Are Those Ballot Initiative Clauses Unconstitutional?
As readers of Fox & Hounds know, I’m not a fan of the fashionable new clause of this year’s class of California ballot initiatives: the clauses attempting to give legal standing to initiative proponents to defend their initiatives, if successful on the ballot. The arguments against such clauses are strong. Proponents already have legal standing […]
The State Budget Deal: Sacramento Keeps Its Eyes Off The Higher Education Ball, Yet Again
While not without controversy, the recent budget agreement between Governor Brown and the state Legislature was welcomed positively by the media and public. The state’s coffers are filling back up. The deal was completed on time. We have a needed rainy-day fund. While these developments are positive, however, we lament yet another missed opportunity in […]
Energy Commission Must Use the Best Data to Realize Real Consumer Savings and Climate Change Progress
Surprisingly, the California Energy Commission (CEC) recently decided to seize regulatory authority over power consumption and energy efficiency of consumer electronics (CE) devices. But what if the CEC’s goals – greater energy efficiency, lower energy bills – were undermined by something as simple and avoidable as the use of old or flawed data? That’s the […]
Betty Yee or John Perez? Lake County Will Decide State Controller’s Race
Betty Yee or John Perez? California’s too close to call race for state controller comes down to a few thousand uncounted votes in Lake County. With 83 percent of the state’s unprocessed ballots from the June 3rd primary, the Northern California county will decide which Democrat faces Republican Ashley Swearengin in the November run-off. As of Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m., Board of Equalization […]
California’s Proposed Plastic Bag Ban Would Cost Consumers But Won’t Improve the Environment
Nearly 100 municipalities in California have banned the distribution of lightweight plastic shopping bags and imposed mandatory fees on the distribution of recycled paper bags. A bill before the legislature, Senate Bill 270, would impose similar restrictions statewide and could cost California’s consumers over $2 billion per year without providing any environmental benefits. Proponents of […]