Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye

With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008, our site was designed to offer an opportunity to those who wished to engage in public debate on many issues, especially in politics and business, but found it difficult to get placed in newspaper op-ed pages. 

Co-publishers Tom Ross, Bryan Merica and I have kept F&H going over this time investing our own time, funding, and staff help. Last year at this time we considered closing the site, however with an election on the horizon we decided to keep F&H going through the election year. With the election come and gone, and with no sense of additional resources, we have decided to close the site down. 

Fox and Hounds will live on, at least, with my articles collected in the California State Library.

On a personal note, I have spent over 40 years in California policy and politics. There have been some incredible high moments and some difficult low points. It pains me that politics too often is a blood sport, frequently demonizing the motives of opponents and using the legal system as a weapon in public discourse. At Fox & Hounds, we tried to adhere to the practice of giving all a voice in the debate, yet keep the commentaries civil and avoided personal attacks.

F&H offered the opportunity to publish different perspectives (even ones that criticized my writings!).  We had success as indicated by the Washington Post twice citing Fox and Hounds Daily one of the best California political websites and many other positive affirmations and comments received over the years.

Tom, Bryan and I want to thank our many readers and writers for being part of our journey.  The publishers of Fox and Hounds Daily believe that we added value to California and its people. We hope you agree.

Taxing Property “Wealth” is a Step Back

Friday on the Sacramento Bee editorial page, former editor Peter Schrag argued (once again) for changes to Proposition 13’s property tax system with the goal to raise more revenue. Schrag says changing the property tax system to reassess business property more often would improve the economy. On numerous occasions on this site, I have taken the opposite view that by increasing the tax burden on business property the economy would be damaged. Today I want to focus on a particular argument that Scharg makes on taxing a property’s value.

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Tax Reprieve Brings Holiday Cheer for Thousands of Californians

Thousands of struggling Californians who short sold their homes to avoid foreclosure can rest easier this holiday season knowing they won’t be hit with huge income tax bills.

The threat was real. A California law protecting homeowners from paying taxes on forgiven debt associated with a short sale expired at the end of 2012, and legislative efforts to extend it failed. Furthermore, a federal law providing the same protections expires at the end of this year.

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Employment Development Department Computers Not Yet Fixed

This is Part 3 of a series on the EDD. Part 1, an interview with Spokesman Dan Stephens, is here. Part 2, EDD computers must be fixed by Dec. 31, is here.

Three months after a California Employment Development Department computer crash cut off tens of thousands of Californians from their unemployment benefits, the EDD’s system does not function properly.

EDD by phone

The EDD offices officially are now only open four hours a day, from 8:00 am to noon, according to their website.

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Follow the Money

Back in 2011 a California state legislator told me, off the record, that for years, a secret 7:00 a.m. meeting is held once per week in Sacramento. At this meeting are a handful of top officials representing the major public sector unions active in California. They discuss current legislation, political trends, opposition groups, emerging issues, and coordinate their strategy. Collectively, just within California, these public sector union leaders collect and spend over $1.0 billion in membership dues and fees every year.

Compare this to the supposedly shocking expose published this week by the esteemed U.K. Guardian, entitled “State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax.”

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Perez Gets Ready for the State Budget Battle

Assembly Speaker John Perez fired the first shot of the 2014-15 budget wars this week when he released his “Blueprint for a Responsible Budget,” a document that sets the Assembly’s priorities for dealing with the unusual situation that finds the state looking at black ink instead of red.

“By following this Budget Blueprint, we can ensure fiscal stability in California by establishing a real rainy day fund and building the state’s budget reserve,” he said. “We can also expand opportunity by making prudent investments in job creation, job training, early childhood education and higher education.”

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More Setbacks for California’s Embattled High Speed Rail Project

Reps. Denham and Latham request a GAO review

The Sacramento Court’s November 25 decision denying the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) access to Proposition 1A bond funds was the first in a series of setbacks suffered by the high-speed rail project in recent days. The project was dealt another serious blow on November 26, when two influential members of Congress, Jeff Denham (R-CA), Chairman of the Railroads Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Tom Latham (R-IA), Chairman of the House Transportation Appropriation Subcommittee requested the General Accountability Office (GAO) to review the federal grant agreements with the Authority in light of the Court’s rulings.

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