Looking for Clues in the Los Angeles Election
Did last week’s Los Angeles election results give any clues on where voters stand if a special statewide election is called?
On the tax front, LA City voters passed a tax on medical marijuana and apparently defeated a tax on oil production. Along with the defeat of another oil production tax increase in neighboring Beverly Hills, it should give pause to those who have clamored for a statewide oil severance tax. Voters understand that the tax will work its way on to them at the gas pump.
Whether approval of the marijuana tax provides any tell-tale sign is difficult to determine. The marijuana tax faces legal hurdles and uncertainties best described by City Council President, Eric Garcetti: “If marijuana is supposed to be medicine, you can’t tax medicine. And if it is a gross receipts tax on a business, these (dispensaries) are not supposed to be businesses.”
It may be too much of a leap to guess results from a special election on taxes from what happened in Los Angeles. The concern for those supporting a tax on the special election is that the tax that voters felt would eventually affect them directly (the oil tax) was turned down. Continuation of the car tax, sales tax, and, for many, the income tax, directly affects the voters. A PPIC poll found overwhelming opposition to these taxes marked for extension.
Beck’s Law(less) New Policy: Flip-Flop on Impounding Cars of Unlicensed Drivers
Cross-posted at RonKayeLA.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck hit a raw nerve with his decision Friday to stop the practice of impounding for 30 days cars driven by unlicensed — and usually uninsured — drivers who are stopped at sobriety checkpoints.
His policy change, made on his own authority, was taken after meeting with immigration rights advocates who complained the impound policy was unfair to illegal immigrants since they are not allowed under state law to get licenses and causes them great hardship .
An article about his decision was printed Saturday in the LA Times, generating 527 comments by Monday morning, most of them unsympathetic to illegal immigrants and highly critical of the chief whose new policy requires officers to allow unlicensed drivers a "reasonable" period of time to get a licensed driver to the scene to avoid being towed.
Budget Cloak and Dagger Effort Threatens Santa Susana Field Lab Remediation
Over the past year as Chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee I have witnessed first-hand the harm to the public’s confidence that was wrought by the duplicitous actions of officials in the City of Bell. Since then I have proposed reform measures aimed at bringing more transparency to local governance in an effort to restore that confidence.
That is why I was surprised to learn of current efforts in the Capitol to use the delicate budget negotiations to circumvent the public collaboration process currently under way in Ventura County to decide the future of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) site. The item in question is a proposed resources trailer bill, RN 11 12008, which would effectively squash years of hard work between the community, the state and federal government and Boeing by codifying two administrative orders issued by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Lunch with Jerry
Suppose an acquaintance invites you to lunch. You meet him in front of the restaurant where he announces that he is a little strapped for cash. Turns out he can’t host lunch, but he will split the bill with you. You feel uncomfortable because you are on a brown bag budget, but nevertheless agree.
During lunch, he does most of the talking. It is clear he is trying to impress you. When the bill arrives it amounts to twenty-six dollars. Your companion takes out his wallet and stares intently at its contents for a few moments, before mumbling he has only eight dollars. This is unsettling because you barely have enough money for half the bill. At this point he excuses himself to use the restroom. As you observe him, he crosses the room passes the restroom door and darts out an exit. That’s when the realization hits you that you will be spending the afternoon washing dishes.
You’ve just had lunch with Jerry Brown.