“As president, I will engage with you at the division and caucus level,” writes Lynne B. Kennedy, the new Cal Cities President. “I will educate myself by learning with you and from you. And I will elevate Cal Cities — who we are, what we do, and what we have to say. This year, I am your champion!”

California has lost one-third of its newspapers since 2005. One county has no local news outlets, while 18 have just one. City officials say the decline in reliable, local news coverage has hampered their mission, damaged community trust, and fueled misinformation.

As every city knows, the combination of people living longer into retirement, underwhelming state pension returns, and lower discount rates are straining local budgets. But Cypress plans to wipe out its unfunded pension liability by 2030 — without taking on any new debt.