Steven Greenhut: Gov. Jerry Brown has, finally some would say, released a pension-reform proposal. We will analyze this carefully, but it looks like he is simply going after the low-hanging fruit -- the abuses rather than the fundamental unaffordable pension formulas. Still, it's something and his "...
March, 2011Brown Endorses Pension ReformThursday, March 31st, 2011IJ Calls For GOP To End RDAsThursday, March 31st, 2011Steven Greenhut: Here is a press release from the Institute for Justice regarding Assembly Republicans' decision to save redevelopment agencies. Institute for Justice Calls on California Republicans To Eliminate Costly and Abusive Redevelopment Agencies Arlington, Va.—The Institute for ... Card Check Bill Passes SenateThursday, March 31st, 2011Katy Grimes: The "card check" bill, SB 104, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, passed the Senate this morning 24-14, after a heated debate. "This bill would permit agricultural employees, as an alternative procedure, to select their labor representatives by su... Spending Actually $121 Bill HigherThursday, March 31st, 2011 John Seiler: The wrangling over the $12 billion in taxes in Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed 2011-12 budget of $86 billion usually ignores something: All the federal tax money California gets. The Bee reports: The federal government gave California's state government $120.7 billion in the 2009-10 fi... I Can’t Afford a Tax IncreaseWednesday, March 30th, 2011 John Seiler: I usually make coffee at home. But this morning, I got a Starbucks. Fishing around in my wallet for the money, I noticed I only had a couple of dollars left. Yet I recently patronized the cash machine. The culprit: soaring gas prices that now cost me $70 to fill up my flivver at t... Educators Threaten Classroom CutsTuesday, March 29th, 2011Katy Grimes: The latest budget threat over Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax extensions is coming from a group of school superintendents in the state who are urging Republican lawmakers to accept the tax extensions. Brown says the tax extensions will raise at least $12 million toward closing the budg... Logue Critical of Green BillTuesday, March 29th, 2011Katy Grimes: There were outbursts and antics on the floor of the Assembly today while legislators debated a green energy bill authored by Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian (Palo Alto). SB 2 would increase California's renewables portfolio standard to require all retail sellers of electricity and public... Who’s Drinking the Budget Kool-Aid?Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 John Seiler: Some budget action might take place today. But who knows. Meanwhile, government apologist Peter Schrag charges that Republicans, "having swallowed Grover Norquist's no-new-taxes Kool-Aid, and intimidated by a couple of Southern California radio talkers, would try to block any vers... Import Gov. Cuomo to California!Monday, March 28th, 2011 John Seiler: Why is it that, whether our governors are Democrat or Republican, they always increase taxes? Republican Govs. Wilson and Schwarzenegger increased taxes. So did Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. And Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown now is pushing $12 billion in tax hikes. Meanwhile, Gov. And... Is the GOP Dead in California?Monday, March 28th, 2011 John Seiler: When I first got interested in politics as a kid in the 1960s, people talked of the "Solid South," meaning only Democrats got elected there. The region was dominated by old segregationists like Sen. John Stennis of Mississippi (pictured at right). Because only Democrats won electi... |