Tim Anaya
Blog
Next Tax Increases on the Docket: Two Proposed Tax Hikes on the Rich
When the 2020-21 state budget was enacted a few months back, I made the case that the majority party’s spending plan essentially sets the stage for an upcoming battle over tax increases. Back in 2011, former Gov. Jerry Brown pushed a budget plan that was heavily reliant on “trigger cuts,” ...
Blog
Let the Legislature’s End of Session Games Begin
As the calendar shifts into August, there’s less than a month to go in the wildest legislative session in recent memory. The turning of the calendar also marks the return of the Legislature’s annual end-of-session games. No, I’m not talking about “legislative bingo” (which is a real thing where legislators ...
Blog
High on Spending, Light on Stimulus: Legislative Democrats Propose $100 Billion Borrowing Plan
This week in Washington, Democrats and Republicans are squabbling over the next economic stimulus package. Republicans have proposed a roughly $1 trillion plan, while Speaker Pelosi is pushing a $3 trillion plan. The partisan haggling and negotiations via shuttle diplomacy have already begun. Upon returning from their summer recess, Sacramento ...
Blog
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
Blog
Notes from Taxifornia
Last week, as millions of Californians filed their tax returns on the delayed July 15 tax deadline, there was good and bad news on the tax increase front in Taxifornia. Split Roll Tax Increase Campaign Based on Class Warfare I wrote last month that how the 2020-21 state budget deal, ...
Blog
Latest Rankings Further Proof California Must Remove Barriers to Opportunity
Recently, I attended a webinar hosted by the Legatum Institute, a UK-based think tank, where they discussed the results of their latest “Prosperity Index”. According to the Index’s executive summary, Legatum hopes that “nations around the world (will) assess their strengths and weaknesses (in the rankings) to determine the economic ...
Blog
Budget Trailer Bills Prove Once Again the “Devil is in the Details”
On Monday, Gov. Newsom announced via press release that he had signed the 2020-21 state budget. Naturally, much of the budget press coverage typically focuses on the debate between the Governor and the Legislature and the total state spending picture. Often overlooked are the budget “trailer bills” – the policy ...
Blog
Budget Debate Setting the Stage for Massive Tax Increase Push This Fall
At long last, Gov. Newsom and Democratic leaders have reached a budget agreement. Now lawmakers will race to pass the final legislation as the clock ticks down toward the June 30th deadline for the Gov. to sign a balanced budget. For many days, Newsom and the Legislature’s Democratic leadership disagreed ...
Blog
Would ACA 25 Greenlight a Legislative Power Grab During State of Emergency?
Kiefer Sutherland taught us in “Designated Survivor” the importance of having strong processes in place to ensure continuity of government during an extreme crisis. Spurred on by the coronavirus, lawmakers are trying to put a legislative emergency contingency plan in the State Constitution. If approved by voters, Assembly Constitutional Amendment ...
Blog
What We’re Watching – June 5
Tim Anaya – Digging Up Ways to Lower Costs for High Value but Expensive Drugs In the latest video in the “Escape the Drug Pricing Maze” video, Sage the Detective Dog digs up clues on biologics and gene therapies – drugs that offer tremendous value for patients but are some ...
Next Tax Increases on the Docket: Two Proposed Tax Hikes on the Rich
When the 2020-21 state budget was enacted a few months back, I made the case that the majority party’s spending plan essentially sets the stage for an upcoming battle over tax increases. Back in 2011, former Gov. Jerry Brown pushed a budget plan that was heavily reliant on “trigger cuts,” ...
Let the Legislature’s End of Session Games Begin
As the calendar shifts into August, there’s less than a month to go in the wildest legislative session in recent memory. The turning of the calendar also marks the return of the Legislature’s annual end-of-session games. No, I’m not talking about “legislative bingo” (which is a real thing where legislators ...
High on Spending, Light on Stimulus: Legislative Democrats Propose $100 Billion Borrowing Plan
This week in Washington, Democrats and Republicans are squabbling over the next economic stimulus package. Republicans have proposed a roughly $1 trillion plan, while Speaker Pelosi is pushing a $3 trillion plan. The partisan haggling and negotiations via shuttle diplomacy have already begun. Upon returning from their summer recess, Sacramento ...
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
Notes from Taxifornia
Last week, as millions of Californians filed their tax returns on the delayed July 15 tax deadline, there was good and bad news on the tax increase front in Taxifornia. Split Roll Tax Increase Campaign Based on Class Warfare I wrote last month that how the 2020-21 state budget deal, ...
Latest Rankings Further Proof California Must Remove Barriers to Opportunity
Recently, I attended a webinar hosted by the Legatum Institute, a UK-based think tank, where they discussed the results of their latest “Prosperity Index”. According to the Index’s executive summary, Legatum hopes that “nations around the world (will) assess their strengths and weaknesses (in the rankings) to determine the economic ...
Budget Trailer Bills Prove Once Again the “Devil is in the Details”
On Monday, Gov. Newsom announced via press release that he had signed the 2020-21 state budget. Naturally, much of the budget press coverage typically focuses on the debate between the Governor and the Legislature and the total state spending picture. Often overlooked are the budget “trailer bills” – the policy ...
Budget Debate Setting the Stage for Massive Tax Increase Push This Fall
At long last, Gov. Newsom and Democratic leaders have reached a budget agreement. Now lawmakers will race to pass the final legislation as the clock ticks down toward the June 30th deadline for the Gov. to sign a balanced budget. For many days, Newsom and the Legislature’s Democratic leadership disagreed ...
Would ACA 25 Greenlight a Legislative Power Grab During State of Emergency?
Kiefer Sutherland taught us in “Designated Survivor” the importance of having strong processes in place to ensure continuity of government during an extreme crisis. Spurred on by the coronavirus, lawmakers are trying to put a legislative emergency contingency plan in the State Constitution. If approved by voters, Assembly Constitutional Amendment ...
What We’re Watching – June 5
Tim Anaya – Digging Up Ways to Lower Costs for High Value but Expensive Drugs In the latest video in the “Escape the Drug Pricing Maze” video, Sage the Detective Dog digs up clues on biologics and gene therapies – drugs that offer tremendous value for patients but are some ...
