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.
California Challenges Religious Freedom
All fair-minded people should be troubled by a chilling measure working its way through the Legislature that could harm the religious liberty of colleges and universities in California.
Senate Bill 1146 would force private colleges and universities in California to abide by strict rules set forth by the state. Religious schools would now be required to abide by government code if they receive any form of state funding. This includes direct state aid or indirect funds like Cal Grants.
This bill would effectively force private colleges and universities to choose between their religious beliefs or following strict government regulation. (more…)
California Pensions Take Above-Average Tax Bite
California pension funds take a bigger share of tax revenue than the national state average, a research website shows. Why the growing costs are outpacing the norm is not completely clear.
A prime suspect for some would be overly generous pensions, particularly what critics say is an “unsustainable” increase for police and firefighters widely adopted to match a big increase given the Highway Patrol by SB 400 in 1999.
The Public Pension Database does not have information on the formulas that determine pension amounts, like the Highway Patrol’s “3 at 50” or three percent of final pay for each year served at age 50. (more…)
CA Small Biz Rating Gets an F, PAGA Lawsuits Don’t Help
I’m tempted to start with that old saw: “Stop me if you’ve heard this one before,” but I know you would stop me because you have heard this before –California is not friendly to small business. That’s the conclusion of the annual Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey. The fifth annual survey gives the Golden State the same grade it was tagged with last year, an F.
The website surveys 12,000 U.S. small business owners to grade 35 states on government policies affecting businesses. The business owners cover a range of professions from electricians to wedding planners to music teachers and more.
California scored Fs in 8 of the 10 categories Thumbtack tested: Ease of starting a business; Regulations; Health & Safety; Employment, labor and hiring; Tax code; Licensing; Environmental; and Zoning. Only in the categories of Ease of hiring (C) and Training & networking programs (B-) did the state climb away from the bottom rung. (more…)
There’s Nothing Wrong With Sending Aides to Switzerland
UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi deserved to be fired. I was among the legions who urged that step be taken, right here in this space. She made more mistakes than I could list here. And UC had enough problems in Sacramento without the public relations disaster Katehi created.
But one recent attack on Katehi went too far. News reports criticized her for sending aides out of state, including to Switzerland, to learn more about social media.
That’s wrongheaded. The travel didn’t cost much – less than $20,000. More leaders of California institutions should be learning how things are done other places. (more…)
Proposition 65 Hurts Californians, And Useless Warnings Are Coming
They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. So what are we to make of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) doubling down on Prop 65, the California chemical labeling law that is as ubiquitous as it is meaningless?
Recently, OEHHA Acting Director Lauren Zeise claimed in a Fox and Hounds commentary that “This landmark law has provided Californians with significant health benefits.” But where’s the proof? California Polytechnic State University professor Michael Marlow found no evidence that Prop 65 has reduced cancer rates among Californians, stating “there isn’t a single empirical study that demonstrates any public-health benefits,” (more…)