The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce agreed to support a half-cent sales tax hike to help the city out of a budget hole in exchange for a promise that the City Council will create a Commission on Fiscal Sustainability. Not much of a bargain when you consider that commission recommendations usually go nowhere. I know. [...]

Rumors circulate that California Assembly Speaker, John Perez, is being considered for President Obama’s cabinet as Labor Secretary. As a Latino and gay, Perez’s appointment would satisfy two of the president’s strongest blocs of supporters. But the job deals with labor and Perez has strong ties there. I have a small anecdote on his concern [...]

Yesterday, it was reported that environmentalists joined forces with labor unions to form a new coalition to defend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). By preventing needed changes to the CEQA laws, the unions are undercutting opportunities to improve economic conditions in the state, which can only benefit their members. Let’s be clear that no [...]

Texas Governor Rick Perry is making a push to recruit California companies. Competition for jobs and businesses should spur California to respond with positive actions to improve the state’s business climate. Yesterday, a press release issued by Perry’s office,  announced a radio ad campaign aimed at California businesses, in which the governor says: “Building a [...]

Despite talk in Sacramento that pro-tax advocates might want to push for more statewide tax increases, the move to raise revenue through tax increases well could focus on local governments. Governor Jerry Brown has been clear that he wants the state to live within its means. The state already secured two tax increases through Propositions [...]

Chatter in the capitol has it that pro-tax advocates think their time is now to strike for more tax increases. Fresh off success in the November election, the pro-tax faction think voters are ready to support their cause as long as the tax is framed correctly – that is, putting the tax on someone else [...]

Governor Jerry Brown did a bit of crowing over his political successes while laying out an aggressive agenda in his State of the State speech. The governor declared the state fixed – premature at best when you consider the unfunded liabilities and the state’s still high unemployment. While I leave it to others to analyze [...]

Former Republican state senator Jim Brutle, likely soon to be chairman of the California Republican Party, and Democratic political consultant, Garry South, now both partners at California Strategies, often appear around the state together discussing the California political scene. They brought their road show to Malibu last week at a salon dedicated to public affairs [...]