DEC. 31, 2010 By WAYNE LUSVARDI and RICH McKONE We have all seen the TV videos of the overcrowded conditions in California’s prisons. But, do these visuals reflect reality or are they highly managed Hollywood stage sets? If I told you the Golden State Freeway (I-5) was congested but I did...
December, 2010Crime Hikes Don’t Cause Prison CrowdsThursday, December 30th, 2010There’s Something About MaryThursday, December 30th, 2010DEC. 30, 2010 By K. LLOYD BILLINGSLEY The Sacramento Bee is publishing an eight-part series on “Californians to watch in 2011.” The Dec. 28 profile of Mary Nichols by Rick Daysog fails to mention key reasons why Californians might want to keep a close watch on the California Air Resources ... FPPC Investigates Ex-DMV StaffWednesday, December 29th, 2010DEC. 29, 2010 By ANTHONY PIGNATARO It’s always fun to watch one government agency investigate another agency. Or, recently departed agency personnel, as in this case, which popped up about two weeks ago. On Dec. 14, the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) opened an investigation... New Year’s Water Bond ResolutionsMonday, December 27th, 2010DEC. 27, 2010 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Everyone has had the disappointing experience of opening up a Christmas time holiday gift and finding something entirely useless or even lacking sentimental value. So it may be with California’s five previous water bonds. Examining these prior water bonds ma... Dems Prepping State For Tax HikesWednesday, December 22nd, 2010DEC. 22, 2010 By STEVEN GREENHUT As the year ends, let's review where Californians stand with its busted budget. This piece was published in PublicSectorInc. California's Democratic leaders would have you believe that our state's budget has been cut to the bone. They contend that the state... Lockyer Tries To Calm Bond MarketsWednesday, December 22nd, 2010DEC. 22, 2010 By WAYNE LUSVARDI In an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer got on his high horse to state “California isn’t broken,” won’t default on its debt payments, and isn’t anti-business. Lockyer obviously is trying to issue some reassurance t... Judges Blast Pricey ComputersTuesday, December 21st, 2010DEC. 21, 2010 By KATY GRIMES The state's Department of Motor Vehicles is notorious for glacially paced licensing procedures, lackluster customer service and a horrifically expensive, unreliable computer system. But the DMV isn’t the only state agency sporting pricey computers wrought with p... CARB Vote Full Of Self CongratsMonday, December 20th, 2010DEC, 20, 2010 By DAVE ROBERTS “This is the end of the beginning,” declared California Air Resources Board (CARB) member Ron Roberts on Thursday before the board approved a plan they have been working on for four years that's designed to help save the planet from the potential environmenta... Alt Energy Makes State Budget RedderMonday, December 20th, 2010DEC. 20, 2010 By LAER PEARCE When the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show opened last month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was there, which is not surprising since the manly man is quite the car lover. Remember his H1 Hummer? Or his Ferrari 360 Spider? But this time, he was standing in front of a disp... CA Economy Holding Back NationMonday, December 20th, 2010 DEC. 20, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Strong doses of reality keep throwing cold water over Gov.-elect Jerry Brown. The mess left behind by departing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger seems to grow worse every day. The latest cold water splashing comes from California Lutheran University's Center for Econo... |