If taxpayers want to curb pension costs with a ballot measure, do they need an OK from unions before they start collecting signatures? San Diego’s Municipal Employees Association seems to think so.  The MEA, which represents 6,000 workers on the city payroll, wants government unions to have a gatekeeper role in the initiative process — [...]

The legacies of Howard Jarvis and Hiram Johnson are in the crosshairs in a lawsuit that was heard by a state appellate court last week. So is your pocketbook. Filed by former UCLA Chancellor Charles Young, the suit aims to open new spigots of cash for government by cancelling one of Jarvis’ great bequests to [...]