Howard Jarvis’s Ghost
Gov. Jerry Brown told Republican legislators at a hearing on his gas tax and vehicle fee increase proposal that their opposition occurred because they were “haunted by the ghost of Howard Jarvis.” It is the other way around. Howard Jarvis haunts Jerry Brown. Jarvis, lead author and advocate for Proposition 13, the 1978 tax cutting […]
A Transportation Deal That’s Not Worth Debating
Oh, the drama. Will Gov. Brown and the Democrats get enough votes to push forward taxes to pay for $5.2 billion annually in transportation? Reaction: who cares? $5.2 billion may sound like a lot of money. But it’s a tiny fraction of what California needs to maintain its faltering transportation infrastructure. (For context, it cost […]
You can have infill housing or an unreformed CEQA , but not both
If the question is housing affordability or greenhouse gas reductions, livable cities or infrastructure investment, then the answer often involves “infill housing.” Dense housing in communities with existing infrastructure is the holy grail for planners, environmentalists and many elected officials. “Encouraging new housing development in infill areas would spur economic growth, reduce monthly household costs, […]
Can Jerry Brown Rally Dems In Legislature For $54 Billion In New Taxes?
California Governor Jerry Brown is on the eve of a self-appointed April 6 deadline to push what he has titled the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, which seeks to impose new gasoline taxes and car registration fees to bring in an estimated $52.4 billion in increased tax revenues over the next decade alone. […]
California: The Republic of Climate
Gov. Jerry Brown, center, flanked by Senate President pro tempore Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, right, and Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, left, speaks during a news conference prior to signing legislation in Los Angeles on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016. AP Photo/Richard Vogel To some progressives, California’s huge endorsement for the losing side for president reflects our […]