Who Else Might Jump into Big Statewide Races?
We pretty much know the fields in the big races in California next year for governor and the U.S. Senate—or do we? Speculation concerning surprise entries to the major races spark the interest of political junkies and political pros. Look at some of the names put out there. Willie Brown in his San Francisco Chronicle […]
The Passing Of San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee
When any city loses its Mayor it is a notable event. When the City is one of the nation’s most important, heavy coverage is guaranteed. San Francisco’s quiet and often invisible leader for the past seven years, Ed Lee, died unexpectedly this past week bringing close to another epoch in a city always in ferment […]
A Backdoor Attack on Health Care – Just Say No
Like drunken sailors on holiday, the Republican Congress and President Trump are poised to enact a massive, end-of-the year tax give-away. The top 1% of American taxpayers benefit the most with hopes that some will trickle down. After spending years touting their fiscal responsibility and railing against the federal deficit, their tax proposal is expected […]
Napolitano At the End
I liked the idea of Janet Napolitano as leader of the University of California system. The UC had become a convenient political punching bag for the governor and the legislature. Instead of investing in the system to transform it, California’s politicians would cut the UC – and then blame the UC for its responses, especially […]
While California Put on ‘Road Diet,’ Drivers Still Stuck in Traffic Gridlock
Quick, name the place where drivers suffer through maybe the worst traffic on Earth while policymakers are committed to making it altogether intolerable. Yes, of course it’s California. Earlier this year, Inrix, a transportation analytics firm, ranked Los Angeles as the city with the worst traffic in the world, as measured by annual “peak hours […]
San Francisco Politics Turns the Page
Okay, we can talk some San Francisco politics in this period of grief. After all, the first decision is going to be by the Board of Supervisors. The Acting Mayor is London Breed, by way of being president of the Board of Supervisors, the same path that led Dianne Feinstein to become Mayor after the death of George Moscone (and […]
Meet Some Prop 57 Early Release Inmates
We extensively chronicled how the Prop 57 campaign was sold on the lie that only “non-violent” criminals would be released early from their lawfully imposed state prison terms. The decision on who gets the early release is now in the hands of the Board of Parole, whose release decisions show an appalling disregard of fact and reality. […]
Courage: The Most Overused Word In Politics
Does it take political courage for a California Democrat to attack Donald Trump? Obviously not, just as it didn’t take political courage for a red-state Republican to attack Barack Obama. To qualify as courageous, a political act must threaten the actor’s political future.Neither of the foregoing examples qualifies. Qualifying examples include Abraham Lincoln, who took on […]
Could Federal Tax Change Prompt a Move Against Prop 13?
Supporters of a split roll property tax smell opportunity in the federal tax bill. They are polling to see if the split roll can be advanced as an answer to tax deductibility changes under the proposed law. The question of state and local tax deductions in the Republican tax bill is still being ironed out. […]