Blog
Blog
When Sacramento Big Spenders Suddenly Become Budget Hawks
On Wednesday, the day after millions of Californians cast ballots in the Newsom recall election, there was a common refrain in Sacramento. Prominent advocates of big government and perpetually increasing government spending were suddenly transformed into budget hawks overnight. Their target of “government waste” – the California recall itself and ...
Agriculture
AB 701 Guarantees Workers Restroom Breaks . . . and Lawsuits
When states claim to be first at something, it’s usually cause for pride. But in California, it’s often a signal to head for the hills – or rather, to other states. In another first in the nation, the California Legislature passed a bill last week that would require warehouses to ...
Blog
Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Could Have Unintended Consequences in Next Power Outage
Californians who have been seen power supplies become more unreliable in recent years have increasingly turned to gas-powered electric generators to keep the lights on during “public safety power shutoffs.” According to the industry trade group, there are 1.5 million portable generators in use in California today. The average gas-powered ...
Blog
How CEQA II Could Be a Hollywood Sequel That Everyone Likes
When then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, into law in 1970, it’s unlikely anyone thought it would eventually be equipped with a warhead and then used to harm business rivals, block development for political rather than environmental reasons, and leverage better labor deals for unions. Yet ...
Blog
How NIMBYs Almost Killed Disneyland
The politics of “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) have helped to make California one of the most expensive states in the country by blocking the construction of much-needed housing. But did you know that the same impulses once imperiled one of the region’s most iconic institutions, a destination on par ...
Blog
Remembering September 11th, 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, my day began fairly routinely for the middle of September. I was up early preparing to go to work for the final week of the legislative session – traditionally the busiest week of the year. I had the radio on while brushing my teeth and I heard ...
Blog
The CDC’s Legally Questionable Extension of the Rent Moratorium
Toddlers are funny little creatures – simultaneously overly dependent and highly independent. With the newfound discovery of willpower, the tiny humans constantly experiment in testing boundaries. My toddler is characteristically sweet and obedient. But there is one rule she delights in breaking: dumping out the dog’s water bowl. Testing limits, ...
Blog
Next Big California Ballot Fight: Legalizing Sports Wagering
Voters wary of the deluge of campaign advertising related to recall election be warned. The next multi-million-dollar ballot fight is just around the corner. According to Politico, “major gambling players (including DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM) intend to ante up $100 million for an online sports betting initiative that would fund ...
Blog
CAPITAL IDEAS: The Education Landscape: Where We Are and What the Future Holds
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT The following is a speech given by Lance Izumi, senior director of the Center for Education at the Pacific Research Institute, to The Parent Union on August 19, 2021. There is so much going on in education, both in California and nationally, that I thought I would ...
Blog
Could Labor Day Push for Higher Minimum Wage Lead to More Work Being Done by Robots?
Who is going to be first in line to buy if Elon Musk is able to build a humanoid robot in the future? A best guess would be owners of the California companies whose businesses are threatened by the state’s steep minimum wage and other costs heaped on them by ...
When Sacramento Big Spenders Suddenly Become Budget Hawks
On Wednesday, the day after millions of Californians cast ballots in the Newsom recall election, there was a common refrain in Sacramento. Prominent advocates of big government and perpetually increasing government spending were suddenly transformed into budget hawks overnight. Their target of “government waste” – the California recall itself and ...
AB 701 Guarantees Workers Restroom Breaks . . . and Lawsuits
When states claim to be first at something, it’s usually cause for pride. But in California, it’s often a signal to head for the hills – or rather, to other states. In another first in the nation, the California Legislature passed a bill last week that would require warehouses to ...
Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Could Have Unintended Consequences in Next Power Outage
Californians who have been seen power supplies become more unreliable in recent years have increasingly turned to gas-powered electric generators to keep the lights on during “public safety power shutoffs.” According to the industry trade group, there are 1.5 million portable generators in use in California today. The average gas-powered ...
How CEQA II Could Be a Hollywood Sequel That Everyone Likes
When then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, into law in 1970, it’s unlikely anyone thought it would eventually be equipped with a warhead and then used to harm business rivals, block development for political rather than environmental reasons, and leverage better labor deals for unions. Yet ...
How NIMBYs Almost Killed Disneyland
The politics of “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) have helped to make California one of the most expensive states in the country by blocking the construction of much-needed housing. But did you know that the same impulses once imperiled one of the region’s most iconic institutions, a destination on par ...
Remembering September 11th, 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, my day began fairly routinely for the middle of September. I was up early preparing to go to work for the final week of the legislative session – traditionally the busiest week of the year. I had the radio on while brushing my teeth and I heard ...
The CDC’s Legally Questionable Extension of the Rent Moratorium
Toddlers are funny little creatures – simultaneously overly dependent and highly independent. With the newfound discovery of willpower, the tiny humans constantly experiment in testing boundaries. My toddler is characteristically sweet and obedient. But there is one rule she delights in breaking: dumping out the dog’s water bowl. Testing limits, ...
Next Big California Ballot Fight: Legalizing Sports Wagering
Voters wary of the deluge of campaign advertising related to recall election be warned. The next multi-million-dollar ballot fight is just around the corner. According to Politico, “major gambling players (including DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM) intend to ante up $100 million for an online sports betting initiative that would fund ...
CAPITAL IDEAS: The Education Landscape: Where We Are and What the Future Holds
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT The following is a speech given by Lance Izumi, senior director of the Center for Education at the Pacific Research Institute, to The Parent Union on August 19, 2021. There is so much going on in education, both in California and nationally, that I thought I would ...
Could Labor Day Push for Higher Minimum Wage Lead to More Work Being Done by Robots?
Who is going to be first in line to buy if Elon Musk is able to build a humanoid robot in the future? A best guess would be owners of the California companies whose businesses are threatened by the state’s steep minimum wage and other costs heaped on them by ...
