Split roll property tax proposal is really a pension tax
When state Sens. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, introduce a split roll property tax to increase taxes on business property, you’ll hear arguments from advocates that the tax money is for the schools and local services such as libraries and police. In actuality, the measure is a tax to fund public employee […]
The Art of the Municipal Deal
Attending the US Conference of Mayors in January, I was struck by one particularly distressing and costly observation. Local governments are great at doing any number of things, from providing public safety to creating and maintaining infrastructure and – in some cases – engaging in urban planning. But there is one pursuit in which cities […]
Calexit Will Never Be Over
Some genies can’t be put back in the bottle. Reports of #Calexit’s demise are premature. Yes, its backers have withdrawn an initiative, after reports about the Russia-philia of one of its backers. But at least some of those backers are moving onto other movements to push forward the idea of California as its own country. […]
Supreme Court’s role in public safety is a judgment call
U.S. Supreme Court justices don’t patrol the streets of Los Angeles, but you might be surprised at how much the justices are responsible for what goes on in your neighborhood. As one example, judge for yourself the long-term consequences of the court’s decision in 1972 to throw out a law in Jacksonville, Florida, that allowed […]
AB 224-Protecting Children in the Dental Chair
Our state legislators have an important opportunity this week to vote on a bill that could save lives and improve patient safety for young children in communities throughout our state. The current laws related to pediatric dental anesthesia are insufficient and must be updated to better protect the safety of children undergoing these procedures. AB […]
Eliminate the Bd of Equalization? I Voted for That, Sort Of
A spotlight has been put on the Board of Equalization, a state tax agency, that has been found wanting after a critical audit, enough so that the governor has clamped restrictions on the board. One idea that has re-surfaced in the wake of Board of Equalization examination is that the agency should be closed down. […]
California’s Idea of a Full School Day Doesn’t Make the Grade
On many mornings, I think my state senator has the best policy idea in California. The rest of the time, I think he’s missing the point. The idea involves the sleep of schoolkids, and the state senator is Anthony Portantino, who represents me and nearly one million other residents of one of California’s nerdiest regions, […]
A Rush to Judgment Poses a Public Safety Threat
If you need any further proof that state legislators do not value public safety, considerSenate Bill 10 (SB 10) and Assembly Bill 41 (AB 41) which will change our current bail system. Make no mistake, there is a problem with our current bail system. There is no question that it is unfair to the poor. Nor does it […]
California Electric Vehicle Drivers Await a Critical Charge
Last week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved its portion of an electric vehicle (EV) investment plan stemming from the 2016 Volkswagen (VW) settlement, setting in motion the first tranche of four $300 million national investments in EV infrastructure. As part of the settlement, California is set to receive $800 million, split into four $200 […]