Why Sacramento Fails California—And Itself
There is no better symbol of Sacramento’s failure as California’s capital than the 18-foot-tall stainless-steel sculpture, by artist Jeff Koons, standing outside the city’s downtown arena. It cost the city and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings $8 million. Officially named “Coloring Book #4,” it’s really a representation of the Winnie the Pooh character Piglet. It also […]
Gov. Newsom: Cap-and-trade is not the legislature’s ATM
Right now, small business leaders like me are just trying to survive the twin crises of the past four months. We do understand the budget dilemma our state is now facing, but when the head of California’s Environmental Protection Agency recently said, “We are going to have to make hard decisions,” he was talking about […]
The Protests
Bill and Sherry debate the pace and reality of change demanded by protesters in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police. They also discuss one of the most significant developments in American politics, the emergence of a strong new generation of African American women mayors. And they look at the controversy over […]
The Shifting Adam Schiff and the Battle to “Defund or Defend” the Police
Congressman Adam Schiff announced over the weekend that he is pulling his endorsement from Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey in her re-election bid. Schiff joins Los Angles Mayor Eric Garcetti, another early Lacey endorser, who intimated in an interview that, “it may be time” for a change in leadership in the D.A.’s office. […]
Book Review: Jerry Brown, The Man Who Would be President, or a Monk
Jim Newton’s “Man of Tomorrow: The Relentless Life of Jerry Brown,” explores in unparalleled detail the rich, varied and complex spiritual forces that have shaped the former governor and made him such a challenging political leader. Newton is editor of Blueprint, the public policy magazine of UÇLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a faculty […]
Possible ballot measures from the Legislature for this November’s election
The Legislature by a 2/3 majority vote (and no gubernatorial action) can place measures on the statewide ballot. The Elections Code, absent an amendment, requires the Legislature to do so by this Thursday, June 25. The following constitutional amendments are currently active: ACA 4 (Mullin) Elections: Voting Age – amended in Senate on June 20; […]
The Vacancy Tax: A Rush to Ballot
Without any hearings, the City Council voted to ask the City Attorney to draft a ballot measure to place a vacancy tax on the November ballot. This ballot measure will need to be approved by the City Council not later than July 1. However, the City Council has not held any hearings on this highly […]
On historical figures and statues, where do we draw the line?
Christopher Columbus’ statue is leaving the state capitol. John Sutter’s statue, on whose land the Gold Rush began, has disappeared from Sacramento hospital grounds. Fort Bragg might lose its name. All this is being done in the name of not glorifying undesirable aspects of American history. The appropriate question to ask is where do we […]
California’s “New York State of Mind” Approach to Housing
New York and California are two great states that are uniquely different today, but that may soon change. California is preparing to implement a new set of burdensome regulations, which will dramatically change the future of housing construction in neighborhoods throughout the state by adding high-density housing and creating a greater dependence on mass transit […]
The Disparate Impact of California Climate Policies
To the detriment of those that can least afford expensive energy, California climate policies have driven up the cost of electricity and fuels to be among the highest in the country. The cost burdens of those policies may be fueling (no pun intended) the basis of a rebellion as the state’s climate policies discriminate against […]