California Politicians Not Serious About Fixing Housing Crisis
California’s political leaders, having ignored and even abetted our housing shortage, now pretend that they will “solve it.” Don’t bet on it. Their big ideas include a $4 billion housing subsidy bond and the stripping away of local control over zoning, and mandating densification of already developed areas. None of these steps addresses the fundamental […]
Will Legislators Choose California’s Past or Its Future?
This week, legislators in Sacramento decide whether to cast a vote for California’s past or its future. Labor unions inserted a provision into a cap-and-trade bill (AB134/SB119) designed to smooth a unionization effort against the automaker Tesla. As a unionized California employee of a dying industry–printing the paper edition of the Los Angeles Times–I can […]
Trust-busting in the Silicon Valley
The ghost of Teddy Roosevelt and his trust-busting big stick hovers over Silicon Valley as calls for countering the concentrated power of dominate Internet companies grow louder. The most recent example is contained in a 70-page pamphlet issued by Bill Galston, a former Bill Clinton aide and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Bill […]
Losing All Patience With Feinstein
Dear Senator Feinstein, You just don’t get it. You told a San Francisco audience to have patience with President Trump, that he might become a good president yet. And your attempts to walk back the comment – noting your many criticisms of Trump on specific issues – don’t really address the problem. How is it […]
Amazon Has $5 Billion to Invest in a Second Headquarters City! Will Business Unfriendly LA Make the Cut?
On Thursday, Amazon announced that it was opening a search for second headquarters city (HQ2) in North America and was requesting proposals from interested state/province, county, and city governments by October 19. Amazon said that this new headquarters is expected to grow to over 50,000 employees (with an average compensation north of $100,000 a year) and that […]
Clean Energy Leads to Clean Air for California
The Los Angeles region is home to some of the worst air quality in the country. During the long, hot days of summer, Angelenos face continued unhealthy air days. It’s not just a problem for our region. Ninety percent of Californians live in areas that experience poor air quality at some point during the year. […]
Business Divide on SB 63, More Mandated Employee Leave
When the Assembly passed Sen. Hannah Beth Jackson’s SB 63 expanding California’s family leave program and guarantee job protection the Small Business Majority hailed the move in a press release claiming, “we know small business owners support these type of measures.” Apparently, not all small businesses agree. The National Federation of Independent Business/California said the […]
Criminal Justice System Reform Needed
During the past several years, State legislative changes have made far ranging, fundamental alterations to the fabric of California’s criminal justice system…and some changes have been needed as not all crimes should be punished with jail sentences. These changes included AB 109 as well as Propositions 47 and 57. However, as time has passed, unintended […]
Could 2018 Spell the End of Top Two?
Perhaps the best California political news of the summer got drowned out by the Trump Circus and gubernatorial campaign speculation: The top two’s days may be numbered. A Rancho Cucamonga-based organization with backing from multiple political parties has field an initiative to repeal the 2010 legislative constitutional amendment that eliminated primaries (in all but name) […]