If elected as California's next controller, Ashley Swearengin would be one of only a handful of Republicans elected to a statewide office in recent memory. She is trying to change the face of a shrinking California Republican Party.

Mayor Swearengin is campaigning as an independent, nonpartisan problem solver. Swearengin serves as the Mayor of Fresno, the fifth largest city in California. She fought hard to keep Fresno out of bankruptcy during the recession.

In November, Californians will have the opportunity to vote on a potential major change in the process of approving health insurance rates.

Proposition 45 moves small group and individual health insurance into the regulatory realm of automobile and homeowner's insurance while adding regulations for the latter two. If passed, Proposition 45 would require the approval of the insurance commissioner before health insurance companies can change their rates or other benefits for small-group and individual health insurance.

Legislators, civic leaders, and students came together for an afternoon of civil discussion Thursday at the University of California - San Diego's Great Hall. The 'E-T-C'  conference was divided into three panels: Ethics, Transparency, and Civility.

The second panel of the afternoon centered on Transparency and was moderated by Fonna Forman, associate professor of Political Science and co-director of the UCSD Center on Global Justice.