October, 2011Cap & Trade ‘Tax Farmers’ Infesting CAMonday, October 31st, 2011 OCT. 31, 2011 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Tax farming was a system used in ancient Persia, Egypt, Rome and Greece of outsourcing taxation to "tax farmers," who bid at auction for the contract rights to collect a particular tax and make money doing so. In postmodern California, Cap and Trade is a prog... Will Reform Forestall Pension Junk Rating?Saturday, October 29th, 2011 OCT. 29, 2011 By CHRISS STREET Jerry Brown, California’s quirky governor, has made a credible first step on the road to reforming the state’s insolvent public pension plans. By racking up $350 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, the state is the global leader for financially irrespons... AB 32 Special Interests Lobby For SubsidiesWednesday, October 26th, 2011 OCT. 26, 2011 By KATY GRIMES While the entire rest of the world has been abandoning climate change, global warming programs and strict alternative energy mandates, California continues to embrace what many call anti-science and anti-economy policies. An informational Senate committee he... CA Bond Rate Flips Downside UpTuesday, October 25th, 2011 OCT. 25, 2011 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Imagine your credit rating goes up even as your income drops. That is the upside down and unreal world that California municipal finance is in. According to Bloomberg.com, California tax revenue fell $654 million below projections in the first quarter of fi... CA Senate Panel Attacks DriversTuesday, October 25th, 2011 OCT. 25, 2011 By KATY GRIMES Supporters of AB 32, California's global warming and climate change law, have been busy planning their next move. A hearing held Monday in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee covered the long-term viability of available fuels needed to meet Californi... S.F. Establishment Hits Pension ReformMonday, October 24th, 2011 Note: The following first appeared in City Journal-California. OCT. 24, 2011 By STEVEN GREENHUT To outsiders, liberal San Francisco may seem preoccupied with leftist protesters occupying prime real estate in the Financial District or with debating proper restaurant etiquette for the cit... Special Treatment For Dem Fraud VictimsMonday, October 24th, 2011OCT. 24, 2011 By KATY GRIMES Democrats are appealing to the Fair Political Practices Commission for special considerations to help alleviate the pain of the recent massive theft of campaign funds. Democratic campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee, arrested on charges of mail fraud, had access to more... CA Still Suffers Second-Worst Jobless RateFriday, October 21st, 2011 OCT 21, 2011 By JOHN SEILER Buddy, can you spare a job? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics today reported that California's unemployment rate dropped just a bit, from 12.1 percent in August to 11.9 percent in September. But the state still is stuck at second-worst in the nation, behind Nev... CARB Pushes Cap & Trade Panic ButtonThursday, October 20th, 2011OCT. 20, 2011 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Panic-button time. Today the California Air Resources Board votes on the final rules for the state’s Cap and Trade emissions trading program, rather than delay a year as previously announced. CARB apparently is sensing the mounting negative public opinion ag... |