Sources

Sources behind the San Diego library ballot

Every claim in the guide links to its source. These are the ones we rely on, chosen from across the spectrum so each side's best case gets a fair hearing. Lean labels are approximate.

Official & primary sources

The legal text, official analyses, and public records. The foundation for every claim check.

CA Secretary of State: Official Voter Information GuideOfficialAttorney General's titles and summaries, Legislative Analyst's analyses, official arguments and rebuttals, full text of every proposition, and statewide candidate statements.voterguide.sos.ca.gov · cited 40×Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO)Nonpartisan (official)The Legislature's nonpartisan fiscal and policy adviser. Its fiscal estimates anchor our cost claims.lao.ca.govSan Diego County Registrar of VotersOfficialCounty voter pamphlet (ballot type 308): local measure text, impartial analyses, arguments, and local candidate statements.sdvote.comCal-Access / SOS Power SearchOfficialCampaign contributions for state ballot measures and candidates: who's paying for each side.powersearch.sos.ca.govFair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)OfficialTop-10 contributor lists for ballot-measure committees.fppc.ca.govSan Diego County Grand JuryOfficial (civil watchdog)Citizen investigations of local government, including the 2024–25 report on San Diego Unified's bond program.sandiegocounty.gov · cited 1×

Nonpartisan explainers & local reporting

Newsrooms and references focused on California and San Diego.

CalMattersNonpartisan nonprofit newsroomCalifornia policy and politics reporting, with a voter guide covering every proposition and statewide race.calmatters.org · cited 26×BallotpediaNonpartisan referenceEncyclopedia of elections, measures, and candidate backgrounds.ballotpedia.org · cited 1×Voice of San DiegoNonprofit local newsroomInvestigative local reporting: county charter reform, SDUSD bonds, Measure B.voiceofsandiego.org · cited 5×KPBSPublic media (local)San Diego's NPR/PBS station: race explainers and local measure coverage.kpbs.org · cited 5×inewsourceNonprofit investigative newsroomData-driven San Diego investigations, including county charter reform.inewsource.orgTimes of San DiegoLocal newsLocal election coverage and candidate profiles.timesofsandiego.com · cited 4×EdSourceNonprofit education newsroomCalifornia education reporting, including the Superintendent race.edsource.org

Research & think tanks

Deliberately drawn from across the spectrum, so each side's best case is represented.

Niskanen CenterCentristPragmatic, evidence-based policy research on housing, state capacity, and the safety net.niskanencenter.org · cited 2×Brookings InstitutionCenter-leftEconomic and governance research on taxes, housing, elections, and campaign finance.brookings.edu · cited 9×ReasonLibertarianFree-market journalism and analysis on taxes, housing regulation, and CEQA.reason.com · cited 2×Tax FoundationCenter-right, pro-marketTax policy analysis, including the legal and economic issues with Prop 40.taxfoundation.org · cited 2×Cato InstituteLibertarianResearch on wealth taxes, voter ID, and campaign finance.cato.org · cited 3×American Enterprise Institute (AEI)Center-rightHousing Center research on supply vs. demand subsidies; commentary on voter ID.aei.org · cited 2×Hoover InstitutionCenter-right (Stanford-based)Source of the $25B net-cost estimate for Prop 40 (Rauh et al.).hoover.org · cited 1×California YIMBYPro-housing advocacyPro-supply housing advocacy; took no position on Prop 37 over price-inflation concerns.cayimby.org · cited 1×

National news

Broad reporting and context.

NPRMainstream (often rated center-left)National public radio news and analysis.npr.orgPBS NewsHourMainstream public mediaIn-depth national news and interviews.pbs.org · cited 5×The New York TimesMainstream (often rated center-left)National and international reporting (often paywalled).nytimes.com

Voices & perspectives

Individual journalists and commentators. Treated as opinion, and labeled that way.

David BrooksCenter-right columnistThoughtful, empathetic conservative commentary on culture, character, and politics.theatlantic.comChris Cuomo ProjectIndependentIndependent, critical-thinking political commentary and interviews.youtube.comEzra KleinProgressive columnist ("abundance" agenda)Policy-heavy commentary; a leading voice on building more and removing red tape.nytimes.comAri MelberCenter-left legal/political analystLegal analysis of politics, courts, and accountability.msnbc.com