California
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Taxing Wealth Tax
The Taxing Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden February 2026 To his credit, Governor Newsom is vowing to stop the wealth tax. As we noted in our response to Governor Newsom’s January budget, just the possibility that a 5 percent wealth tax will appear on the November ballot is having a chilling ...
California
Conservatism Past, Present and Future with Charles Kesler, Matt Continetti and Steven Hayward
This week, we present a special recording of PRI’s recent America 250 kickoff event in Los Angeles featuring a discussion of conservatism past, present, and future as we mark the semiquincentennial of the United States. Offering perspective are Claremont Review of Books editor Charles Kesler, Matt Continetti of the American Enterprise ...
California
California needs budget restraint not double-digit spending increases
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a nearly 9% increase in total state spending for the upcoming fiscal year – that’s a $350 billion budget, more than $8,800 per Californian. Yet, for unions and progressive politicians, this enormous sum is too austere. They are calling on the state to backfill federal ...
Blog
Tough Times Ahead for California in 2026
But he won’t be alone. Difficult times are ahead for all Californians. According to Indian government data, that country’s GDP has reached $4.18 trillion in U.S. dollars. By 2030, India’s GDP is projected to be $7.3 trillion. The most recent numbers from the International Monetary Fund, posted in April 2025, has California at $4.1 trillion. The UCLA Anderson School ...
California
On Minnesota, Davos and California’s Growing Outmigration Trend
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the communications and strategic response to the ICE operation in Minnesota, Gov. Newsom’s trip to Davos to troll President Trump, and the latest estimate showing that California could lose 4 more Congressional seats in the 2030 reapportionment.
Blog
Newsom’s ‘Sunny California Tale’ Masks Nightmare of Thousands Leaving the State
That splashy headline was based on the U-Haul company’s growth index, which each year “ranks states by their net gain (or loss) of customers who rented a one-way truck, trailer or U-Box® moving containers in one state and dropped off their equipment in another state.” Despite its world-renowned natural beauty, its reputation as ...
Blog
Newsom’s Proposed Ed Budget: Big Spending, Little Results
Under Newsom’s proposed budget, state and local education funding under Proposition 98 would come to $121.4 billion. If one combines funding from all sources, including federal dollars, then the budget would include $149.1 billion in total funding for all TK (transitional kindergarten)-12 education programs. These huge budget amounts translate into ...
California
PRI All Stars Analyze Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 Budget Plan
This week, PRI’s team of policy experts – Wayne Winegarden, Steve Smith, and Lance Izumi – join Tim to analyze Gov. Newsom’s budget priorities and explore whether his final state budget plan is sustainable or if it sets the state on a perilous fiscal course. They also discuss whether Newsom ...
Blog
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: California’s Budget Delusion
Spending Watch: California’s Budget Delusion Wayne Winegarden January 2026 Governor Newsom has released his final state budget and for the fourth year in a row, the state is facing a large budget deficit that it must close. This prolonged period of persistent budget deficits was entirely predictable. For the upcoming ...
California
The Real Cost of Coexistence: How Wolf Policies Are Failing Western Ranchers
Key Takeaways There are nearly 3,500 gray and Mexican wolves scattered across the western United States. Every time cattle are eaten by wolves, taxpayers reimburse ranchers for their losses. Depending on the state, that reimbursement can cost anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per animal. Ranch income is negatively impacted by ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: The Taxing Wealth Tax
The Taxing Wealth Tax Wayne Winegarden February 2026 To his credit, Governor Newsom is vowing to stop the wealth tax. As we noted in our response to Governor Newsom’s January budget, just the possibility that a 5 percent wealth tax will appear on the November ballot is having a chilling ...
Conservatism Past, Present and Future with Charles Kesler, Matt Continetti and Steven Hayward
This week, we present a special recording of PRI’s recent America 250 kickoff event in Los Angeles featuring a discussion of conservatism past, present, and future as we mark the semiquincentennial of the United States. Offering perspective are Claremont Review of Books editor Charles Kesler, Matt Continetti of the American Enterprise ...
California needs budget restraint not double-digit spending increases
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a nearly 9% increase in total state spending for the upcoming fiscal year – that’s a $350 billion budget, more than $8,800 per Californian. Yet, for unions and progressive politicians, this enormous sum is too austere. They are calling on the state to backfill federal ...
Tough Times Ahead for California in 2026
But he won’t be alone. Difficult times are ahead for all Californians. According to Indian government data, that country’s GDP has reached $4.18 trillion in U.S. dollars. By 2030, India’s GDP is projected to be $7.3 trillion. The most recent numbers from the International Monetary Fund, posted in April 2025, has California at $4.1 trillion. The UCLA Anderson School ...
On Minnesota, Davos and California’s Growing Outmigration Trend
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the communications and strategic response to the ICE operation in Minnesota, Gov. Newsom’s trip to Davos to troll President Trump, and the latest estimate showing that California could lose 4 more Congressional seats in the 2030 reapportionment.
Newsom’s ‘Sunny California Tale’ Masks Nightmare of Thousands Leaving the State
That splashy headline was based on the U-Haul company’s growth index, which each year “ranks states by their net gain (or loss) of customers who rented a one-way truck, trailer or U-Box® moving containers in one state and dropped off their equipment in another state.” Despite its world-renowned natural beauty, its reputation as ...
Newsom’s Proposed Ed Budget: Big Spending, Little Results
Under Newsom’s proposed budget, state and local education funding under Proposition 98 would come to $121.4 billion. If one combines funding from all sources, including federal dollars, then the budget would include $149.1 billion in total funding for all TK (transitional kindergarten)-12 education programs. These huge budget amounts translate into ...
PRI All Stars Analyze Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 Budget Plan
This week, PRI’s team of policy experts – Wayne Winegarden, Steve Smith, and Lance Izumi – join Tim to analyze Gov. Newsom’s budget priorities and explore whether his final state budget plan is sustainable or if it sets the state on a perilous fiscal course. They also discuss whether Newsom ...
Spending Watch
Spending Watch: California’s Budget Delusion
Spending Watch: California’s Budget Delusion Wayne Winegarden January 2026 Governor Newsom has released his final state budget and for the fourth year in a row, the state is facing a large budget deficit that it must close. This prolonged period of persistent budget deficits was entirely predictable. For the upcoming ...
The Real Cost of Coexistence: How Wolf Policies Are Failing Western Ranchers
Key Takeaways There are nearly 3,500 gray and Mexican wolves scattered across the western United States. Every time cattle are eaten by wolves, taxpayers reimburse ranchers for their losses. Depending on the state, that reimbursement can cost anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per animal. Ranch income is negatively impacted by ...
