California’s Recovery Variable Regionally and by Industry
As the California economy struggles to recover, remember that job gains will be very uneven, both regionally and by industry. California is one state politically, but is economically several regions and of course comprises many important industries. Those drinking from a glass half-full, including Gov. Brown, point out that California has gained jobs at a […]
Governor’s Pension Compromise Is Real Progress – But he Has Much More to Do
Is Governor Brown’s pension reform “just right?” Unions claim it’s too hot. Some reformers claim it’s too cold. I’m with Goldilocks; the measure represents real progress considering the tightly constrained legal and political environment within which the Governor had to work. It’s a sure-footed “second step” (the “first step” being Gov. Schwarzenegger’s 2010 collective bargaining […]
Tobacco’s a health problem? Never mind.
Silly me. For most of my adult life I’ve been led to believe that tobacco consumption is one of the key health issues facing Californians. After all, Californians have twice raised taxes on tobacco, and narrowly rejected another increase last June, to the dismay of politicos and health advocates. Proceeds from the 1988 tax increases […]
Powerful California State Agency Plans Gasoline Price Increases
The state of California is planning to hike the price of gasoline by at least a dollar a gallon. But you won’t see more roads or public transportation or actually anything of value for the money. Instead, this is part of the direct cost of regulation that California motorists will shoulder from “climate change” rules […]
Simple Illustration of California’s Budget Dilemma
Here’s why California has a hard time getting out of its budget straits: The ratio of private sector workers in California to Medi-Cal recipients and government employees continues to fall. More non-wealth generators are being supported per wealth generator today than in the past. The same trend is evident nationally, but it’s worse in California. […]
Prop 25 Delivers Same-old Gimmicky Budget
Crossposted on California’s Capitol Some day the Legislature will pass a balanced, gimmick-free budget that will carefully weigh the competing priorities of a diverse state and judiciously determine how to address them. While we’re waiting, we’ll be left with an on-time budget. Proponents of Proposition 25, the 2010 ballot measure that reduced the legislative vote […]
When is Cheating not a Disgrace?
Am I the only one flabbergasted that Peter Gleick was reinstated as president of the Pacific Institute? Last February, Mr. Gleick confessed to obtaining documents under false pretenses from a conservative think tank – with the aim of discrediting that very think tank. More to the point, he apparently assumed the identity of and represented […]
If you’re keeping score …
… that’s the eighth straight defeat of a statewide ballot measure to increase taxes. And if the vote trend for Proposition 29, the proposed tobacco tax increase holds, that’ll be 15 of 19 proposals that voters have turned down since 1990. Indeed, since 1990, the only tax increase initiatives voters have approved at the statewide […]
Governor’s Reorganization is Also Reform, and it’s on the Move
Government reorganization. Are you still with me? It’s a tough sell, not least because it inflames few passions (usually only those of a few bureaucrats and their captive constituencies) and doesn’t involve campaign contributions or big lobbying contracts. Government reform can come in big packages or small. The former often fails because of sheer weight […]
Investing in Higher Education is an Investment in our Economic Future
Cross posted at CalChamber.com. California has become notorious for its competitive economic disadvantages, including the high cost of labor, uncertainty from litigation and regulatory delay, and high state and local taxes. Much of the debate about improving our economic performance has been over how to reduce these disadvantages. A welcoming business climate is indispensible to […]