The Shell Game: You Lose!
Democrats in the California Legislature seem to be facing the reality that the fire tax they passed with the Governor’s help in 2011 is unfair. Californians who live in rural areas rely on a range of public services from multiple levels of government to combat fires. These residents already pay taxes to fund essential fire […]
Don’t Rush to Make New Law
Politicians often overreact to news items, rushing to propose laws to prevent future occurrences of a situation or grab the limelight when problems will go away on their own. Recent instances: A proposal for a constitutional amendment to prohibit banning of the United States flag from state colleges and university property; and offering changes to […]
Waiting for the Legislature
The issue of teacher tenure and performance was reprised this week thanks to a new poll by the LA Times and the University of Southern California. The education-focussed poll revealed that seven in ten voters believe the current system of tenure needs changing and more than eight in ten think decisions on teacher retention should […]
A Woman Running for President
Not that woman! Judith Rhodes, Governor of California. OK, here’s the disclaimer – this is a shameless self-promotion for my new novel, The Mark on Eve. A spell cast by an 18th century witch has condemned Eve Hale to an endless life. Centuries later, her secret could unravel and doom the election of the first […]
The Real State of the City of Los Angeles
Mayor Eric Garcetti delivered his 4,500 word State of the City on Monday afternoon to a large gathering at Cal State Northridge. He opened by saying that our City has turned the corner, “leaving the Recession in the rearview mirror.” He then focused on his many “Back to Basics” initiatives and programs that are helping […]
Parental Equality Post-Divorce Offers Solution to Gender Pay Inequality
There’s been buzz lately around the gender pay gap. Active California legislation, AB 1354 (Dodd) and SB358 (Jackson), intend to bring equal pay to women. This past week, California Assembly Woman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, announced a proclamation on Equal Pay Day, which fell on April 14 this year. But there’s an important piece missing […]