2017). Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, David Kordus, Lunna Lopes. Californians across the state experience financial strain from their housing costs.

Review by Bruce Johnson, SWC Librarian