Short Countdown Begins for State Budget
While there are plenty of huge numbers flying around in the California’s latest budget debate, the most important figure is a lot smaller: 29. That’s how many days legislators have to stop making their partisan political points, take a deep whiff of reality and put together a plan to close that $16 billion or so […]
Do Gridlock and Open Government go Hand-in-Hand?
Government gridlock in Sacramento has been the subject of millions of words and much consternation. However, a couple of comments I heard in listening to former legislators last week made me wonder if it is time to question if the sacrosanct movement to government transparency is something to be challenged. At the Economic Summit last […]
The Amazing George Shultz
I attended the California Economic Summit in Santa Clara last week. I was impressed by the ideas produced in workshop sessions, and by the smart thinking about how to build the state’s very distinct economic regions (both by reinforcing their differences and by linking them). But I also was very impressed by George Shultz. Shultz […]
New Focus on Jobs and Budget Needed at L.A. City Hall
The Los Angeles Times ran a story over the weekend that missed the mark about the influence of the business community at L.A. City Hall, which prompted me to send a letter to the editor on Sunday afternoon. In my response to the story, I pointed out that business is an aggressive advocate at City […]
The Best Citites for Tech Jobs
Crossposted on newgeography With Facebook poised to go public, the attention of the tech world, and Wall Street, is firmly focused on Silicon Valley. Without question, the west side of San Francisco Bay is by far the most prodigious creator of hot companies and has the highest proportion of tech jobs of any region in […]
In Defense of the Truth
It’s baffling that a campaign can be criticized for trying to elicit the truth from its opposition. The Yes on Prop 29 campaign has been trying to do that since the first Dr. La Donna Porter ad ran on television. We’ve asked why a doctor would side with the tobacco industry, whose products are responsible […]