Forgotten Local Elections, Unforgettable Consequences

By Edward Ring
11/09/2022
Thanks to California’s ridiculous policy of mailing ballots to voters a full month prior to election day, and allowing “early voting,” I had already completed and submitted my ballot when I realized that was a mistake. After voting for a local school board candidate who I had some familiarity with and thought might be a safe choice,...

TAGS: ballot measures, california election results, Elections, local bond measures, voting

Will Citizens' Bond Oversight Committees Crumble Against Union Power?

By Kevin Dayton
11/05/2015
Numerous local K-12 school districts and community college districts throughout California have entangled themselves in controversies over facilities construction funded by borrowed money obtained through bond sales. These controversies include the irresponsible sale of Capital Appreciation Bonds, inappropriate expenditures using bond proceeds, and questionable contracts for bond underwriting, construction program management, and project delivery. There has even been overt...

TAGS: 55% Approval for Bond Measures, local bond measures, Project Labor Agreement, Project Labor Agreements, Proposition 39 (2000)

Unions Seek Control of Recent California School Bond Measures

By Kevin Dayton
08/11/2015
Has California school and community college facility construction become a perpetual government stimulus program for politically-favored construction trade unions? Fifteen years ago, it was obvious that many school and college districts in California needed new construction, modernization, or renovation of their facilities for the safety and comfort of students, teachers, administrators, and support staff. That’s...

TAGS: 55% Approval for Bond Measures, local bond measures, Project Labor Agreement, Project Labor Agreements, Proposition 39 (2000)

Government Unions Need Property Tax Increases to Fund Unsustainable Pensions

By Jon Coupal
01/26/2015
Let’s be honest.  When politicians and pundits discuss the state budget, very little is about the impact on homeowners. Notwithstanding the fact that a person’s home is their most important asset, this lack of perspective is understandable. When people think about political issues impacting their status as homeowners, they are far more likely to focus...

TAGS: California state budget, California Supreme Court, local bond measures, Proposition 13