State Budget
Commentary
Here’s Why States Must Resist The Temptation To Expand Medicaid
Last week, Alaska became the 30th state to expand Medicaid with federal funding from the Affordable Care Act. “Alaska and Alaskans cannot wait any longer,” said Gov. Bill Walker. “We‘re not going to step away from this opportunity to help fellow Alaskans, period.” Some “help.” Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion is saddling ...
Charter Schools
Short-Circuited: The Challenge Facing the Online Learning Revolution in California
San Francisco One would expect that California, with its abundance of technology companies, would have a leading advantage in the online learning revolution. But in fact, when it comes to harnessing technology and applying it to public education, the state is lagging in many respects. Short-Circuited: The Challenges Facing ...
Business & Economics
The seven lean years
California’s Proposition 30, officially titled “Temporary Taxes to Fund Education,” is celebrating its second anniversary this November. The greatest anniversary gift would be to repeal it. California needs sustainable and robust economic growth. Strong economic growth creates jobs, raises families’ incomes and improves our standard of living. And, while economic ...
Health Care
Myths and Realities of Obamacare
Introduction Three years ago on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act (Obamacare) was signed into law. With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 28, 2012 that the individual mandate is constitutional under Congress power to tax and the November 6 election results, the law is in ...
California
Prop. 30 hikes taxes without fixing K-12 systemic flaws
As Gov. Jerry Brown scurries around the state to save Proposition 30, his ballot measure to increase state sales and income taxes, voters are expressing skepticism that the tax revenues raised by the initiative will be spent wisely. They have reason to worry because Prop. 30 includes no reform of ...
Business & Economics
To cut state prison budget, start with perks for guards
California’s voters will soon consider two ballot initiatives that aim to reduce the state’s unsustainable spending on prisons. The cost of jail is punishing and not just for the prisoners. Incarcerating an inmate runs an average of $47,000 a year. That figure certainly is not chump change, but the ...
Business & Economics
More taxes won’t fix state debt
The Golden State continues to lead the nation in accumulating public debt, a race where being in first place isn’t the same thing as winning. “California again trumped other states with a $617 billion debt,” reported State Budget Solutions, a nonpartisan organization advocating “fundamental reforms” for state budgets. For the ...
Business & Economics
FOR STATE BUDGET, NOTHING TO ‘LIKE’ ABOUT FACEBOOK IPO
Facebooks stock price is currently hovering just above its all-time low. Shares have lost nearly half their value since they hit the market in May. The social networks executives, employees and investors arent the only ones disappointed by the stocks underperformance. The state of California was hoping for roughly $2 ...
Commentary
The CBO Just Rendered Its Verdict On The Cost Of Obamacare, And It Isn’t Pretty
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just rendered its latest opinion on the cost of Obamacare following the Supreme Courts decision to uphold most of the law back in June. The numbers arent pretty. Despite breathless media reports of additional savings, the governments bean counters actually exposed several flaws in the ...
Business & Economics
Brown should go back to idea of a flat tax to help economy
Gov. Jerry Brown just signed bills finalizing California’s budget and closing the Golden State’s $16 billion budget deficit. But the governor’s budget is contingent on voters approving a proposed $8.5 billion tax hike at the ballot box this November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in spending cuts will go ...
Here’s Why States Must Resist The Temptation To Expand Medicaid
Last week, Alaska became the 30th state to expand Medicaid with federal funding from the Affordable Care Act. “Alaska and Alaskans cannot wait any longer,” said Gov. Bill Walker. “We‘re not going to step away from this opportunity to help fellow Alaskans, period.” Some “help.” Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion is saddling ...
Short-Circuited: The Challenge Facing the Online Learning Revolution in California
San Francisco One would expect that California, with its abundance of technology companies, would have a leading advantage in the online learning revolution. But in fact, when it comes to harnessing technology and applying it to public education, the state is lagging in many respects. Short-Circuited: The Challenges Facing ...
The seven lean years
California’s Proposition 30, officially titled “Temporary Taxes to Fund Education,” is celebrating its second anniversary this November. The greatest anniversary gift would be to repeal it. California needs sustainable and robust economic growth. Strong economic growth creates jobs, raises families’ incomes and improves our standard of living. And, while economic ...
Myths and Realities of Obamacare
Introduction Three years ago on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act (Obamacare) was signed into law. With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 28, 2012 that the individual mandate is constitutional under Congress power to tax and the November 6 election results, the law is in ...
Prop. 30 hikes taxes without fixing K-12 systemic flaws
As Gov. Jerry Brown scurries around the state to save Proposition 30, his ballot measure to increase state sales and income taxes, voters are expressing skepticism that the tax revenues raised by the initiative will be spent wisely. They have reason to worry because Prop. 30 includes no reform of ...
To cut state prison budget, start with perks for guards
California’s voters will soon consider two ballot initiatives that aim to reduce the state’s unsustainable spending on prisons. The cost of jail is punishing and not just for the prisoners. Incarcerating an inmate runs an average of $47,000 a year. That figure certainly is not chump change, but the ...
More taxes won’t fix state debt
The Golden State continues to lead the nation in accumulating public debt, a race where being in first place isn’t the same thing as winning. “California again trumped other states with a $617 billion debt,” reported State Budget Solutions, a nonpartisan organization advocating “fundamental reforms” for state budgets. For the ...
FOR STATE BUDGET, NOTHING TO ‘LIKE’ ABOUT FACEBOOK IPO
Facebooks stock price is currently hovering just above its all-time low. Shares have lost nearly half their value since they hit the market in May. The social networks executives, employees and investors arent the only ones disappointed by the stocks underperformance. The state of California was hoping for roughly $2 ...
The CBO Just Rendered Its Verdict On The Cost Of Obamacare, And It Isn’t Pretty
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just rendered its latest opinion on the cost of Obamacare following the Supreme Courts decision to uphold most of the law back in June. The numbers arent pretty. Despite breathless media reports of additional savings, the governments bean counters actually exposed several flaws in the ...
Brown should go back to idea of a flat tax to help economy
Gov. Jerry Brown just signed bills finalizing California’s budget and closing the Golden State’s $16 billion budget deficit. But the governor’s budget is contingent on voters approving a proposed $8.5 billion tax hike at the ballot box this November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in spending cuts will go ...
