Opinion

Millions of Americans owe more on their homes than their property is currently worth. For many of these "underwater" homeowners, Thursday's self-congratulatory announcement by federal and state officials of a $25 billion settlement with big mortgage servicers probably sounded like "too little, too late."

Many more kids will be cooling off in Sacramento's city pools this summer because an area company is stepping forward just in time. As The Bee's Bob Shallit reported Thursday, Save Mart Supermarkets will match dollar for dollar as much as $500,000 in donations to open the pools.

President Ronald Reagan once said, "Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in.' " If he were alive today, he would probably substitute "Washington and Sacramento" for "status quo."

National health care reform is scheduled to begin offering benefits through state insurance exchanges in 24 months. The insurance exchanges that are being set up in each state will act as a marketplace for health benefits and will initially be offered to individuals, small employers and the uninsured. The way things are currently defined, only qualified health plans and stand-alone dental plans will be able to offer coverage through the state exchanges. Other than dental, all other stand-alone plans – benefit companies that are not directly tied to a health plan – are excluded from the exchanges.

This is a really old story, but let me tell you anyway.

A Viewpoints article on Thursday about a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiative to site renewable energy projects gave an incorrect name for the author. The commentary was written by Mathy Stanislaus, the agency's assistant administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

Proponents for Proposition 8 have long claimed that their efforts to ban same-sex marriage in California were all about protecting "traditional marriage" and were not an attempt to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

The day before a House Ways and Means Committee hearing last week, Republican leaders sprang a radical change to U.S. transportation policy.

THE ISSUE: All states test students at least once a year in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11. California, in addition, tests students in grades 2, 9 and 10. It also tests students in science, history and physical fitness above grade 4. It requires an "exit exam" for high school graduation. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to reduce the number of tests.

Clean energy is not just an American invention: It is American-made energy supporting American jobs. As President Barack Obama said in last month's State of the Union address, "Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it."

Sacramento is considering a long-term lease of city-owned parking downtown to a private company to raise most of its upfront contribution to a new arena – between $120 million and $190 million, once debt is repaid. Thirteen companies have expressed interest. Among the key issues: How long would the lease be? How much would parking rates be allowed to rise? How would the city replace the $9 million a year the parking operation generates for its general fund? The City Council is to discuss the subject Tuesday.

Two of three judges on a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Tuesday found Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Judge Stephen Reinhardt stipulated that the ruling skirted the larger issue of whether same-sex couples have a right to marry. That's a shame, because at least an equal-right-to-marry claim makes for a clean argument.

It may turn out to be merely a statistical blip that already this year, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies have fired at six suspects. That's more officer-involved shootings for the department than in any recent full year except 2009, when there were seven.

Since the Great Depression of the 1930s, Americans have had access to a basic safety net to see them through hard times, from food stamps to unemployment insurance.

As the 9th Circuit Court was striking down Proposition 8, the chairman of Goldman Sachs, probably the nation's most powerful investment bank, was taking an out-front stand in favor of same-sex marriage.

For generations, the California State University's funding model has been a reflection of growth – of population, the economy and enrollment. The state funds the CSU system, and in turn Sacramento State, based on the number of enrolled students. The students, in turn, close the rest of the cost gap by paying tuition.

Sacramento is considering a long-term lease of city-owned parking downtown to a private company to raise most of its upfront contribution to a new arena – between $120 million to $190 million, once debt is repaid. Thirteen companies have expressed interest. Among the key issues: How long would the lease be? How much would parking rates be allowed to rise? How would the city replace the $9 million a year the parking operation generates for its general fund? The City Council is to discuss the subject Tuesday.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is refreshingly frank, sometimes stunningly so. He outdid himself on a trip to Europe last week, making headlines on two sensitive topics.

To get a strong mayor plan on the ballot, Mayor Kevin Johnson is making concessions to remove any and all reasons for City Council members to object.

I don't watch "Glee" or "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" or "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Atlanta or Dog Patch. I'm addicted to Turner Classic Movies, Hollywood fare mostly from the 1930s, '40s and '50s.

In recent weeks, a mostly blogosphere push-pull has been brewing over Google's new privacy policy. Starting in March, Google will track users across most of its 60 Web services, including YouTube, Gmail and its search engine – an integration that will allow Google to gather more user information and deliver more targeted advertising, just as Facebook does.

It's halftime in America. Get off my lawn.

Sacramento is considering a long-term lease of city-owned parking downtown to a private company to raise most of its upfront contribution to a new arena – between $120 million to $190 million, once debt is repaid. Thirteen companies have expressed interest. Among the key issues: How long would the lease be? How much would parking rates be allowed to rise? How would the city replace the $9 million a year the parking operation generates for its general fund? The City Council is to discuss the subject on Feb. 14.

In a better world – specifically, a world with a better policy elite – a good jobs report would be cause for unalloyed celebration. In the world we actually inhabit, however, every silver lining comes with a cloud. Friday's report was, in fact, much better than expected, and has made many people, myself included, more optimistic. But there's a real danger that this optimism will be self-defeating, because it will encourage and empower the purge-and-liquidate crowd.

Results from investigations into the Nov. 18 incident, where student protesters were pepper-sprayed by campus police, have been delayed.

As investigations continue into police use of pepper spray on protesters in November, the faculty at UC Davis are voting this week and next on resolutions regarding the leadership of Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi.

We have seen the world created by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, and it doesn't work.

This is Kelly Strong, a veteran of the Iraq War. His family is in a federal program aiding seriously injured vets who need daily help or supervision. It's a blessing – one that only post-9/11 veterans receive.

If we had our druthers, we'd let voters decide this November on the once-delayed $11.1 billion water bond, passed by lawmakers in 2009. The sooner voters dispatch this albatross, putting it out of its misery, the sooner California can get serious about smarter and more equitable alternatives for financing needed water infrastructure.

The blockbuster Facebook public stock offering will produce a welcome windfall for the state.