Is California Doing All It Can to Address Drought?

In recent weeks, Governor Jerry Brown, Senator Diane Feinstein, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have called on Californians to do all they can do to address the current severe drought. It’s a critically important call, as water is the mainstay of California’s economy.  Even the recent rainfall won’t make a dent in […]

The Tourism Industry is an Economic Powerhouse for CA and OC

Last week, I moderated a panel discussion on tourism in Orange County, hosted by the California Women’s Leadership Association, and was reminded of the importance that travel and tourism has on this region’s economic engine, broadening the state’s economic base, and driving recovery. Unemployment in Orange County recently dropped to its lowest level in several […]

Sound Bites and the Law of Unintended Consequences: “Buy America” Needs Rethinking

“Three strikes and you’re out”—baseball terminology used to determine the standard for sending someone to prison, and prison overcrowding that is one of its by-products.  “No child left behind”—a federal program on education that failed to deliver.  “Affordable Care Act”—not looking too affordable these days as family health costs escalate double and triple digits just […]

Toyota Settles with OC DA for $16 Million

Toyota—the world’s largest automaker—certainly had its troubles with alleged product liability issues for unintended acceleration of its cars, a National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration investigation and hundreds of private and class action lawsuits.  Yet, to its credit, Toyota recalled its vehicles, made corrections and is back on top as a trusted brand. But the […]

Clean Air Is Important, But So Are Jobs

On December 7, members of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board of Directors (AQMD) voted to approve its 2012 Air Quality Management Plan (“clean air plan”).  These clean air plans are updated periodically in order to address new federal clean air rules for Southern California. Over the last 20 years, the South Coast […]

Toll Road Irony Is Not Funny

The LA Times recently published an article calling into question the viability of Orange County’s Toll Roads in light of a formal inquiry launched by state Treasurer Bill Lockyer into whether the roads can cover the interest payments to private investors who purchased tollway bonds. This could be a sitcom if it weren’t funny, however. […]

Millions, Billions, Gazillions: But Where Are the Reforms and Innovations?

Have you noticed? Everyone’s asking for more taxpayer funding. For education, Sacramento majority leadership wants voters to approve a seven year tax increase of “billions” in new funding, yet it may not really fund education per se but general state government; a competing, private ballot measure seeks “billions” for the classroom under a status quo […]

Tell Them to End Epic Congressional Gridlock Now!

Road congestion wastes 1.9 billion gallons of gas, says US Treasury Department. With federal transportation funding set to expire March 31, House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica has introduced a three-month extension of the highway and transit program. If adopted by Congress, this would be the ninth extension of SAFETEA-LU, which first expired in September […]

Signs

In the 2002 movie Signs starring Mel Gibson, a 500-foot crop circle is found on a Pennsylvania farm, testing the faith of a local family as it tries to find out the truth behind the strange event. So many signs and strange events occur throughout the storyline that it is clear nothing happens by chance […]

Dunn & Done: Brown’s Visit Behind the Orange Curtain

There has been a lot of media coverage over Governor Jerry Brown’s visit last week to OCBC. Orange County overwhelmingly supported gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman in the last election and it’s not often that the OC business community embraces the policy or politics of Sacramento. Having this Governor visit behind the Orange Curtain was a […]