Why California Is Stuck in the ‘Gray Zone’

Unwilling to Pay for Its Lofty Ambitions, the State Settles for Much Less

California is stuck in the gray zone.

“Gray zone” is a term the military uses to describe the space between peace and war, a time and place that provides opportunities for the powerful and well-armed while posing dangers for citizens caught in the middle.

In California today, the phrase explains the perilous place in which our communities find themselves as the state pursues major changes in how we regulate drugs, respond to homelessness, and sentence criminals.

In each of these policy areas, California and its voters have righteously demanded major transitions …