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Can California Make Room for Home-Based Businesses?

According to a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California, a startling one-in-four Californians now works remotely, with one-in-seven blending office and home-based work. And if you ask Californians what they prefer, a third say they would like to stay fully remote next year, while a quarter say ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Pandemic Response Grew Government ‘Barriers to Opportunity’ for Entrepreneurs

Government actions to “help” small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened pre-pandemic government-imposed burdens to entrepreneurship, finds the final paper in the Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunityseries released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute, a California-based, free-market think tank. Click here to download a copy ...
Blog

Who Will Benefit from the Great Gas Tax Rebate Debate of 2022?

By Tim Anaya and Wayne Winegarden The news that average gas prices per gallon in Los Angeles County have soared past $6 per gallon has triggered the “Great Gas Tax Rebate Debate of 2022.” Democrats and Republicans in Sacramento are pushing dueling gas tax relief proposals. Legislative Republicans have proposed ...
Business & Economics

Wealth Taxes are Economic Failures

By Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson California Assemblymember Alex Lee should have studied Europe’s experiences before introducing his wealth tax proposal. Had he done so, he never would have introduced Assembly Bill 2289 that, if adopted, would impose 1% annual tax rate on couples with net worths exceeding $50 million and ...
Blog

AB 5 is Taking Away Opportunities for Communities of Color & Low-Income Communities

Editor’s Note:  On Monday, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in Business and Economics, was invited to testify before the California advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the civil rights implications of California’s controversial AB 5.  Winegarden’s comments as written are presented below: Madam/Mister Chairperson, members ...
Business & Economics

The Problems with CEQA – with Chris Carr

The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, is a 50-year-old law responsible for holding up many projects in the state due to its labyrinthian process and its vulnerability to lawsuits. Across the state, housing developments, schools, hospitals, even bike paths and wildfire mitigation efforts have been stymied by CEQA. Chris ...
Business & Economics

The Expanding Broadband Infrastructure Is A Private Sector Success Story

Recent data on prices provides important perspective regarding the $65 billion that Congress and President Biden will now spend on broadband infrastructure over the next ten years. According to the White House, the purpose of these expenditures is to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Rejecting Push to Restrict Gig Entrepreneurship Key to Driving Innovation, Economic Growth, Higher Incomes

Amid a renewed push in Congress and states to enact new gig economy restrictions following California’s controversial AB 5, a new study released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute finds that enacting these harmful laws would hinder innovation and restrict people’s ability to become entrepreneurs and provide for their ...
Business & Economics

The Empty Case for Stakeholder Capitalism and ESG Investing

Instead of promoting responsible behavior, these practices undermine the principles of good corporate governance. Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, is selling the idea that the world economy must embrace stakeholder capitalism and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. Don’t worry, though, he wants you to know that stakeholder ...
Blog

Proposed Law Would Hurt, Not Help, Fast Food Workers

Legislation in Sacramento that falls neatly into the “only in California” category is a bill that would make the state the sole arbiter of “​​industry-wide standards on wages and working conditions in the fast food industry.” The private sector seems to be losing ground nearly every day in this bluest ...
Blog

Can California Make Room for Home-Based Businesses?

According to a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California, a startling one-in-four Californians now works remotely, with one-in-seven blending office and home-based work. And if you ask Californians what they prefer, a third say they would like to stay fully remote next year, while a quarter say ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Pandemic Response Grew Government ‘Barriers to Opportunity’ for Entrepreneurs

Government actions to “help” small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened pre-pandemic government-imposed burdens to entrepreneurship, finds the final paper in the Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunityseries released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute, a California-based, free-market think tank. Click here to download a copy ...
Blog

Who Will Benefit from the Great Gas Tax Rebate Debate of 2022?

By Tim Anaya and Wayne Winegarden The news that average gas prices per gallon in Los Angeles County have soared past $6 per gallon has triggered the “Great Gas Tax Rebate Debate of 2022.” Democrats and Republicans in Sacramento are pushing dueling gas tax relief proposals. Legislative Republicans have proposed ...
Business & Economics

Wealth Taxes are Economic Failures

By Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson California Assemblymember Alex Lee should have studied Europe’s experiences before introducing his wealth tax proposal. Had he done so, he never would have introduced Assembly Bill 2289 that, if adopted, would impose 1% annual tax rate on couples with net worths exceeding $50 million and ...
Blog

AB 5 is Taking Away Opportunities for Communities of Color & Low-Income Communities

Editor’s Note:  On Monday, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in Business and Economics, was invited to testify before the California advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the civil rights implications of California’s controversial AB 5.  Winegarden’s comments as written are presented below: Madam/Mister Chairperson, members ...
Business & Economics

The Problems with CEQA – with Chris Carr

The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, is a 50-year-old law responsible for holding up many projects in the state due to its labyrinthian process and its vulnerability to lawsuits. Across the state, housing developments, schools, hospitals, even bike paths and wildfire mitigation efforts have been stymied by CEQA. Chris ...
Business & Economics

The Expanding Broadband Infrastructure Is A Private Sector Success Story

Recent data on prices provides important perspective regarding the $65 billion that Congress and President Biden will now spend on broadband infrastructure over the next ten years. According to the White House, the purpose of these expenditures is to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Rejecting Push to Restrict Gig Entrepreneurship Key to Driving Innovation, Economic Growth, Higher Incomes

Amid a renewed push in Congress and states to enact new gig economy restrictions following California’s controversial AB 5, a new study released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute finds that enacting these harmful laws would hinder innovation and restrict people’s ability to become entrepreneurs and provide for their ...
Business & Economics

The Empty Case for Stakeholder Capitalism and ESG Investing

Instead of promoting responsible behavior, these practices undermine the principles of good corporate governance. Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, is selling the idea that the world economy must embrace stakeholder capitalism and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. Don’t worry, though, he wants you to know that stakeholder ...
Blog

Proposed Law Would Hurt, Not Help, Fast Food Workers

Legislation in Sacramento that falls neatly into the “only in California” category is a bill that would make the state the sole arbiter of “​​industry-wide standards on wages and working conditions in the fast food industry.” The private sector seems to be losing ground nearly every day in this bluest ...
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