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Assembly Progressives’ Solution to Astronomical Gas Prices? Increase Taxes on Gas

Only in California will you witness Assembly progressives hijacking a bill that suspends a tax to gut-and-amend it with language that enacts a new tax. Assemblymember Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) introduced Assembly Bill 1638 at the beginning of this year in response to the considerable jump in gas prices following the ...
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 ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Competitive Markets Reduce Electricity Costs, Improve Reliability, Lower Emissions

States with competitive electricity markets saw cheaper energy prices, more energy infrastructure investment to improve efficiency and reliability, and greater emission reductions compared to monopoly states, finds a new study released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute, a California-based, free-market think tank. “Residents and businesses lose out when states ...
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

California Migrating – Panel Discussion

This podcast is a recorded panel discussion from PRI’s annual Ideas in Action conference in February. Californians and California businesses have been moving out of the state in droves. This panel discusses the causes of outmigration and what we can do to stem the tide.
Business & Economics

Rent control in response to rising housing costs? Wayne Winegarden responds on NTD News

Is enacting rent control measures a positive approach to dramatically rising housing costs? Watch economist and PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden respond below.
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

Biden’s Non-Plan for Fighting Inflation

In a recent survey, Americans ranked inflation as the most urgent issue facing the country.  So, our ears perked up when Pres. Biden began laying out his plan to bring down inflation in his State of the Union address.  After listening to his speech, you can’t help but think that ...
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 ...
Blog

Assembly Progressives’ Solution to Astronomical Gas Prices? Increase Taxes on Gas

Only in California will you witness Assembly progressives hijacking a bill that suspends a tax to gut-and-amend it with language that enacts a new tax. Assemblymember Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) introduced Assembly Bill 1638 at the beginning of this year in response to the considerable jump in gas prices following the ...
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 ...
Business & Economics

NEW STUDY: Competitive Markets Reduce Electricity Costs, Improve Reliability, Lower Emissions

States with competitive electricity markets saw cheaper energy prices, more energy infrastructure investment to improve efficiency and reliability, and greater emission reductions compared to monopoly states, finds a new study released today by the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute, a California-based, free-market think tank. “Residents and businesses lose out when states ...
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

California Migrating – Panel Discussion

This podcast is a recorded panel discussion from PRI’s annual Ideas in Action conference in February. Californians and California businesses have been moving out of the state in droves. This panel discusses the causes of outmigration and what we can do to stem the tide.
Business & Economics

Rent control in response to rising housing costs? Wayne Winegarden responds on NTD News

Is enacting rent control measures a positive approach to dramatically rising housing costs? Watch economist and PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden respond below.
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

Biden’s Non-Plan for Fighting Inflation

In a recent survey, Americans ranked inflation as the most urgent issue facing the country.  So, our ears perked up when Pres. Biden began laying out his plan to bring down inflation in his State of the Union address.  After listening to his speech, you can’t help but think that ...
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 ...
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