Budget and Finance

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How CA GOP can have fun with the budget, Democrats

Jan. 31, 2013 By John Seiler I keep giving Republicans ideas so they can have some fun with Democrats. So far, the GOP remains about as fun-loving as teetotaler at a Sonora wine-tasting party. But here’s an idea. Proposition 30

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There are no Henry Cuellars among CA’s Democratic pols

Jan. 29, 2013 By Chris Reed As a libertarian believer in free minds and free markets, I’ve watched for decades the uneasy coalition in the Republican Party of libertarians/libertarian lites and determined social conservatives. What the former hold most dear

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Affluence police tee off on Mickelson

Jan. 28, 2013 By Steven Greenhut SACRAMENTO — After hearing the criticism directed toward golfer Phil Mickelson for his modest comments about California’s highest-in-the-nation tax rates giving him cause to consider relocating, I was left wondering: What country do we

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California, the union state

Jan. 27, 2013 By Joseph Perkins  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week that the national union membership rate (the percentage of wage and salary workers who are members of a union) fell to 11.3 last year from

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Jerry Brown’s ignorant — literally — views on school reform

Jan. 25, 2013 By Chris Reed Gov. Jerry Brown likes to dress up his speeches with quotes and literary references, so here’s one for Jerry: Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. I bring up

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Barterers Beware: Taxman wants his take

Jan. 24, 2014 By John Hrabe A&E’s “Barter Kings” make trading look easy. In one recent episode, professional traders Antonio Palazzola and Steve McHugh started with a beer-making kit, and through a series of transactions, ultimately walked away with a

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Compton Unified’s sharp attendance jump: Too good to be true?

Jan. 22 By Chris Reed The SIA Cabinet Report education news site has a report up about a stunning jump in attendance at Compton Unified schools: “The K-12 district of some 25,000 pupils reported an increase during the 2011-12 school

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Crazifornia: Franchise Tax Board kills the Golden State Goose

Jan. 22, 2013 By Laer Pearce California’s hostility towards business, and willingness to tax it into oblivion, is storied. As State Senator Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, is quoted in my recent book, “Crazifornia“: “I am tired of my constituents and other

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