I Know I Can Keep That November Ballot Straight
I’m a conscientious California voter, and I take seriously my responsibility to vote on all the ballot initiatives and other measures that people far richer and more powerful than me say are really important. The first step in fulfilling my civic duty is to know what the measures are, to study them. Everyone tells me […]
California’s Plastic Bag Ban On Track for Passage in November
One of the marquee measures in the November election will be the last measure on the ballot: the referendum on Senate Bill 270, the law signed by Governor Jerry Brown to ban single-use plastic bags. Supporters of the ban will be seeking a “Yes” vote. To date, plastic bag manufacturers have spent $5.96 million toward […]
Protecting CA Students From Pension Costs
“The secret to stellar grades and thriving students is teachers,” writes The Economist in a recent editorial. One study cited by the magazine found that “in a single year’s teaching the top 10% of teachers impart three times as much learning to their pupils as the worst 10% do” and another “estimates that if African-American children were taught […]
Public Nuisance Lawsuits Spiraling Out of Control
This past year, public nuisance lawsuits have spiraled out of control in California. Cities like San Diego, Berkeley and Los Angeles have been convinced to sue U.S. companies for enormous sums. Trial lawyers, looking to win big, scour the state and the nation for potential plaintiffs and then recruit municipalities to partner with them to […]