Thank Goodness for Prop 25, Right?
Thanks to Proposition 25 we have an on-time, balanced budget — or so we are told. The truth is we have a budget document that any respectable college professor would grade “incomplete”– at best. Many budget related bills have yet to pass. We don’t know the extent of the cuts in some areas. We don’t […]
Pay Attention Business Community: A Proposal to Raise SIX Taxes on Business
I see in the San Francisco Chronicle op-ed page our old tax-raising friends Lenny Goldberg and Roy Ulrich of the California Tax Reform Association are at it again promoting not one … not two … or even three tax increases — but six! Voters have expressed time and time again at the polls that they […]
LG Newsom Wants to Shake Up California’s Economy by Shaking up its Politics
Describing himself as the “Future ex-Lt. Governor” who “didn’t care” what reaction his positions engendered from the top down – yes, he was referring to the governor — Gavin Newsom, told the Small Business Day audience on Monday that if he were in charge he would cut 30-40 state programs the first six months in […]
Campaign to Oppose Brown Tax Increase Launched
There will be a campaign opposing Gov. Jerry Brown’s $50-billion tax initiative and I will be part of it. Californians for Reforms and Jobs, Not Taxes, sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the National Federation of Independent Business/California, and the Small Business Action Committee, kicks off its campaign today. The name of the committee […]
Did High Speed Rail De-rail the Tobacco Tax?
The final vote determining whether the tobacco tax, Proposition 29, passed or failed could be weeks away, but pundits are questioning what closed the numbers from two-thirds support in early polls to a near 50-50 finish. While some say it was the advertizing blitz that did the measure in, others, like the Los Angeles Times […]
Ray Bradbury Ventured into the Strange World of CA Politics
I personally know of one instance when the great science fiction/fantasy writer, Ray Bradbury, took an interest in California politics. Bradbury, who passed away Tuesday at age 91, was the star attraction at a fundraiser for economist Arthur Laffer’s U.S. Senate campaign in late 1985. Bradbury, of course, expressed a deep interest in basic issues […]
Union Power Challenged with Pension Reforms
The political landscape shifted yesterday with decisive votes on pension reform in two major California cities and the gubernatorial recall result in Wisconsin. Public employee union power, which has come to dominate the state political process, especially here in California, was found vulnerable. The attempt to recall Wisconsin governor Scott Walker after he changed rules […]
Thoughts on Election Day
While redistricting changes made by a commission certainly will have an effect in this election, I always believed that the influence on the legislature from redistricting would only be along the margins. The top-two primary would have a greater impact. We may not know the true impact for a full election cycle or more but […]
Voter Turnout on Tuesday—It will be Low
Here’s a statement that won’t earn me a PhD in political science: Voter turnout will determine many races in Tuesday’s primary. We all know that truth, what we don’t know is what the turnout might be. My prediction—low, perhaps very, very low — less than one-third of California’s 17-million registered voters. The Secretary of State […]
CSAC Considers Governor’s Tax Proposal
Interesting reading the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) put forth as one of its committees decides on whether to support the governor’s tax initiative today. The committee will send its recommendation to the full board for final approval later in the year. The analysis, which encourages the committee to support the governor’s plan, pointed […]