February, 2011“Balance” Is Missing From BudgetThursday, February 24th, 2011 FEB. 25, 2011 By KATY GRIMES SACRAMENTO -- As the Budget Conference Committee hearings began on Wednesday, Republicans challenged the frequent use of the word “balanced” for describing the tax increases and budget cuts within the governor’s budget proposal. With Republicans and Democrats... Little Hoover: Cut Current PensionsThursday, February 24th, 2011 John Seiler: It's not Wisconsin -- yet. But today the Little Hoover Commission released a new report on California pensions that pushed forward the serious cutting of government-worker costs on the state budget. "Public Pensions for Retirement Security" is 106 pages of well-reasoned analysis o... Gov. Gets Snarky With HarkeyThursday, February 24th, 2011Katy Grimes: In a surprise appearance today, Governor Jerry Brown met with the Conference Committee on the Budget in order to push legislators to vote for his proposal to place tax increase extensions on the ballot in a June special election. After Brown made his presentation to the committee, pe... Bulldoze Williamson Act Subsidies?Thursday, February 24th, 2011 Feb. 24, 2011 By DAVE ROBERTS There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth over Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget cuts, but the outcry over elimination of state subsidies for millionaire landowners may be overkill. Brown has zeroed out funding for the Williamson Act, which this year is providi... Economist on Government UnionsThursday, February 24th, 2011 John Seiler: Economist Thomas DiLorenzo, who recently testified in Congress before Ron Paul's subcommittee on monetary policy, has a great new article on public-employee unions. He writes: The main reason why so many state and local governments are bankrupt, or on the verge of bankruptcy, is the... Supreme Court Upholds States’ Flexible Inmate RuleThursday, February 24th, 2011Native Americans Sue To Halt Solar ProjectsThursday, February 24th, 2011New Taxpayer Caucus Takes Hard Line On BudgetThursday, February 24th, 20112/3 Wis. 8th Graders Not ProficientWednesday, February 23rd, 2011 John Seiler: Wisconsin teachers have been on strike. And they object to Gov. Scott Walker's move to end or limit collective bargaining. They're also the highest-paid teachers in the Midwest. So, how well are they teaching? This is from CNS News: Two-thirds of the eighth graders in Wisconsin p... Decent Bill to Ban RedevelopmentWednesday, February 23rd, 2011John Seiler: After Gov. Jerry Brown in January proposed ending redevelopment to save $1.7 billion currently wasted, cities took action: They worked to lock up the money for themselves. Now, Brown is advancing a bill that would allow the state to review such actions. I have a lot of problems... |