The Legislative Analyst’s “concern” that funding is not available for the High Speed Rail (HSR) comes at the same time that the federal government – a source counted on for HSR funds — appears to be turning against the High Speed Rail. Yesterday, the subcommittee on Transportation under the Appropriations Committee of the United States [...]

Molly Munger, proponent of the tax initiative that would raise taxes on all income taxpayers except the poor, has a new ad promoting her initiative … but it doesn’t mention the “T” word — Taxes. The ad says that money is directed to classrooms and bypasses politicians who have not acted to fix the schools. [...]

When it comes to the influence of different entities on the tax initiatives debate, small business topped a recent poll by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The poll was conducted online. Those responding to the poll listed small business as the greatest influence in the tax debate, at 56%, the only [...]

Governor Jerry Brown’s campaign announced last week that he was confident of the signature gathering effort on the tax initiative created by a compromise with the California Federation of Teachers and he stopped collecting signatures on his original tax initiative.  At least that’s the official word. Could there be something else at work? With the [...]

Governor Jerry Brown celebrates his 74th birthday tomorrow and like all birthday celebrants he is probably thinking about presents. On the policy front, I suspect there are two presents he would like to have but both would be delayed until November. There is no question the governor wants to see his tax measure passed. He [...]

Economist Arthur Laffer thinks the way to fix California’s broken economy is to rip out the current tax structure and replace it with a new model for the 21st century. At the request of the Pacific Research Institute, Laffer has written up his proposed solutions in a book, Eureka! How to Fix California. Laffer’s remedy [...]