Enterprise Zones are Indispensable to a California Recovery
Two decades ago California was recovering from the then-worst economic downturn since the Depression. We needed all the tools we could muster, including tax incentives, infrastructure spending, permit streamlining and aggressive marketing. We also needed a unified voice among our state and local political leadership. I should know: I was privileged to be undersecretary of […]
Boxed in by the Prison Issue
The Ninth Circuit three judge panel’s order to release nearly 10,000 prisoners from California jails by the end of the year seemingly has put a resisting Governor Jerry Brown in a box. On one side, Brown is threatened by the courts to free prisoners. On the other side, political opponents are mounting a campaign against […]
AB 127 Threatens Energy Efficiency Goals and Bypasses Green Chemistry Program
Californians take pride in the way our state sets the pace when it comes to energy efficiency, climate change and the environment. Now the State Senate is considering a small piece of legislation that represents a big threat to our leadership on energy issues, and to my members in California. As written, AB 127 would […]
Jerry Brown: Disciplinarian
Jerry Brown was the kid the first time he was governor, nearly 40 years ago. Now he is definitely providing adult supervision in Sacramento. Since retaking the executive suite, Brown has lectured Californians – and the Legislature – about the need to get real on the state budget. His stance is pretty simple: the state […]
Lawmakers Stick Locals with Costs of Voting
The new state budget is here, and once again it leaves the state’s election system holding an increasingly empty bag. For years counties have relied on the state to help fund state laws that change the voting process and in turn, make extra work and cost extra money for counties. The last time election mandates […]