FPPC Decision on SBAC-PAC is Wrong
The Fair Political Practices Commission thinks the Small Business Action Committee PAC should disgorge (pay back) $11 million dollars that came our way during last year’s election—obviously already spent. The reason they say that is because other groups—not SBAC PAC—violated the Political Reform Act. SBAC did nothing wrong. In fact, we did everything right and […]
What I Like About the Pension Initiative Is Exactly What Will Doom it
California ballot initiatives are a dangerous business, and one that we all would be wise to take a break from, as I previously suggested in this space. But I’m tempted by the new pension initiative backed by mayors. The initiative is a constitutional amendment, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Our constitution already has […]
Devil is in the Details of Mayor Reed’s Pension Proposal
While the Pension Reform Act of 2014 proposal would end reliable, fixed-benefit retirement plans for public employees, the Act clearly looks like a lucrative retirement plan at taxpayer expense for those who are proposing the Act. If the Act were to pass, Section 9 of the Act enables the proponents of the Act to collect […]
Initiative Process Scrutinized in PPIC Roundtable
At first glance having a former governor, former Assembly Speaker and former state chief justice sit on a panel to talk about initiative reform seems like something of an odd combination. But if you consider that Gray Davis, Willie Brown, and Ronald George each come from one of the three branches of government and have […]