Minority-Owned Businesses Thrive in California….But
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs, California is leading all states in minority-owned and women-owned employer firms—and by a good margin. When it comes to numbers, California is expected to run up big scores because it is the most populous state. But, the mix of minorities in the state who take on […]
Ronald Reagan’s Chief-of- Staff Was the Role Model
“The President asked me to accept the most sensitive position in his personal entourage and to be his chief of staff to organize the White House on his behalf. I didn’t see how I could turn that down.” With those words 36 years ago James A. Baker, III, a Republican in high standing with impeccable […]
California politicians lured by easy money, but somebody must eventually pay
The late Glenn Frey’s song about the international drug trade, “Smuggler’s Blues,” contains a phrase that resonates in politics as well: “It’s the lure of easy money, it’s got a very strong appeal.” Politicians are habitually lured by easy money, which is defined as money they can spend without directly taxing their constituents, but somebody […]
Forget the Urban Stereotypes: What Millennial America Really Looks Like
Perhaps no generation has been more spoken for than millennials. In the mainstream press, they are almost universally portrayed as aspiring urbanistas, waiting to move into the nation’s dense and expensive core cities. Yet like so many stereotypes — often created by wishful thinking — this one is generally exaggerated and even essentially wrong. We […]
Car Wars
Government efforts to upend California’s car culture often face stiff opposition from the public. Look no farther than the battle in the state’s big cities over road lane reductions or even banning cars from vital arteries. In Los Angeles, city officials are adding bike lanes and reducing the number of car lanes in an effort […]
California’s Cap-and-Trade Bill Enhances Existing Tax Incentive
As part of the cap-and-trade deal that was ironed out shortly before the Legislature went on its summer recess, two bills were enacted. AB 617 (Cristina Garcia) dealt with air emissions, while AB 398 (Eduardo Garcia) dealt with the program itself. Contained in AB 398 was an elimination of an existing fee, as well as […]
After legalizing weed, California’s black market could remain huge
Legalizing marijuana, California voters were told last year, would create a “safe, legal and comprehensive system” allowing adults to consume the drug while keeping it out of the hands of children. Marijuana would be sold in highly regulated stores, the Proposition 64 campaign promised, and California would gain new tax revenue by bringing the cannabis […]
Democrats and Republicans see different solutions to California housing crisis
Before the recent legislative recess, California Democratic leaders and Gov. Jerry Brown announced their intention to tackle one of the state’s biggest crises: housing affordability. It’s the rare instance where virtually everyone in the Capitol at least is in agreement about the scope of the problem, even though there’s far less agreement on solutions. Real-estate prices have […]
Is Antonio Adopting the Old GOP Fishhook Strategy?
For those who remember the Republican “fish hook” strategy for winning statewide races three and four decades ago you can see a similarity to Antonio Villaraigoisa’s potential roadmap to capture the governorship: string together a strong showing through Central Valley counties and hook up through San Diego and Orange Counties to his home county of […]