All along the roadways in District 2, Clint Curtis signs are disappearing overnight. Local supporters report that the thefts are not random — they are systematic, hitting high-visibility spots where voters driving by would see them every day.

After more than a year of contract negotiations, Shasta County’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers have declared a formal labor impasse with the county and filed an unfair labor practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). The move comes just days after dozens of purple-shirted caregivers packed the Shasta County Board of Supervisors chambers on March 24, urging supervisors to address what the union calls a worsening caregiver crisis driven by stagnant wages.

Across the state, California's K-12 system allocates more than $137 billion in total funding for TK-12 education in the 2025-26 budget, with per-pupil spending ranging from $23,000–$25,941 (and up to $27,418 when including all sources)—ranking among the nation's highest. Yet results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show persistent gaps: 29% of California fourth-graders performed at or above proficient in reading in 2024, while 28% of eighth-graders reached that level in reading and 25% in math. The majority of students fall below proficiency levels. Statewide CAASPP (The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) results similarly hover around 47% meeting standards in English language arts and 35–37% in math.

Living in Shasta County or Redding is getting more expensive for regular taxpayers — and a big reason is the growing cost of public employees. Top government workers are earning compensation packages that most local families can only dream of. But that’s only part of the story. These high salaries come with very expensive lifetime pensions that taxpayers are still paying for years after these employees retire.