Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye
With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008, our site was designed to offer an opportunity to those who wished to engage in public debate on many issues, especially in politics and business, but found it difficult to get placed in newspaper op-ed pages.
Co-publishers Tom Ross, Bryan Merica and I have kept F&H going over this time investing our own time, funding, and staff help. Last year at this time we considered closing the site, however with an election on the horizon we decided to keep F&H going through the election year. With the election come and gone, and with no sense of additional resources, we have decided to close the site down.
Fox and Hounds will live on, at least, with my articles collected in the California State Library.
On a personal note, I have spent over 40 years in California policy and politics. There have been some incredible high moments and some difficult low points. It pains me that politics too often is a blood sport, frequently demonizing the motives of opponents and using the legal system as a weapon in public discourse. At Fox & Hounds, we tried to adhere to the practice of giving all a voice in the debate, yet keep the commentaries civil and avoided personal attacks.
F&H offered the opportunity to publish different perspectives (even ones that criticized my writings!). We had success as indicated by the Washington Post twice citing Fox and Hounds Daily one of the best California political websites and many other positive affirmations and comments received over the years.
Tom, Bryan and I want to thank our many readers and writers for being part of our journey. The publishers of Fox and Hounds Daily believe that we added value to California and its people. We hope you agree.
2014 Brings New Laws Regulating California Businesses
In 2013, California’s Legislature busied itself passing more than 800 new laws. In the coming weeks, CalWatchdog.com will report on the many affecting businesses in 2014.
Overtime for nannies and domestic workers
The “Domestic Workers Bill of Rights,” Assembly Bill 241, by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, “would specially regulate the wages, hours, and working conditions of domestic work employees,” according to the bill’s language. And it would “include childcare providers, caregivers of people with disabilities, sick, convalescing, or elderly persons, house cleaners, housekeepers, maids, and other household occupations.”
Who’s Looking Out for the Middle Class?
Thirty years of political engagement in California politics has led me to the realization that the middle class is woefully underrepresented in this state. Not only that, but this injustice seems amplified with every passing year.
This column has covered the lack of meaningful representation for ordinary citizen taxpayers for more than a decade. Indeed, in October, we exposed the unfairness of Assembly Bill 8, a massive $2.3 billion car tax increase on everyone who relies on their cars for work, errands and everyday life.
Intriguing California Politics for the New Year
2014 could prove to be a wild and wooly year politically in California with many changes in the way the state does business. Or it could see many big changes thwarted. It’s an election year, after all, and legislators may be skittish when it comes to backing a big change and then facing voters.
Of course, this is California, so the voters by ballot initiatives could institute big changes themselves.
Let’s take a look a some of the potential items the political insiders will be chatting about during the course of 2014 — by no means an all inclusive list.
Pension Initiative Will Remove Roadblocks to Reform
During the last decade, the annual cost of public employee retirement benefits in California has skyrocketed from $3 billion to $17 billion per year. In too many cities, retirement costs are approaching or exceeding 20 percent of the entire General Fund. And the costs keep rising.
As a result, governments across the state are struggling to provide essential services. Money is being sucked out of the classroom, public safety and critical infrastructure projects to pay for retirement benefits. There is constant pressure to raise taxes and borrow money. In addition, government employees are suffering layoffs and furloughs, contributing more into their benefits, and enduring wage freezes and pay cuts.
Three Strikes for Reed’s Pension Measure?
December has been the cruelest month for San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and his ballot measure designed to slash the retirement benefits of firefighters, teachers, police officers and other public employees.
The first hit was a long-awaited assessment of the measure by the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office (LAO). As expected, the LAO noted that there could be long-term savings from reducing benefits if the measure passed. But it also pointed out that annual costs could increase “hundreds of millions to billion over the next two decades for governments choosing to increase contributions for unfunded liabilities.”
The Case of the Smoking Congresswoman
I guess in my excitement to put out the CALA 2013 Legal Turkey Awards I overlooked one case in particular that should have been on the list.
The case is that of Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy of New York. Before becoming a Congresswoman, Carolyn McCarthy was a nurse for 30 years and reportedly a heavy smoker for 40 years. Sadly, she was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. This is an awful disease, but for a heavy smoker, it is not surprising. But wait, there is more.