Exempt All Small Businesses Under AB 5
When the phone calls come into the National Federation of Independent Business/California offices about AB 5 we know the questions will boil down to this: Is our type of business one of the lucky ones that gained an exemption under the new worker classification law? We’ve developed flow charts and explanations on how different businesses […]
A Brief Note on Being the Envy of the World
Ninety-nine percent of all statistics only tell forty-nine percent of the story.” – Ron DeLegge, Financial Author Having a high rate of economic growth solves a lot of problems. From government’s perspective, as businesses invest more and consumers spend more, there is ample tax revenue to fund ongoing priorities like education as well as short-term initiatives. […]
Californians Reject New Taxes and Borrowing
The preliminary election returns reported on March 4th – the day after the election, and the day when we used to get final returns – indicate that California’s voters delivered a stunning rejection of new taxes and borrowing. It’s about time. At the state level, Prop.13 which would have authorized $15 billion in general obligation […]
Coronavirus might spur action on homelessness where “medieval” diseases failed to do so
The homeless crisis in California has often been referred to as a public health crisis, yet despite nasty and ancient diseases discovered in homeless encampments, there has been no urgent statewide mandates to deal with homelessness. COVID-19, the Coronavirus, a modern-day disease, that has captured the attention of the world might change that. When “medieval […]
2020 Election Shows One Reason Why Newsom Will Never Be President
Gavin Newsom is actually trying to govern California—with balance, with thoroughness, with a mix of idealism and practicality. And that is why he will never be president. In this election season, Democrats may have offered some political surprises. But the party and its voters have been consistent on one point: they hate actual governance. Being […]
COVID 19 Will End—This Problem Will Not
In addition to its regular pension spending, the State of California is providing an extra $12 billion over a four-year period to boost the assets of the state’s two pension funds in an effort to reduce future pension spending. But the impact will be negligible. That’s because pension liabilities will grow >10x as much over […]
A New Podcast From Some Old Pros
Episode 1: Warren Victim of Sexism? Pundits Disagree That’s one of the hot topics discussed on the premiere episode of Inside Golden State Politics, or IGSP for short. It’s a podcast offering a unique view of the political terrain from L.A. to Sacramento to Washington. The podcast features Bill Boyarsky, former columnist, city editor and […]
Triskaidekaphobia
Triskaidekaphobia: noun – fear concerning the number 13. Failure is an orphan, but in politics its authors still need a fall guy. Hence the odd notion being advanced that the statewide school bond proposal heading for defeat was injured by its ballot designation: Proposition 13. “If it passes, it was because it was a school […]
From Bakersfield, You Can See Forever
From Yosemite Valley to the Golden Gate, California boasts extraordinary vistas. But if you’re looking for the state’s most thought-provoking view, skip the beaches and mountains, and head for Bakersfield’s Panorama Park. When you walk through this narrow neighborhood park atop the Panorama Bluffs on Bakersfield’s northern edge, you don’t actually see everything. It only […]