What’s in a Name?
President Barack Obama stirred up a minor controversy authorizing a name change for Alaska’s Mt. McKinley back to an older name, Denali. California has had debates over place names. In the last decade, there was an effort to change the name of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County that kicked up a fuss locally but ultimately went […]
California Here He Comes
Let’s stipulate that the GOP’s Trump boom may fizzle long before California’s June 2016 Presidential primary rolls around —remember Michele Bachmann and the pizza man? But The Donald has the resources, the bravado and the profile, potentially, to stay in the race through the Primary season. And the state’s GOP presidential Primary might even matter—for the […]
Send California Your Anchor Babies
You better anchor me, baby. Because I find it impossible to write with restraint when politicians start using babies – babies using babies! – to prey on prejudice and misinform the public in the service of winning votes. That’s exactly what’s happening in the Republican presidential contest, as Donald Trump and his opponents make xenophobic […]
Teachers Unions and Media Try to Make Hay of Teacher Shortage Myth
For years, teachers unions have been moaning that nearly half of all new educators leave the profession within the first five years. They and others have repeated the claim so many times that it has taken on the mantle of truth. But like so much else the unions say, fact checking reveals something quite different. Veteran teacher union watchdog […]
Top Five Tax Traps Small Business Owners Need to Avoid
As Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), I regularly hear from small business owners who are caught off guard by tax liabilities. This isn’t surprising given the complexity of California’s tax laws. Even the most well-meaning, knowledgeable business owner can run into problems. Because of this, I regularly host free small […]