Judge’s Bullet Train Decision Could Encourage Congress to Say ‘No More Money’
California’s high-speed rail project took a hit from a state judge on Friday but the repercussions from that decision could reverberate all the way to Washington, resulting in another obstacle for the bullet train. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael P. Kenny decided that the California High Speed Rail Authority “abused its discretion by approving a […]
Sizing Up the Landscape for Initiatives in 2014
Even though the 2014 general election is 15 months away there are already rumors about what might appear on the ballot through the initiative process. In attempting to read the early tea leaves on initiative measures, especially ones that are related to the business community, I turned to Rick Claussen, long time ballot initiative maven […]
Will the Hyperloop Outrace the Bullet Train?
Let’s admit right up top that an intriguing proposal is difficult to stack up against a plan that is already in place, but yesterday’s news must have churned some stomachs at California’s High Speed Rail Authority. One report stated that the bullet train is facing new delays before it gets started and that those delays […]
And While We’re Eliminating Elections for Lt. Governor …
Recently, L.A. Times columnist George Skelton asked the question, “Why have lieutenant governors?” In the piece, the current Lt. Governor, Gavin Newsom, defended the position but suggested the Lt. Governor should run on a ticket with the governor thus eliminating the need for a LG election. That reminded me of the recommendations from the 1996 […]
Truth in Labeling
SB 556 sponsored by unions to label non-public employees doesn’t go far enough. The bill requires that subcontractors who are hired to perform labor or service for a government agency wear a label that reads: “Not a Government Employee.” Any vehicle used in service of government must also be labeled: “The Operator of this Vehicle […]
Pledge to Hold Line on Taxes Tested by 66 Bills to Raise Taxes $11 Billion
Following the November 2012 election in which two major tax increases passed (Proposition 30 and 39), Governor Jerry Brown and the leaders of the California legislature pledged to hold the line on taxes. Apparently, the message did get to the rank and file. According to a report by the California Taxpayers Association, the legislature considered […]
Friday Musings
The Sacramento Bee’s report on lobby spending shows the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association spent more in lobbying than the California Teachers Association. Next thing you know, they’ll tell us the sun is coming up in the west. Perhaps CTA doesn’t feel the need to spend since they helped put many of the legislators into office. […]
Cost May Change Attitudes Found in Environment Poll
Californians appeared to show their strong environmental side in the Public Policy Institute of California poll released yesterday, yet there is a thorn buried in those roses — the issue of cost. Most glaringly, the cost factor was revealed when PPIC pollsters asked respondents if they favored the state law in which one-third of the […]
Unemployment Insurance Fix Requires More than Taxes
The Brown Administration is looking for a solution to the $10-billion owed to the federal government for loans to cover Unemployment Insurance payments. Much talk revolves around tax increases on business to cover the debt. But, any fix should include reforms to the system. Paying higher taxes means less money for business to hire the […]
The Pain of Detroit and the Importance of Prop 13
Detroit’s bankruptcy and California’s Proposition 13 have been linked in an odd sort of way. Detroit’s bankruptcy has brought out the possibility of other municipal bankruptcies around the country as well as an examination of California communities in trouble, Stockton and San Bernardino. As Californians are all too familiar, if there is a financial trouble […]