10th Annual Envisioning California Conference

The Envisioning California Conference series explores the good and bad of our state, from politics and education to environmental concerns, and cultivates vital understandings about what defines this state, who Californians are, and what California's future can, should, and will be. These issues are explored from a variety of philosophical perspectives, academic disciplines, and practical experiences resulting in lively, thought-provoking sessions.

The Center for California Studies in association with the Public Policy Institute of California and the California State Library held the Tenth Annual Envisioning California Conference, "California's Taxing Evolution: The Legacy of Prop. 13," on September 24-26, 1998 at the Capitol Plaza Holiday Inn located at 300 J Street in Sacramento.

Keynote Speakers:
Patt Morrison, Columnist, LA Times, and Commentator,
National Public Radio -- Thursday dinner
Richard Rodriguez, Author and Essayist -- Friday lunch

Plenary Sessions:
The conference began with an opening plenary on Thursday afternoon, "Proposition 13 at 20:  A Debate Between Peter Schrag and Craig Stubblebine." David Lyon, President of the Public Policy Institute of California will moderate.

The closing plenary on Friday afternoon, "Potentials and Prospects: How will the Next Generation Solve California's Problems?" was both the finale of the 1998 conference and the opening of the 1999 conference on citizenship. The focus will be on what it means to be a citizen of California in the 21st Century and whether policy solutions require a redefinition of the obligations of individual citizens and governments as well as corporations, non-profits, and communities.

Panels:
Concurrent panel tracks, Governance and Community, included the following panel titles.

Governance
Proposition 13: Consequences and Considerations
A Taxing History: 150 Years of Revolts and Results
Local Government: Reform from the Outside In
Direct Democracy: Divisive or Desirable?

Community
How are We Teaching Our Teachers?
Community Colleges and Public Libraries: 20 Years Later
Art as Community Is Public Education Fixable?