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.
Is L.A. Back? Don’t Buy the Hype
With two football teams moving to Los Angeles, a host of towers rising in a resurgent downtown and an upcoming IPO for L.A.’s signature start-up, Snapchat parent Snap Inc., one can make a credible case that the city that defined growth for a half century is back. According to Mayor Eric Garcetti, the Rams, Chargers and the new mega-stadium that will house them in neighboring Inglewood, show that “that this is a town that nobody can afford to pass up.”
And to be sure, Los Angeles has become a more compelling place for advocates of dense urbanism. Media accounts praise the city’s vibrant art scene, its increasingly definitive food scene and urbanist sub-culture. Some analysts credit millennials for boosting the population of the region and reviving the city’s appeal. Long disdained by eastern sophisticates, there’s an invasion from places like New York. GQ magazine called downtown L.A. “America’s next great city” last year. (more…)
All Aboard, Bay Area, on Your Fast Train to Wasco
Dear Bay Area,
Welcome to Wasco.
You may never have heard of this small city of 25,000 in the San Joaquin Valley. You probably can’t pronounce it (it’s WAW-skoh).
But you and Wasco share a future.
You could be connected—at least temporarily—by the most expensive infrastructure project in state history.
Your Wasco connection is a byproduct of problems with high-speed rail’s plan for a San Francisco to Los Angeles train. The financial and engineering challenges of tunneling the Tehachapi Mountains have delayed construction to L.A. And the project is short $2 billion to get the train to Bakersfield, which happens to be the hometown of U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a fierce opponent of high-speed rail. (more…)
Governor Brown Says Vote No on Measure S
“I join with all those who say Measure S goes too far.”
– Gov. Jerry Brown
Last week Gov. Brown agreed with what a historic coalition of community residents and civic leaders has been saying for over a year – Measure S goes too far. In his second term, the Governor has led the charge to address the housing crisis in California’s cities. His 2017-2018 budget warned specifically of the dangers of anti-housing policies like Measure S. The Governor’s budget demonstrated how a housing ban would raise rents, drive away the middle-class, and worsen homelessness, climate change and traffic. Thank you Gov. Brown for joining us.
The deception and misrepresentation being used by the proponents of Measure S is being denounced community wide. Despite Mayor Garcetti’s solid opposition to Measure S, the Yes on S campaign continues to use his photo and partial quotes in mailers that imply his support. In response, the Mayor issued a statement on the campaign’s “dirty trick.” (more…)
Cancel California’s Own Travel Ban
Much of California has rallied against President Trump’s travel ban and with good reason. It’s grounded in anti-Muslim bigotry, limits travel that is vital to our state’s economy culture, and, stupidly, seeks to fight terrorism by keeping out its victims.
Which is why California should cancel its own, very different travel ban.
This year, a new state law went into effect banning state-funded or state-sponsored travel to states that have recently enacted discriminatory laws on basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Four states are currently banned: North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kansas.
The desire to express outrage against such laws is understandable. But already the law is having negative effects. The LA Times reported that it’s blocked students from attending conferences and public university athletes from competing in those states. (more…)
Checking in on Our Growing Gig Economy in California, 2017
Since 2009 at Fox & Hounds, we have periodically discussed the structural shifts in California’s employment, primarily the movement away from the employer-employee relation with some expectation of stability, to alternative and more contingent work arrangements. This movement has included the rise of independent contracting and freelance work, as well as the rise of employment that is through staffing companies or project based, or part time. The “gig economy” is the name often attached to this movement.
The Labor Market Information Division (LMID) of EDD does not maintain data on all of the elements of our state’s gig economy. But it does maintain statewide data on several of these elements that are worth checking in on in early 2017: self-employment, staffing services, and part-time employment. (more…)
No On LA’s Measure H, The “Homeless” Scam
When labor and capital unite in support of an issue, beware. It was that alliance that mired us in a multi-billion dollar “Bullet Train.” Now they’ve united behind Measure H, which will take an estimated $3.65 billion in sales tax revenue in the next ten years in a grandiose plan “to prevent and combat homelessness.” And therein lies the rub.
For years, conservatives have argued against expenditures for social programs with the charge that you can’t solve problems by throwing money at them. But that’s exactly what they intend to do about homelessness. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations have endorsed Measure H. Is there something in it for them? Yes, there is.
Tucked away in the details of Measure H, which very few voters bothered to read because of its length and legal language, is this line: “Nothing herein precludes the County from using revenue generated by the retail transactions and use tax for contracting with for-profit contractors and private businesses in compliance with applicable law.” (more…)