State Senate Doesn’t Want Voters to Learn about Tax Measures
I settled down in front of a computer yesterday to watch the California Channel’s presentation of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee’s hearing on four important November ballot measures: Propositions 30, 38, and 39 dealing with taxes and Prop 31 on budget reform. Despite the Cal Channel’s schedule listing the broadcast, all that popped up […]
For the Next Audit—The Air Resources Board
Last week, the Department of Finance concluded a quick audit of the Special Funds portion of the budget that, whether sufficient to look into the situation or not, hopefully will start a trend in performing audits on government program revenues and costs. Next in line should be an audit on the California Air Resources Board, […]
State Wants to Run a Private Employee Pension System. Really?
With evidence all around that public pension plans are crunching government budgets, some legislators are proposing to create a new government program to oversee private pensions as well. Americans should save more for their retirement. Tax benefits make Individual Retirement Accounts an attractive way to save, but too many workers live paycheck to paycheck and […]
Facebook Folly: Prop 30 and California’s Budget Pains
Proposition 30’s reliance on the rich could make the state budget long-term problems worse because it adds more volatility to state taxes. While the Legislative Analyst pointed that out in the Prop 30 analysis –“due to swings in the income of upper-income taxpayers, potential state revenue fluctuations under this measure could complicate state budgeting in […]
Will it be Democrat vs. Democrat for Governor in 2014?
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stirred up the political class when he told an ABC interviewer that he would be interested to be governor of California. Villaraigosa didn’t send out a timeline to reach his goal, however, how many would be surprised if any Democrat eyeing the job might speed up their schedule and run […]
Poll Numbers Respond to Outside Events and Ballot Labels
A few ballot proposition poll numbers changed in the newly released Pepperdine University-California Business Roundtable Poll, in the two weeks since the poll’s initial release. It appears that outside events and the newly issued ballot labels may have an effect on voters. Since the issuing of the first poll, the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado occurred, […]
November Ballots Full of Tax Measures
While Governor Brown was in Las Vegas trying to gin up support for his November tax measure at the California School Employees Association conference — whose leaders must have chosen Las Vegas as the conference site to help with Nevada’s unemployment rate because it is one of the few states with a worse unemployment than […]
Pensions, Sure, But Let’s Not Forget Health Care Costs
With pension reform having a top place in the discussion of fiscal reforms that the state government must make to bring about balanced budgets, the cost of health care for public employees is often lost in the discussion. It shouldn’t be. Health care is another cost for both state and local government that is growing […]
Hidden Funds, Unaccounted Funds and Tax Increases—Oh My!
Like Dorothy wandering through the forest in the Land of Oz, taxpayers in California are chanting a warning of disbelief this week: Hidden Funds, Unaccounted Funds and Tax Increases—Oh My! Following the revelations about the parks department – the secret vacation payout slush fund costing the department $271,000 to the whopper of $54 million in […]
Kotkin: CA Experiencing “Oakies in Reverse”
When the Dust Bowl of the 1930s crushed the economy of the southwest thousands of migrants (many from Oklahoma) found their way to California. Now California’s business climate is propelling “Oakies in reverse,” says Joel Kotkin, internationally-recognized authority on global, economic, political and social trends and contributor to Fox and Hounds. Speaking last month to […]