State Budget

Blog

Is Gann Limit Next Item on Budget Chopping Block?

Last week, I wrote about the “key values” put forward by Senate Democrats for their approach to the 2022-23 state budget process.  Assembly Democrats quickly followed up by releasing their own “budget blueprint,” which like their Senate counterparts, would spend the state’s budget surplus largely on new and expanded government ...
Blog

Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Would Do More to Build ‘Equitable’ California Than Higher Spending

Shortly after the New Year’s holiday, Gov. Gavin Newsom will kick off “state budget season” when he releases his 2022-23 state budget proposal on January 10. In a sign that perhaps lawmakers won’t be ceding as much of the spotlight to Newsom in 2022 that they have in 2021, Democratic ...
Blog

Been There, Done That on “Making it Rain” in High Tax, Big Spending States

Been There, Done That on “Making it Rain” in High Tax, Big Spending States Democrats in Congress representing high tax, big spending states like California are pushing for restoration of the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction in the budget reconciliation bill.  But restoring the full SALT Deduction would “make ...
Agriculture

Despite Record Rainfall, California’s Politician-Created Drought Persists

Like most Sacramentans on Sunday, I was out in the pouring rain raking leaves out of the street gutters, trying to keep water from coming into the house during our record day of rainfall. Every year during moderate to heavy storms, I like to joke that I live on “Lake ...
California

How to slow, reverse the California exodus

An unwritten rule of journalism says, “if it bleeds, it leads.” When it comes to the exodus from the Golden State, this rule isn’t being applied. California had been the dream destination for generations and became the most populous state in 1964. But California’s share of the U.S. population peaked ...
California

Would You Buy a Used Electric Car from This Man?

In his last year occupying the governor’s office, Jerry Brown issued an executive order that he said would put 5 million zero-emissions cars on California roads by 2030. Not to be out-virtue-signaled, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year dropped an order on the state that outlaws the sale of new gasoline- ...
Blog

Legislature Comes Back in Session This Week with Lots of Unfinished Business

Today, the Legislature reconvenes for the final month of the 2021 legislative session.  For the next four weeks, lawmakers will be on a mad dash to finalize its work before the September 10 deadline. This year’s legislative session can best be described as being overshadowed by events. On last week’s ...
Book

In Advance of Recall Election, New PRI Book Offers Realistic Path to Saving California

Experts Offer Market-Based Solutions on Issues from Health Care to the Economy SACRAMENTO – With the September 14 recall on the horizon, the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute today released Saving California, a new book offering realistic, market-based reforms to 10 of the state’s major policy challenges. The authors are current ...
Blog

Monday’s Budget Vote Typical of Perhaps Least Open Budget Process in Recent Years

Lawmakers on Monday voted on what’s now commonly referred to as a “Budget Bill Jr.” Since the passage of Prop. 25, which enacted a majority vote budget and docked lawmaker pay if budgets were adopted past June 15, lawmakers have routinely passed on-time budgets to keep getting paid, regardless of ...
Commentary

Biden’s Self-Congratulation Can’t Cover up Obamacare’s Failings

The Biden administration is patting itself on the back for a supposed milestone in American health care. According to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services, “31 million Americans have health coverage through the Affordable Care Act — a record.” But a closer look at the report reveals ...
Blog

Is Gann Limit Next Item on Budget Chopping Block?

Last week, I wrote about the “key values” put forward by Senate Democrats for their approach to the 2022-23 state budget process.  Assembly Democrats quickly followed up by releasing their own “budget blueprint,” which like their Senate counterparts, would spend the state’s budget surplus largely on new and expanded government ...
Blog

Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Would Do More to Build ‘Equitable’ California Than Higher Spending

Shortly after the New Year’s holiday, Gov. Gavin Newsom will kick off “state budget season” when he releases his 2022-23 state budget proposal on January 10. In a sign that perhaps lawmakers won’t be ceding as much of the spotlight to Newsom in 2022 that they have in 2021, Democratic ...
Blog

Been There, Done That on “Making it Rain” in High Tax, Big Spending States

Been There, Done That on “Making it Rain” in High Tax, Big Spending States Democrats in Congress representing high tax, big spending states like California are pushing for restoration of the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction in the budget reconciliation bill.  But restoring the full SALT Deduction would “make ...
Agriculture

Despite Record Rainfall, California’s Politician-Created Drought Persists

Like most Sacramentans on Sunday, I was out in the pouring rain raking leaves out of the street gutters, trying to keep water from coming into the house during our record day of rainfall. Every year during moderate to heavy storms, I like to joke that I live on “Lake ...
California

How to slow, reverse the California exodus

An unwritten rule of journalism says, “if it bleeds, it leads.” When it comes to the exodus from the Golden State, this rule isn’t being applied. California had been the dream destination for generations and became the most populous state in 1964. But California’s share of the U.S. population peaked ...
California

Would You Buy a Used Electric Car from This Man?

In his last year occupying the governor’s office, Jerry Brown issued an executive order that he said would put 5 million zero-emissions cars on California roads by 2030. Not to be out-virtue-signaled, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year dropped an order on the state that outlaws the sale of new gasoline- ...
Blog

Legislature Comes Back in Session This Week with Lots of Unfinished Business

Today, the Legislature reconvenes for the final month of the 2021 legislative session.  For the next four weeks, lawmakers will be on a mad dash to finalize its work before the September 10 deadline. This year’s legislative session can best be described as being overshadowed by events. On last week’s ...
Book

In Advance of Recall Election, New PRI Book Offers Realistic Path to Saving California

Experts Offer Market-Based Solutions on Issues from Health Care to the Economy SACRAMENTO – With the September 14 recall on the horizon, the nonpartisan Pacific Research Institute today released Saving California, a new book offering realistic, market-based reforms to 10 of the state’s major policy challenges. The authors are current ...
Blog

Monday’s Budget Vote Typical of Perhaps Least Open Budget Process in Recent Years

Lawmakers on Monday voted on what’s now commonly referred to as a “Budget Bill Jr.” Since the passage of Prop. 25, which enacted a majority vote budget and docked lawmaker pay if budgets were adopted past June 15, lawmakers have routinely passed on-time budgets to keep getting paid, regardless of ...
Commentary

Biden’s Self-Congratulation Can’t Cover up Obamacare’s Failings

The Biden administration is patting itself on the back for a supposed milestone in American health care. According to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services, “31 million Americans have health coverage through the Affordable Care Act — a record.” But a closer look at the report reveals ...
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