Villaraigosa, Business Support and Prop 13
Former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in a recent gubernatorial debate, made it clear that he thinks changes should be considered to Proposition 13. Advocating for a change in law that would raise taxes on commercial property could put in jeopardy business support for his candidacy that seemed to be growing. Villaraigosa’s stance on Proposition […]
California’s Top Two Primary is on the Voters’ Side
By definition, conventional wisdom is convention. It often has the added value of being right. I read a commentary by Joe Matthews in Fox and Hounds recently that argued California’s Top Two Primary works against centrists and actually increases the advantage of the more ideological candidates of the left and right. He argued that the pending primary […]
Shining a Light on Hidden Costs at the Pump
The following comments were shared with the California Energy Commission for their meeting this past September on California’s vulnerabilities to petroleum price hikes. The comments were intended to stimulate conversations and seek recommendations about California being transparent at the pump, with stickers, for the public to see, as to what makes up the cost of […]
Dark Money Didn’t Cause this CA Problem
Little about political contributions in California is hidden. Information is easily accessible at Cal-Access, a website run by California’s Secretary of State. For example, look here to see contributions to a special interest and then here for unfortunate consequences from political activity by that interest. There’s nothing dark about that money. Still, uninformed or lazy commentators all too often blame the state’s […]