BY JOE PATTERSON SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE After hearing reports that legislators were signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) while crafting laws and spending taxpayer dollars, I was stunned. NDAs, a tool intended for private parties, have been used by legislators…

The latest report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) confirms what many residents have long suspected: California’s electricity rates are among the highest in the nation. According to the LAO, California has “the second highest residential electricity rates after Hawaii,…

BY JOE PATTERSON SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE A bill before the California Legislature would allow murderous felons — those serving life without parole — to petition for early release if they have been in prison for at least 25…