Kerry Jackson

Blog

Which Sinks First: The Creaky Queen Mary or Foundering California?

The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach since 1967, could sink “if something is not done soon,” the media reported last week.  An overactive imagination isn’t needed to see this as a metaphor for California. “After years of neglect by a string of operators,” says the Los Angeles Times, “the ...
Agriculture

Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike

Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Blog

Requiring Uber/Lyft Drivers to Go Green Is Costly and Unrealistic Virtue Signaling

In a state where residents are increasingly given orders rather than more choices, an unelected group has decided that by 2030, 90% of all rideshare miles must occur in electric cars. We’re expected to accept this as progress. It will turn out to be anything but. The California Air Resources ...
Blog

California’s Door-Knock Vaccination Squad: Maybe Just A Bit Creepy?

With California just weeks away from a full re-opening, the state has sent out a small army of people who are “knocking on doors in order to get as many Californians vaccinated as possible,” the Sacramento Bee reported last week. Did no one think this might be a bad idea? ...
Blog

California DAs Hope to Slow the Flow of Early Inmate Releases

The planned early release of 76,000 inmates from California prisons is a big meal not well digested by prosecutors across the state. “Allowing the early release of the most dangerous criminals, shortening sentences as much as 50%, impacts crime victims and creates a serious public safety risk,” says Sacramento County ...
California

$12 billion to house the homeless, but ‘housing first’ doesn’t work

The governor has plans to spend an extraordinary sum of public money on the homeless, most of which would be used to put them up in hotels. Sounds compassionate. But it’s another empty promise. Housing-first policy is indistinguishable from housing-and-nothing-else. Part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $100 billion “California Comeback Plan” ...
Homelessness

$12 billion to house the homeless, but ‘housing first’ doesn’t work

The governor has plans to spend an extraordinary sum of public money on the homeless, most of which would be used to put them up in hotels. Sounds compassionate. But it’s another empty promise. Housing-first policy is indistinguishable from housing-and-nothing-else. Part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $100 billion “California Comeback Plan” ...
Blog

Being An Entrepreneur In San Francisco Is A Financially Punishing Experience

Living in San Francisco is a dollar-burning experience. It’s the most expensive housing market in the country, and the cost of living is higher only in Manhattan. But what about building a business in the city that fancies itself as The City? Don’t even ask. Nevertheless, we’re here to tell, ...
Blog

CAPITAL IDEAS: California’s Past, Even if Not Perfect, Set Up Its Prosperous Future

DOWNLOAD PDF Even before it was a state, California was the New World’s new world. Everything that the Western Hemisphere promised was condensed and amplified in what became the 31st state. Not only was it arguably the greatest land of opportunity in human history, but rather than having exhausted itself ...
Blackouts

Blackouts, Increasing Crime, Rampant Homelessness, And Man-Made Drought: Is This California Or A Third World Nation?

While still trying to process the unwelcome news that we’re going to have to grind through yet another year of drought, California energy officials told us to also be ready for the power to go out when the days grow long and warm. “The managers of California’s electricity system,” the ...
Blog

Which Sinks First: The Creaky Queen Mary or Foundering California?

The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach since 1967, could sink “if something is not done soon,” the media reported last week.  An overactive imagination isn’t needed to see this as a metaphor for California. “After years of neglect by a string of operators,” says the Los Angeles Times, “the ...
Agriculture

Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike

Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Blog

Requiring Uber/Lyft Drivers to Go Green Is Costly and Unrealistic Virtue Signaling

In a state where residents are increasingly given orders rather than more choices, an unelected group has decided that by 2030, 90% of all rideshare miles must occur in electric cars. We’re expected to accept this as progress. It will turn out to be anything but. The California Air Resources ...
Blog

California’s Door-Knock Vaccination Squad: Maybe Just A Bit Creepy?

With California just weeks away from a full re-opening, the state has sent out a small army of people who are “knocking on doors in order to get as many Californians vaccinated as possible,” the Sacramento Bee reported last week. Did no one think this might be a bad idea? ...
Blog

California DAs Hope to Slow the Flow of Early Inmate Releases

The planned early release of 76,000 inmates from California prisons is a big meal not well digested by prosecutors across the state. “Allowing the early release of the most dangerous criminals, shortening sentences as much as 50%, impacts crime victims and creates a serious public safety risk,” says Sacramento County ...
California

$12 billion to house the homeless, but ‘housing first’ doesn’t work

The governor has plans to spend an extraordinary sum of public money on the homeless, most of which would be used to put them up in hotels. Sounds compassionate. But it’s another empty promise. Housing-first policy is indistinguishable from housing-and-nothing-else. Part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $100 billion “California Comeback Plan” ...
Homelessness

$12 billion to house the homeless, but ‘housing first’ doesn’t work

The governor has plans to spend an extraordinary sum of public money on the homeless, most of which would be used to put them up in hotels. Sounds compassionate. But it’s another empty promise. Housing-first policy is indistinguishable from housing-and-nothing-else. Part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $100 billion “California Comeback Plan” ...
Blog

Being An Entrepreneur In San Francisco Is A Financially Punishing Experience

Living in San Francisco is a dollar-burning experience. It’s the most expensive housing market in the country, and the cost of living is higher only in Manhattan. But what about building a business in the city that fancies itself as The City? Don’t even ask. Nevertheless, we’re here to tell, ...
Blog

CAPITAL IDEAS: California’s Past, Even if Not Perfect, Set Up Its Prosperous Future

DOWNLOAD PDF Even before it was a state, California was the New World’s new world. Everything that the Western Hemisphere promised was condensed and amplified in what became the 31st state. Not only was it arguably the greatest land of opportunity in human history, but rather than having exhausted itself ...
Blackouts

Blackouts, Increasing Crime, Rampant Homelessness, And Man-Made Drought: Is This California Or A Third World Nation?

While still trying to process the unwelcome news that we’re going to have to grind through yet another year of drought, California energy officials told us to also be ready for the power to go out when the days grow long and warm. “The managers of California’s electricity system,” the ...
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