New Year Brings More Frustrations
Few people would accuse me of being sentimental, but if there’s ever a time for it, it’s the first week of January. The holidays are over and the cracks in our economy, disguised during the December rush, are showing again. A few weeks ago, we got word that Corky’s, open for over 60 years and […]
The High Cost of Environmentalism
With Thanksgiving in two weeks, I have to start by giving thanks that my family and home have been safe from the fires we have seen recently. I have many friends who were evacuated or lost power. And seeing the homes that burned was sobering for everyone living in California. The smoke, power outages, and […]
Here’s a Deceptively Simple Issue
The easiest policy issues are the ones that are black and white – I can happily rail against the latest bright spark who’s proposed a new rule which will kill jobs and hurt working families in the San Fernando Valley. But most policy is complex, and what might look like a terrible idea can be […]
Summertime; the Livin’s (Not) Easy
School’s out! Time for hot days at the beach, popsicles, cranky arguments with bored siblings and freedom. Not to mention a summer job for high school teens, a tradition as American as apple pie. Who else remembers that feeling of being handed their first paycheck? Back in the dark ages, when I was a teen, […]
Green New Deal: What’s the Cost?
If there’s one big trend in politics’ Spring/Summer 2019 Collection, it’s got to be the Green New Deal. Progressives love it, conservatives love to mock it, but either way, an opinion on it is this season’s must-have. What’s ‘it’? Well, that depends on who you’re asking. In February, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Congressmember Alexandria […]
Here’s How Privacy Law Will Hurt
I see it every day and I was happy to read some numbers to back it up: the San Fernando Valley is thriving in many ways. A recent report done for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s Economic Forecast Breakfast by California Lutheran University’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting shows that the Valley’s economy […]
LAUSD Tax: Is It Really All About the Kids?
I’m a father of two beautiful, energetic, smart kids, the oldest of whom is about to start kindergarten. As many of my fellow parents will know, this has felt like an overwhelming decision for my wife and me. I know – it’s “just” kindergarten. But choosing the right school means choosing where my son will […]
The True Problem
The beginning of every year prompts a flood of new ideas from California’s state legislators, and obviously, I’m grateful to them. They’re keeping me and my staff employed, as businesses turn in desperation to advocacy groups around the state who can try and explain to legislators why their proposal would harm our economy and kill […]
How to Stop Housing Construction
Housing. Affordable housing. Market-rate housing. Luxury housing. I find myself talking about this topic way too often, but it’s because decision makers stress the need to address the housing crisis, yet they fail to approve policies that will attract developers to build more projects without breaking the bank. Instead, they approve policies that undermine those […]
What Do We Want? Homes! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Last week, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association released its list of 2019 Legislative Priorities, which are developed by our board of directors and then voted on by our members. Once again, housing is at the top of our members’ list of concerns. VICA’s top legislative priority for 2019 is to “support the development of […]