The Revolt Against Project Labor Agreements

The uprising is growing.

Voters
in California have made it clear that fair competition and the
betterment of local communities is more important than guaranteeing
work to unions, regardless of value or quality.

Voters in Oceanside and Chula Vista are the most recent cities to place bans on project labor agreements (PLAs).

Legislature Must Remove Roadblocks to Voluntary Agreements on Water

San Diego’s historic community swimming pool, “The Plunge,” in Mission Beach, recently reopened following years of disrepair, safety concerns, and maintenance issues. A $5.2 million public-private partnership made the renovation project possible and residents are once again splashing in the water. But what if, at the last minute, the City of San Diego said the […]

The Strong Arm of California Labor Unions

If you thought California’s labor unions couldn’t get any stronger, you would be wrong. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the U.S. Secretary of Labor in your corner. In a letter to Governor Jerry Brown, Secretary Tom Perez said that the Department of Labor can withhold up to $1.6 billion in federal mass transportation […]

Union ‘Gut and Amend’ Bills Slice Open CA

It’s “gut and amend” season in the California Legislature. More like shuck and jive and obfuscate.

Last week, I received information that another bill had been gutted of its original intent, and new language added to greatly benefit labor unions. By the end of the day, two additional bills were uncovered that had also been grossly amended on behalf of labor unions.

Sure enough, three bills are all about union Project Labor AgreementsSB 922, originally authored by Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Chino. AB 436 by Assemblyman Jose Solorio, D-Santa Ana. And SB 790 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, are

Why should we care?

Because PLAs inflate the cost of construction significantly, and cost taxpayers more money on public projects. Critics say that the extra funds help beef up the coffers of the highly politicized labor unions in the state.

“Affordable Housing” Could Actually Be Affordable with CEQA Reform

Yet again, California is ranked the #1 most expensive state to live in America for 2020. And while taxes and childcare costs are also in the top five in the nation, it is housing costs that really stand out. Rent and mortgage payments run an average of $3,000 per month, nearly seventy percent higher than […]

California’s Progressive War on Suburbia

For three years in a row, California’s progressive lawmakers have attempted to legislate higher density housing by taking away the ability of cities and counties to enforce local zoning laws. And for the third year in a row, the proposed law, Senate Bill 50, was narrowly defeated. But eventually, inevitably, something like SB 50 is […]

Another School Bond? Why It’s Easy to Say No!

While it is not easy to say no to State’s nine million public school and higher education students, it is easy to say no to the educational-industrial complex that is expected to spend over $10 million to buy our approval of a ballot measure authorizing the issuance of $15 billion of general obligation bonds.   This […]

Can “Ugly” Compromise Lead to Housing Solution?

SB 50’s housing solution is dead so how will the housing crisis in California be confronted? Does painful compromise have a chance? Despite a full court press, the bill to change zoning laws and allow for mid-size, multi-family housing near transportation and jobs backed by nearly 200 supporting organizations could not clear the Senate. The […]

Catching Fresno’s Brown Wave

Looking for California’s biggest wave? Try Fresno.  As Fresno emerges as the Golden State’s next great city, it’s also experiencing an opening up of its small-town political culture. At this transformation’s heart is the so-called “Brown Wave”—the emergence of local elected officials, who, like half of Fresno’s residents, are Latino. 

Retiring The Ballot Number 13

Some notice has followed the fact that the state school construction bond on the coming March ballot has been labeled Proposition 13, the same ballot number of the well-known 1978 property tax cutting measure long praised or vilified in political circles depending on who is speaking. The concern raised brought back a memory when there […]