Covering School Funding in Time of Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has interfered with many functions that could result in long-term changes. At-home workers might become more plentiful after the crisis passes (perhaps even helping to solve the problem of crowded freeways); limited sports seasons may lead to fewer games in the future on basketball and baseball schedules; and even consideration of California’s […]
Another Peculiar Victory for Top Two
Top two has scored another victory for its supporters, which is to say there’s been yet another defeat for California democracy. This dubious victory was in the Santa Clarita Valley, where a March election advanced two Republicans to November’s run-off elections. This happened in a district currently represented by a Democrat. What happened? Top two.
Hypo-Loop and L.A River Basin Planning
There is a movement in Los Angeles to bring the Los Angeles River back to a more natural state by breaking up the famous concrete riverbed. This hazy, simplistic watercourse re-development plan reeks of geo-physical Denialism as well as Green Utopianism and in the end is dangerous. Instead, the river basin should be home to […]
Price Gouging is Good…It Works.
If I were President, or Governor, or the Mayor of Any Town USA, I would call on grocery stores and other retail outlets to start price gouging. That’s right I said it! If I were a rebel and a runner, and I got to run the big machine, I would allow price gouging for any […]
The Ghost of Delayed Budgets Past
The intense reaction to the coronavirus that is upending life as we know it just may resurrect the ghost of delayed budgets that haunted California’s budget process for years. The reason is not the same that caused past budget delays but because of the virus there is a chance the governor and legislature will slow […]
How the Virus May Change Us All
Chances are, the coronavirus pandemic will forever change the way you do business. For one thing, business travel may be reduced. Already, Zoom is zooming; one report last week said videoconferencing traffic in North America and Asia has doubled since the outbreak began. Once execs finally see for themselves that meaningful interchange really can get […]
A Happy Compromise on Solar
Hooray! State policy-makers finally did the right thing for housing affordability. California’s energy regulators recently approved a proposal to power several new-home developments in the Sacramento region using offsite solar systems instead of individual rooftop panels, as the law now requires. In a recent meeting of the California Energy Commission (CEC), the five-member authority decided […]
Stop Demonizing Dean
Dean Logan finally got Angelenos to care enough about elections to actually vote in them. For this, media and politicians are demanding he be investigated and terminated. It really is Chinatown, Dean. Let me start by saying that I’m a fan of Dean, who is L.A. County’s registrar-recorder, a job that makes him the elections […]
AB 5 Raises Taxes — Now It’s Time for Repeal
California taxpayer advocates were disappointed the Legislature recently shot down Assemblyman Kevin Kiley’s proposal to repeal Assembly Bill 5, despite numerous stories from contractors who had come forward to explain how the legislation harms them. AB 5 is a counterproductive policy that involuntarily reclassifies many independent contractors as employees. The law harms the very workers […]