No surprise that Proposition 13 gets some blame for the housing crisis in California—yet like so many attacks on Prop 13 the truth is opposite what opponents claim. Proposition 13 prevents greater housing woes by helping people keep their homes. Case in point, the story in the Mercury News that reports the shell of a […]
Not only is the University of Southern California not in the state of Southern California under Tim Draper’s initiative proposal to divide California into three states, the University of California would no longer be in the state of California. It would reside in the state of Northern California. And, there are plenty of larger issues […]
Income taxes are due today, which should give us pause to think about the state’s rickety tax structure built on a narrow foundation of a few high end taxpayers. ForgetAboutIt! Hardly anyone seems to care, not while the current tax system is raining dollars into the state treasury like manna from heaven. The latest figures […]
Word that big money flowed into a charter school inspired independent expenditure organization in support of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raises the question if major business interests will soon make a similar effort with money or endorsements. As the governor’s race takes shape with less than two months to go before the June […]
Steve Poizner’s independent run for Insurance Commissioner can be precedent setting. Last week, on this page Joe Mathews argued that Poizner’s run as an independent was an act of folly. I disagree. The Insurance Commissioner’s race only has four certified candidates. Two viable Democratic candidates, state senator Ricardo Lara and physician Asif Mahmood, Peace and […]
Some interesting—and puzzling—findings reflected in the new Public Policy Institute of California survey on the mix of education and politics. Of course, major attention will focus the governor’s race. The PPIC survey showed little change from the previous PPIC forecast with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom leading the field at 26%, Republican businessman John Cox at 15%, former Los […]
The public pension reform initiative campaign –if and when it comes, and it will– is being fashioned by the media. All proponents of a reform plan would have to do is make endless lists of the enormous payouts and mismanagements of the pension systems that seem to be reported daily. Put the lists on mailers, […]
California is an expensive place to live so many activists inside and outside government want the government to do something about it. Enter the price fixers. The newest price control effort is on health care in California but that occurs at the same time of an on-going attempt to establish rules for broader rent control. […]
With actions at the end of last week, the prospective battles to alter Proposition 13’s future came into focus. A measure backed by the California Association of Realtors to enhance the benefits of Proposition 13 for seniors and thus offer a solution for the housing crisis submitted more than enough signatures to qualify for the […]
Bravo to Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton for his article yesterday excoriating frivolous and dumb laws that waste lawmakers’ time and public money. Too many laws is an issue I’ve returned to time and again on this page, even praising former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer because she did not author many laws. With Carly […]
