California Forward filed signatures to put the organization’s reform package on the ballot. While the legislature is considering whether to create a compromise package to satisfy both the proponents and critics of the proposal so that the organization might abandon the measure even if it appears on the ballot, voters are going to have to [...]

The 1950 Tony award winning Irving Berlin Musical, Call Me Madam can speak to California’s fiscal crisis, tax historian Dave Doerr told an audience at UC Berkeley last month. Doerr, now chief consultant for the California Taxpayers Association, was the long time chief consultant for the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee. He literally wrote the [...]

Governor Jerry Brown’s answer to a reporter’s question at the budget press conference reminded me of a quick response bank robber Willie Sutton supposedly gave to the question of why he robbed banks. Said Sutton: “Because that’s where the money is.” Brown was asked why education would be targeted for cuts if tax increase measures [...]

Governor Jerry Brown’s press conference on the May budget revise served the dual purpose of revealing the new budget and kicking off his campaign to pass his tax initiative on November’s ballot. The governor wasted no time in tying the success of his budget to his initiative income and sales tax increase plan. The governor [...]

The first annual California Economic Summit sponsored by California Forward and the Think Long Committee saw the answers to California’s economic and political problems rising from the regions of California. At the same time, there was a strong indictment against Sacramento leadership in its efforts to improve economic and governance matters. Former United States Secretary [...]

Interested in reading a book chock full of political wit and wisdom that took 150 years to write? The Black Book consists of anecdotes, stories, maxims, and humor collected by five generations of one prominent political family finally compiled by the most recent in the line, former United States Senator Adlai Stevenson III. From a [...]

The Yes on Proposition 29 tobacco tax campaign unveiled new advertisements yesterday, highlighting the issue of money. The Yes side points the finger at tobacco companies for funding the No campaign to the tune of $40-million. The Yes side says their campaign is about health, but it’s also about money, as well. For voters, the [...]

The campaign to raise income taxes for schools headed by civil rights attorney Molly Munger released a memo on a campaign poll that argues voters would embrace her plan if they knew all the facts. The Munger campaign, which handily filed enough signatures to qualify the tax measure for the ballot, has been fighting the [...]