California Must Address Its Dwindling Recycling Capacity
California has for decades led the world in recycling and in making the connection between recycling and environmental and economic sustainability. State laws and policies promulgated in Sacramento have promoted this leadership. Individual Californians have also enthusiastically embraced recycling because they know that it helps reduce pollution, fights climate-change, reduces the need for raw materials, […]
To Fix the Energy Shortage, Forgot the Blame Game
Even as California continues to deal with the consequences of repeated rolling blackouts, people are already fighting over who is to blame. In this case there are a lot of usual suspects, ranging from incompetent utility planning to a mania for mandated renewable power. But while the blame game has its place, it also misses […]
Bills on the Governor’s Desk – 2020 Session
Now that the 2020 California Legislative Session has adjourned, it is time to look at the forthcoming gubernatorial actions. Pursuant to Article IV, Section 10(b)(2), “Any bill passed by the Legislature before September 1 of the second calendar year of the biennium of the legislative session and in the possession of the Governor on or […]
‘Public Information’ to Promote New Taxes, Paid for by Taxpayers
Did you know your taxes are being used to advocate for more taxes? Well, not exactly. It’s against the law for public agencies to engage in “advocacy.” The people running these agencies who want to raise your taxes may only spend public funds in order to “communicate” with you about their proposals. And so they […]
Legislature is Done for the Year. But Numerous Calls for a Special Session
During the waning days of the shortened legislative session there were at least three appeals to the governor to call a special session of the legislature to complete pressing business. His office has indicated he is unlikely to do so. Not that many legislators want the session to continue. Normally legislators would rather be out […]
Energy Storage will get us out of this Mess
So here we are again, with blackouts in California, but the cause is new. We are starting to see the need to shore up one critical piece of our renewable energy strategy: energy storage. It is only by adding enough energy storage that we can support peak load after the sun has set. Some people […]
California lawmakers failed to enact sweeping police reforms. Here’s why.
Last summer, when California passed a landmark law meant to reduce police shootings, lawmakers praised the mothers, fathers and activists who had packed the Capitol throughout the year. They wore T-shirts memorializing shooting victims. Filled hallways with songs and prayer. Laid flowers at the doorsteps of politicians’ offices. And lined up, sometimes by the hundreds, […]
Legislature leaves much undone
When the Legislature reconvened in January, the stage was seemingly set for a year of sweeping action on California’s most vexing political issues, such as a chronic housing shortage, homelessness and an embarrassingly high poverty rate. Democrats enjoyed overwhelming majorities in both legislative houses, the Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, was fond of pursuing “big hairy, […]
SF DA Harris’s Surprising Decision Dealing with Prop 8, the Anti-Gay Marriage Initiative
Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate, and her subsequent nomination at the Democratic national convention, was generally applauded by civil rights activists, Typical of that praise was an Aug. 19 op-ed by Sasha Issenberg in the Washington Post, “”Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Both Worked For Gay Marriage – […]
Mayors’ Reasons for Supporting Prop. 15 Don’t Hold Up
Fifteen California mayors, including mayors of some of California’s biggest cities, signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to endorse Proposition 15, the commercial property tax increase on the November ballot. However, the main reasons the mayors used to support their position don’t stand up to a real-world examination of the facts. The […]