Memo to Prop 53 Boosters: Curt Schilling Doesn’t Play for California
Struggling to justify their claims that Proposition 53 plugs a “loophole,” proponents have launched a nationwide search for victims. This would be laughable if the consequences of fundamentally eroding local control, creating new litigation threats, and stalling needed infrastructure projects weren’t so serious. (Prop 53 would demand a statewide vote to approve large revenue bond issues.) Their latest […]
Infrastructure Report Card: The Continued Importance of Conventional Fuels
The American Society of Civil Engineers recognized oil as an element of “infrastructure” in California in its 2016 Infrastructure Report Card. That report card clearly documents the fact that there are no easy answers to our complex energy and transportation challenges for the future. Fossil fuel permeates every aspect of our daily lives. It has driven an […]
ACLU Joins Unions to Attack California Charter Schools
About 6.2 million students attend California’s K-12 public schools. Of those, over 570,000 are enrolled in public charter schools. Most of these charter schools operate with a degree of management autonomy and teacher accountability that goes well beyond what is permitted by the union work rules that govern traditional public schools. These charter schools themselves are accountable […]
The Lesson of Trump: Don’t Mix Religion and Politics
A truism of American politics is that if you play around with race or religion you will get burned. Donald Trump has played both the race and religion card, and if current polling is to be believed; opinion has hardened against him in the past two weeks and he is headed for a thumping defeat. […]
Prop. 56: Tax ’Em If You Got ’Em
You’re probably something like me: a professional who doesn’t smoke tobacco. Although in my case, I puff an occasional stogie, maybe once every two months. So if Proposition 56 passes in November, increasing tobacco taxes $2 a pack, it’s one of the few taxes that wouldn’t phase my personal bank account. And it wouldn’t affect […]
The Walls Are Too High in the Kingdom of Ventura
Ventura County is the most glorious and verdant of California kingdoms. Just ask its princes and princesses—those fortunate enough to be able to afford to live and vote there. The nearly 900,000 residents can pretend that they live in the country, with parks or farmland always nearby. The Kingdom of Ventura’s cities remains a series […]
Climate Change and Partisanship
Ten years ago, California led the nation in climate change policy when it passed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, landmark legislation that required the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. While passed largely along partisan lines, Assembly Bill (AB) 32 was signed into law by Republican Governor Arnold […]
Poll Says Many Will Not Vote in Senate Race; How Will That Play in 2018 Gov Race
According to the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll 28% of those surveyed will not vote in the U.S. Senate contest between Democratic Attorney General Kamala Harris and Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. The Republicans who refuse to vote total 50%, while 34% of Independents said they wouldn’t vote. If these numbers hold true all […]
Profits by Billionaires in China. Invested in California.
Note: I am not a real estate investment advisor. Nor do I play one on TV. California and China are symbiotic economically in more was that the etching on the back of your iPhone: “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” Despite a minor fad for Hayek, China still has really shaky property rights. […]