During his first term as governor, Jerry Brown famously became a self-proclaimed “born again tax cutter” after Proposition 13 passed. While he may have discarded that image,  he has now taken on the role as the “backstop” to potential government big spenders and that’s a good thing for California taxpayers. Releasing the budget revision yesterday, [...]

(Editor’s Note: David Abel’s Los Angeles newsletter, The Planning Report, this week featured short pieces of advice consisting of a To-Do list for the next Los Angeles Mayor from civic leaders and interested observers, including County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, SEIU leader Julie Butcher, business association executives Bill Allen and Billie Greer, conservationist Joe Edmiston, former [...]

Last week, it was revealed that the Los Angeles city Department of Transportation was sitting on $42.6 million in hidden funds, which immediately became an issue in the mayor’s race. It could be a make-or-break issue for the candidates, City Controller Wendy Greuel and councilman Eric Garcetti, depending how well they articulate their arguments on [...]

Governor Jerry Brown’s effort to meet federal court orders to improve health care for prisoners and reduce the prison population has received a thumbs down from a federal court panel, so Brown said he would appeal to the Unites States Supreme Court. The thinking here is that the governor has a decent shot at the [...]

I was out of the state for a few weeks but from what I can gather not much has changed around here politically. Democrats want to raise taxes; unions and certain special interests continue their grip on the legislature; and legislators are concerned with transparency only when it doesn’t affect their business. Despite all the [...]