Blog
California Is Falling Behind On Jobs: Can It Move Beyond The Crossroads?
While the state has become known for its mounting troubles, at least the California economy is growing. But all isn’t as well as it might seem. When compared the rest of the country, California’s jobs market is one of the weakest. Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show California’s total employment ...
Blog
We Should Call February 20th Tariff Liberation Day
This decision will limit one of the Administration’s major anti-growth policies. The immediate benefits will be muted because, also as expected, President Trump is pushing alternate ways to try and raise tariffs. He has announced, under another statute, that he has imposed an across-the-board 15 percent global tariff. The catch ...
Blog
Valero Out, Gas Prices Up
California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.34 on Feb. 1, the day after Valero began to unwind its refinery. By Feb. 8, consumers were paying on average $4.46 a gallon, the steepest price in the country. Correlation without causation? Possibly. Last year California’s average price increased by 3 cents a gallon from the last ...
Blog
Arizona cities should be blocked from blocking short-term rentals
Ten years ago, then-Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1350 into law, preventing local governments from banning short-term rentals in their respective jurisdictions. “For thousands of hardworking citizens, opening up their home to out-of-state guests provides the financial breathing room they need to provide for their family or enjoy ...
AI
Who will win the battle between robots and public-employee unions?
Who will win the battle between robots and public-employee unions? By Rafael Perez | February 20, 2026 For decades, artificial intelligence has been heralded for its potential to revolutionize the labor market and the creation of goods and services. Recent advancements in large language model (LLMs) performance by developers such ...
Blog
Legislature’s Anti-ICE Measures Would Bring Unintended Consequence of Betraying California’s Veterans
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) and Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez (D- Los Angeles) have announced Assembly Bill 1896, legislation to bar Department of Homeland Security employees who participated in immigration enforcement during the second Trump administration from holding any public employment in California — including peace‑officer positions. It’s the most ...
Blog
Price controls won’t save credit card borrowers
Americans are drowning in credit card debt, but President Donald Trump’s suggestion to cap interest rates at 10% for one year is not a particularly good solution. On its face, it sounds great. Americans largely hate banks and Trump’s suggestion gives the Robinhoodish illusion of robbing the rich to give to the ...
Blog
How a Private Scholarship Fund Makes a Difference for Kids at a California Catholic School
Based in Oakland, The BASIC Fund is California’s largest non-denominational PreK-8 organization that gives needs-based scholarships to low-income children on a first-come, first-served basis to help pay for tuition so they can attend private schools. The BASIC Fund gives families the opportunity to choose from among more than 250 private ...
Blog
Does California Need Billionaires?
If supporters are able to rack up 874 ,641 signatures, the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Should it pass, it will levy “a one-time 5% tax on billionaire wealth.” Rather than waiting until voters make their decision, a few billionaires have already left California, including PayPal and ...
Blog
Warning signs: Four California cities are facing fiscal crises in 2026
Many California cities will not fare so well on the fiscal roulette wheel. They’re not in Silicon Valley. Their local companies do not include Apple, NVIDIA, Meta/Facebook or Alphabet/Google (whose co-founders are leaving the state, while corporate HQ will remain). Those and many other companies’ rising stock valuations shed tax ...
California Is Falling Behind On Jobs: Can It Move Beyond The Crossroads?
While the state has become known for its mounting troubles, at least the California economy is growing. But all isn’t as well as it might seem. When compared the rest of the country, California’s jobs market is one of the weakest. Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show California’s total employment ...
We Should Call February 20th Tariff Liberation Day
This decision will limit one of the Administration’s major anti-growth policies. The immediate benefits will be muted because, also as expected, President Trump is pushing alternate ways to try and raise tariffs. He has announced, under another statute, that he has imposed an across-the-board 15 percent global tariff. The catch ...
Valero Out, Gas Prices Up
California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.34 on Feb. 1, the day after Valero began to unwind its refinery. By Feb. 8, consumers were paying on average $4.46 a gallon, the steepest price in the country. Correlation without causation? Possibly. Last year California’s average price increased by 3 cents a gallon from the last ...
Arizona cities should be blocked from blocking short-term rentals
Ten years ago, then-Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1350 into law, preventing local governments from banning short-term rentals in their respective jurisdictions. “For thousands of hardworking citizens, opening up their home to out-of-state guests provides the financial breathing room they need to provide for their family or enjoy ...
Who will win the battle between robots and public-employee unions?
Who will win the battle between robots and public-employee unions? By Rafael Perez | February 20, 2026 For decades, artificial intelligence has been heralded for its potential to revolutionize the labor market and the creation of goods and services. Recent advancements in large language model (LLMs) performance by developers such ...
Legislature’s Anti-ICE Measures Would Bring Unintended Consequence of Betraying California’s Veterans
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) and Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez (D- Los Angeles) have announced Assembly Bill 1896, legislation to bar Department of Homeland Security employees who participated in immigration enforcement during the second Trump administration from holding any public employment in California — including peace‑officer positions. It’s the most ...
Price controls won’t save credit card borrowers
Americans are drowning in credit card debt, but President Donald Trump’s suggestion to cap interest rates at 10% for one year is not a particularly good solution. On its face, it sounds great. Americans largely hate banks and Trump’s suggestion gives the Robinhoodish illusion of robbing the rich to give to the ...
How a Private Scholarship Fund Makes a Difference for Kids at a California Catholic School
Based in Oakland, The BASIC Fund is California’s largest non-denominational PreK-8 organization that gives needs-based scholarships to low-income children on a first-come, first-served basis to help pay for tuition so they can attend private schools. The BASIC Fund gives families the opportunity to choose from among more than 250 private ...
Does California Need Billionaires?
If supporters are able to rack up 874 ,641 signatures, the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Should it pass, it will levy “a one-time 5% tax on billionaire wealth.” Rather than waiting until voters make their decision, a few billionaires have already left California, including PayPal and ...
Warning signs: Four California cities are facing fiscal crises in 2026
Many California cities will not fare so well on the fiscal roulette wheel. They’re not in Silicon Valley. Their local companies do not include Apple, NVIDIA, Meta/Facebook or Alphabet/Google (whose co-founders are leaving the state, while corporate HQ will remain). Those and many other companies’ rising stock valuations shed tax ...
