California

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Learn about an important state budget priority

Public Employee Pay Savings Must Be Part of Budget Solution

California’s record $68 billion deficit for the 2024 fiscal year is a national newsmaker. State government isn’t the only administrative body facing a budget shortfall, though. A number of cities are also finding they have insufficient funds. Officials are busy trying out plans to resolve their financial troubles, but balancing ...
California

Is 2024 Finally The Year of a California Homebuilding Breakthrough?

On Jan. 1, a package of housing legislation that was passed in 2023 took effect. Will the results be a homebuilding boom? California’s housing gap is implausibly wide, so it’s going to require a historic effort to catch up. In 2015, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said that “on top of ...
Blog

Get a state budget preview

Three things to watch in Governor’s budget rollout

On Wednesday, Gov. Newsom will unveil his much-anticipated 2024-25 state spending plan, officially kicking off the budget debate at the State Capitol. While the state is facing a $68 billion shortfall according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s office, Newsom said in a December TV interview that, “we have different numbers ...
Blog

Public pension reform needed to balance state budget

The Miracle Of Defined Contributions

The headline says “Florida has an answer” and if so there could be any number of public policy dilemmas that the state has solved, but in this case it’s government employee pensions. California also knows the answer, but there can be a sizable gap between having knowledge and applying it. ...
Blog

Read latest on debate over changing CA election laws

Are Proposed Election Law Changes Defending ‘Fair and Open Elections’ or ‘Shenanigans’?

You may have missed it during the holiday season, but there was a big political dustup in California over the race to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress. Assemblyman Vince Fong filed to replace his former boss in Congress, but he had previously filed for re-election.  Democratic Secretary of State Shirley ...
Blog

Read about California's bad new laws for 2024

Less Freedom, More Regulation, Higher Costs: 5 Bad New Laws for 2024

Every day, PRI’s scholars cover the good, the bad, and the ugly coming from the State Capitol.  It’s hard to single out the worst of the worst, but here are 5 horrifically noteworthy new state laws with the potential to worsen the quality of life for all. Higher Costs for ...
Blog

Learn about latest effort to subvert free market housing reform

Protect property rights to boost housing and preserve history

When I came to Orange County in 1987 to write editorials for The Orange County Register, I rented an apartment in Huntington Beach about half a mile from the famous beach to the south. Half a mile to the west was Main Street, then a funky row of surfboard shops, ...
Blog

Read about California's $68 billion budget crisis

State Budget Update: The Calm Before the Budget Storm

Christmastime is always the busiest time of the year at the Department of Finance. With the state budget due to be released on January 10, department leadership is making the final decisions about spending priorities with the governor. However, recent bad news about the state of California’s finances means that ...
Business & Economics

The PRI All Stars – 2023 Year End Awards

PRI’s All Stars – Rowena Itchon, Tim Anaya, Lance Izumi, and Kerry Jackson – are back with their choices for 2023’s biggest winners and losers, in our annual tribute to the McLaughlin Group.  We hand out our choices for best and worst ideas of the year, the bummest wraps, and ...
Blog

Despite obvious signs, liberals continue to defend Prop. 47

The Coming 2024 Crime Policy Lollapalooza

One of the best words in the English language is “lollapalooza”.  It’s so unique and mellifluous that it could almost be an example of onomatopoeia like clap, boom, bark, or bang.  It’s also a popular musical festival and honestly, it’s just fun to say. The word nerd in me was ...
Blog

Learn about an important state budget priority

Public Employee Pay Savings Must Be Part of Budget Solution

California’s record $68 billion deficit for the 2024 fiscal year is a national newsmaker. State government isn’t the only administrative body facing a budget shortfall, though. A number of cities are also finding they have insufficient funds. Officials are busy trying out plans to resolve their financial troubles, but balancing ...
California

Is 2024 Finally The Year of a California Homebuilding Breakthrough?

On Jan. 1, a package of housing legislation that was passed in 2023 took effect. Will the results be a homebuilding boom? California’s housing gap is implausibly wide, so it’s going to require a historic effort to catch up. In 2015, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said that “on top of ...
Blog

Get a state budget preview

Three things to watch in Governor’s budget rollout

On Wednesday, Gov. Newsom will unveil his much-anticipated 2024-25 state spending plan, officially kicking off the budget debate at the State Capitol. While the state is facing a $68 billion shortfall according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s office, Newsom said in a December TV interview that, “we have different numbers ...
Blog

Public pension reform needed to balance state budget

The Miracle Of Defined Contributions

The headline says “Florida has an answer” and if so there could be any number of public policy dilemmas that the state has solved, but in this case it’s government employee pensions. California also knows the answer, but there can be a sizable gap between having knowledge and applying it. ...
Blog

Read latest on debate over changing CA election laws

Are Proposed Election Law Changes Defending ‘Fair and Open Elections’ or ‘Shenanigans’?

You may have missed it during the holiday season, but there was a big political dustup in California over the race to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress. Assemblyman Vince Fong filed to replace his former boss in Congress, but he had previously filed for re-election.  Democratic Secretary of State Shirley ...
Blog

Read about California's bad new laws for 2024

Less Freedom, More Regulation, Higher Costs: 5 Bad New Laws for 2024

Every day, PRI’s scholars cover the good, the bad, and the ugly coming from the State Capitol.  It’s hard to single out the worst of the worst, but here are 5 horrifically noteworthy new state laws with the potential to worsen the quality of life for all. Higher Costs for ...
Blog

Learn about latest effort to subvert free market housing reform

Protect property rights to boost housing and preserve history

When I came to Orange County in 1987 to write editorials for The Orange County Register, I rented an apartment in Huntington Beach about half a mile from the famous beach to the south. Half a mile to the west was Main Street, then a funky row of surfboard shops, ...
Blog

Read about California's $68 billion budget crisis

State Budget Update: The Calm Before the Budget Storm

Christmastime is always the busiest time of the year at the Department of Finance. With the state budget due to be released on January 10, department leadership is making the final decisions about spending priorities with the governor. However, recent bad news about the state of California’s finances means that ...
Business & Economics

The PRI All Stars – 2023 Year End Awards

PRI’s All Stars – Rowena Itchon, Tim Anaya, Lance Izumi, and Kerry Jackson – are back with their choices for 2023’s biggest winners and losers, in our annual tribute to the McLaughlin Group.  We hand out our choices for best and worst ideas of the year, the bummest wraps, and ...
Blog

Despite obvious signs, liberals continue to defend Prop. 47

The Coming 2024 Crime Policy Lollapalooza

One of the best words in the English language is “lollapalooza”.  It’s so unique and mellifluous that it could almost be an example of onomatopoeia like clap, boom, bark, or bang.  It’s also a popular musical festival and honestly, it’s just fun to say. The word nerd in me was ...
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