The FPPC Finally Charges a Government Agency with Illegal Political Advocacy
The FPPC Finally Charges a Government Agency with Illegal Political Advocacy
This column has, over the last several years, exposed multiple examples of government entities using taxpayer dollars for political advocacy, a practice that is clearly illegal under both state and federal law. The free speech clauses of the federal and state Constitutions prohibit the use of governmentally compelled monetary contributions (including taxes) to support or...
By Jon Coupal
Teachers’ unions appalled at idea of paying teachers like rock stars
Teachers’ unions appalled at idea of paying teachers like rock stars
Sacramento — If you’re looking for a stellar example of teachers’ unions ongoing commitment to mediocrity or worse, then you need only look at their reaction to California GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox’s idea of paying top-notch teachers much higher salaries – perhaps even rivalling those earned by ballplayers and rock stars. The unions, of course,...
By Steven Greenhut
California Local Government Websites – A 2018 Report Card
California Local Government Websites – A 2018 Report Card
The internet has enabled unprecedented transparency in government, but have governments fully adopted the technology? Specifically, how well are government websites providing the most important information to their constituents? Is the information intuitively categorized on these websites? Are the posted reports and notices easy to understand? Is information posted promptly? Are important categories of information...
By Research Team
This November, Will California Voters Approve $3.6 Billion Per Year in New Taxes?
This November, Will California Voters Approve $3.6 Billion Per Year in New Taxes?
With the 2018 general election a few weeks away, it’s time to review just how many tax increases are on state and local ballots in California. And while media attention focuses on the statewide tax measures, even bigger money is represented by the sum of hundreds of proposed local tax increases. Every election cycle, the...
By Edward Ring
In light of union’s journalism awards, we offer our own suggestions
In light of union’s journalism awards, we offer our own suggestions
Sacramento The state’s largest public-sector union, the California Teachers’ Association, hands out annual journalism awards, which are named after John Swett. He is known as the father of California public school system and as CTA’s founder. Swett was the state’s fourth superintendent of public instruction, from 1863 to 1867, and his vision clearly embodies the views...
By Steven Greenhut
California’s Socialist Oligarchy, Part Two: Who They Are and How to Defeat Them
California’s Socialist Oligarchy, Part Two: Who They Are and How to Defeat Them
California’s policymakers have condemned Californians to endure contrived scarcity, unaffordability, and inconvenience in all of the basic necessities of life. This is a crime, but it’s not a conspiracy. Rather, it is caused by a collection of powerful special interests whose political agendas align. Left-wing Oligarchs At the top of the pyramid are left-wing oligarchs, crony...
By Edward Ring
California’s Socialist Oligarchy, Part One: Making the State Unaffordable
California’s Socialist Oligarchy, Part One: Making the State Unaffordable
Touted as the “fifth-largest economy on Earth,” and recently heralded as delivering the “greatest increase in average income,” these statistics obscure an alarming reality. California has become a feudal state, where the benefits of prosperity are unequally distributed, rewarding corrupt plutocrats and punishing ordinary working families. Joel Kotkin, a fellow in urban studies at Chapman University...
By Edward Ring
Public Servant Who Made $327,491 in 2017 Asks Us to Support Higher Taxes
Public Servant Who Made $327,491 in 2017 Asks Us to Support Higher Taxes
Every two years, around this time, political mailers inundate the mailboxes of California’s registered voters. This week, many Sacramento residents received “Vote No on Prop 6″ mailer. Prop 6 is that pesky, subversive citizens ballot initiative that, if approved by voters, will roll back the gas tax. But Prop. 6 isn’t the topic here. Rather,...
By Edward Ring
California’s boondoggles threaten property owners and taxpayers
California’s boondoggles threaten property owners and taxpayers
One would hope that with the profound foolishness associated with California’s infamous High Speed Rail (HSR) project that our elected leadership would have learned a thing or two. But this is California. Because we do things bigger and better than anyone else, it’s apparent that one massive boondoggle isn’t enough — we need two. Let’s...
By Jon Coupal
Just How Much Money Might CalPERS Have to Collect in an Economic Downturn?
Just How Much Money Might CalPERS Have to Collect in an Economic Downturn?
When evaluating the financial challenges facing California’s state and local public employee pension funds, a compelling question to consider is when, exactly when, will these funds financially collapse? That is, of course, an impossible question to answer. CalPERS, for example, manages hundreds of billions in assets, which means that long before it literally runs out...
By Edward Ring
Public needs to keep eye on pensions, but suit says CalPERS withholds core data
Public needs to keep eye on pensions, but suit says CalPERS withholds core data
Sacramento — In the preamble to California’s Ralph M. Brown Act, the state’s 1953 law governing the public’s access to government meetings, the Legislature noted, “The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them.” Likewise, the people “do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the...
By Steven Greenhut
In the Last 25 Years, Sonoma County’s Pension Liability Rose ELEVEN TIMES Faster Than Tax Revenues
In the Last 25 Years, Sonoma County’s Pension Liability Rose ELEVEN TIMES Faster Than Tax Revenues
In August of last year retired attorney George Luke sued the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association (SCERA) and the Board of Supervisors (BOS) because according to County records they did not follow the law when pensions were increased in 2002 and 2003. According to the law, before increasing pension benefits the supervisors are required to...
By Ken Churchill
California is not creating jobs fast enough to support tax increases for pensions
California is not creating jobs fast enough to support tax increases for pensions
On a superficial level, things look pretty good in California. Sure, we have big problems with wildfires and other periodic disasters, but the state’s finances have made a strong recovery since the depths of the recession. Indeed, Gov. Brown has repeatedly touted the multi-billion-dollar surplus and the state’s balanced budget. But objective assessments from government...
By Jon Coupal
Towards a Grand Bargain on California Water Policy
Towards a Grand Bargain on California Water Policy
When it comes to water policy in California, perhaps the people are more savvy than the special interests. Because the people, or more precisely, the voters, by huge majorities, have approved nine water bonds in the past 25 years, totaling $27.1 billion. It is likely they’re going to approve another one this November for another...
By Edward Ring