Stanford Studies and State Spending Issues
One Stanford University study says that California needs to spend billions more on the state’s PreK-12 public school system. Another Stanford study says that too-generous public pensions are robbing core government programs of needed funds. Will the two disparate ideas end up in a budget package? A Stanford University and Policy Analysis for California Education […]
Reform Medi-Cal To Reduce Poverty
Ten years ago, California’s Department of Social Services — whose mission is “to serve, aid, and protect needy and vulnerable children and adults” — received nearly $10 billion, which was nearly 10 percent of the General Fund that year: This year California’s General Fund is 34 percent larger. But DSS is receiving only $9 billion. As […]
NIMBYs Invade Los Angeles
You know them best as NIMBYs (not in my backyard) and, if you’ve been watching development in the state you know how much clout they have over the local decisions on growth. NIMBYs aren’t alone, though. There are NIMTOOs (not in my term of office), BANANAs (build anything nowhere and nothing anywhere) and, by far, […]
The Suburbs and the GOP
In this year’s elections, particularly in California, the suburbs spoke, and essentially destroyed Donald Trump and the Republican Party. In affluent suburban districts once controlled by the GOP – outside Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Orange County — long held GOP seats have flipped and may prove unlikely go back to the […]