The Attorney General’s Uneven View on What’s Right
Two events yesterday showed an unequal outlook on fairness by California’s Attorney General. In one instance, AG Xavier Becerra rightly objected to President Trump’s order attempting to limit the people counted in the census as ignoring the plain language of the United States Constitution. On the other hand, he issued titles and summaries for California […]
Because of COVID-19, Fewer Laws
Back in April, I wondered on this page if the pandemic’s effect on the legislature shutting down the capitol during an extended break would result in fewer bills passed and signed into law. Apparently, that will be the case. On top of the extraordinary month-long lockdown in March, the legislature was forced to extend its […]
Help small businesses recover by pausing the annual minimum wage hike
Small businesses have suffered a severe setback from the recent, understandable public health actions by state and local leaders to reimpose restrictions on commerce involving public gathering. These small businesses, especially restaurants, hospitality, tourism, entertainment and personal services, also employ many low-skilled, low-wage workers, often in entry-level jobs on the lower rungs of the economic […]
Beware of Sleight-of-Hand in Prop 15 Numbers
The Yes on Proposition 15 campaign has bandied about all kinds of figures on how many commercial properties will pay a bulk of the new record property tax increase if the measure passes. First, they showed a study that reported 6% of the properties will pay 78% of the taxes. Next we heard that 10% […]
Close LA? No Dodger Baseball?
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti raised a red warning flag this week saying the surge of COVID-19 in Los Angeles could again shut down the city. One of my first thoughts was will the mayor stop Major League Baseball resuming at Dodger Stadium, even with no fans? The fate of the Dodgers could serve as […]
Federal Dollars Won’t Be Coupled to Tax Reform
Slightly more than a decade ago as California was working its way out of the last devastating recession, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the legislature created the Commission on the 21st Century Economy, chaired by financier Gerald Parsky. Often referred to as the Parsky Commission, it boldly followed its mandate to create a new tax structure […]
New Shutdown Points to a Dimming CA Economy
If there were a stock exchange dedicated exclusively to California’s fiscal health it would take a drubbing with the double announcement from Gov. Gavin Newsom closing down many work establishments that were opened just a month ago and large school districts in the state announcing they would remain closed and go to online learning instead […]
Racial Soul-Searching and White Comfort
During this time of national reflection on racial issues, the terms white privilege, white supremacy, and white power have been bandied about plentifully. A different term has been offered up by eminent Los Angeles civil rights attorney, Connie Rice, in assessing the potential outcomes from current protests: white comfort. I asked Rice where this latest […]
Proposition 17 and a Case of Good Timing
One ballot measure expected to get little notice this election season is Proposition 17, granting voting rights to parolees. Yet, because of the increased focus on judicial reform spurred by the protests following George Floyd’s killing, Prop 17 will be wrapped within, and benefit from, the justice reform movement. The California Constitution prohibits felons serving […]