Big Money in Lawyers vs. Doctors Initiative Fight
In a battle between doctors and lawyers the doctors have the upper hand – if you’re keeping score by counting campaign contributions. A proposed initiative to change the non-economic damages cap under the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) while also requiring drug and alcohol testing for doctors is in the process of gathering signatures […]
Wrong Analysis by Calbuzz’s Trounstine
Phil Trounstine writing in CalBuzz about the disgorgement of funds the Small Business Action Committee made to the state under an obscure law made the serious accusation that SBAC laundered the donation. That was not even suggested by state investigators. The record is clear. Our organization did nothing wrong, confirmed by two state investigatory agencies, […]
To Spend or Not To Spend – Voters Say, “Let’s Do Both!”
The Public Policy Institute took the temperature of the California electorate on a myriad of issues and once again voters have demonstrated an inconsistency in their approach to government. When it comes to the question if government should spend more or limit spending the voters seem to be telling the pollsters: “Let’s do both!” When […]
New Taxes Would Damage California’s Recovery
With many families and small businesses still struggling to make ends meet, Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for fiscal restraint with the state’s 2014 fiscal year budget came as welcome news. Following years of budget deficits, California taxpayers have reason to be encouraged that the state will finally live within its means and begin to put […]
What’s With the Sec. of State Election?
All the constitutional offices will be contested in the November election but there seems little contest for many of the positions — except one. There will be a brawl for the office of Secretary of State. Every political bookmaker has the governor winning re-election by four or five touchdowns. No one has stepped up to […]
Statement on FPPC-SBAC Agreement
Following is the statement SBAC issued on the judgment announced by the FPPC today for disgorgement of funds: We have long stated, and, at the conclusion of their investigations, both the FPPC and Attorney General confirmed, that SBAC PAC had done nothing wrong and were not aware of any violations by anyone else. Even so, […]
Reading Between the Lines about “Subsidiarity”
Governor Brown’s State of the State address that centered on fiscal discipline and his call for a constitutional rainy day fund should be praised. (A tip of the hat to Sutter Brown for effectively driving home the point). But I focus here on the governor’s issue of “subsidiarity” and whether there was a hidden plan […]
Policy, Short and Sweet
Neel Kashkari’s policy paper for his gubernatorial campaign is on one side of a piece of paper. “Education and jobs,” he says. “That’s it.” Certainly, he’s picked the two topics most important to Californians and if he can fix these two major issues a lot of the state’s problems go away. The short plan brings […]
No “I Have a Dream” Speech on MLK Day
This space has annually honored the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. on his designated holiday and we honor his memory today, but in a slightly different way than planned. Our desire was to reprint King’s historic civil rights speech made at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. However, any outlet has to be cautious about […]
High Speed Rail Takes More Punches, is On the Ropes
If the California high speed rail project were a boxer you’d wonder how it could still be standing. It has been pounded by both left hooks and right jabs. With the powerful governor of California in its corner it has managed to stay upright in the ring, but it may not be too long before […]