Uncategorized | California Policy Center

Automation threatens dream of 450,000 unionized California High-Speed Rail jobs

It’s trendy for public intellectuals to warn that technological advancement may soon lead to the “end of work.” While some might scoff at this prophesy, it’s valid for certain occupations. Unions that represent workers in skilled trade occupations have seen the “end of jobs” for decades and certainly take the threat seriously. A noteworthy example...

By Kevin Dayton

Kickstarting California’s infrastructure boom with asset recycling

President Trump has been pushing for a $1 trillion investment in infrastructure and faces the struggle of how to best direct resources to useful projects. Meanwhile, California has proposed a list of $100 billion in infrastructure investment projects aimed at improving the transport network and water facilities. Clearly, there is a need for collaboration between...

By Nicholas Umashev

California High-Speed Rail jobs: high hopes, harsh reality

Defenders of California High-Speed Rail often respond to critics by touting how the project provides high-paying jobs in the construction industry for disadvantaged residents of the San Joaquin Valley. It’s one thing to proclaim intentions, but another to achieve them. California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Jeff Morales spoke about high-speed rail training and employment for...

By Kevin Dayton

Prison unions punish California taxpayers

Sacramento — If you ever wondered what’s wrong with California’s state government, then mull over this simple example: While California cuts its prison population and staff, it’s increasing the amount of money it spends to operate its massive prison system. In the private sector, a decline in the number of “customers” and workers would mean...

By Steven Greenhut

Elon Musk‘s Hyperloop makes Brown’s bullet train obsolete

Twelve years before it’s supposed to be finished, the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) system is already outdated. While the state HSR Authority focuses on building infrastructure that dates back to the Kennedy era, the private sector has moved on. Elon Musk – who called High-Speed Rail “one of the most expensive per mile and one...

By Nicholas Umashev

Former LAUSD Superintendent draws $238k pension

Retired LA schools chief Ramon Cortines received pension benefits totaling a remarkable $238,383.67 last year, possibly through a controversial pension-spiking practice known as “air time” – the purchase of credit for time not worked.

By Marc Joffe

San Ramon Valley Fire

In a northern California suburb, residents were surprised to learn that firefighters pull down over $300,000 in annual compensation. See how they reacted.

By California Policy Center

LAUSD – Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez, pro-school-choice candidates defeat union-backed rivals

Incumbent Steve Zimmer, lost to challenger Nick Melvoin in the District 4 race for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, while seventh grade teacher Kelly Gonez was leading in early election results Tuesday night to represent District 6 on the LAUSD Board of Education. cityclerk.lacity.org/election/results.html

By California Policy Center

Transparency: Many ways to put your agency’s budget online

Across California governments are putting more of their information online. While browser-based charts and graphs showing your agencies’ revenues and expenditures will impress constituents, moving fiscal data online can be challenging – especially for those governments that do not have a lot of technology geeks on staff. Fortunately, governments now have an array of options...

By Marc Joffe

How school districts and their cronies evade competitive bidding

Deep inside, many California school district officials detest awarding construction contracts through competitive bidding to the “lowest responsible bidder.” Some of their reasons are valid, some are corrupt. But give school district officials a legal opportunity to circumvent competitive bidding, and many will take it. San Diego attorney Kevin Carlin of Carlin Law Group has become...

By Editorial Staff

25 UC Retirees Receive Annual Pensions Exceeding $300,000

Twenty-five University of California retirees receive more than $300,000 annually in retirement, the California Policy Center has learned. The information, contained in documents released to CPC through a public records request, comes amidst controversy over excessive compensation at the UC system and revelations of a secret slush fund at the system’s headquarters. The highest paid pensioner is Professor Lewis L. Judd, a UC San Diego Psychiatry professor. He receives an annual pension of $385,765.

By Marc Joffe

Public union crime and non-punishment in California

Like lawmakers in most places, California officials have a strong position on breaking into someone’s house: they’re against it. Or, rather, they’re against it most of the time. According to California Penal Codes 601 and 602, anyone involved in labor union activity isn’t subject to trespassing laws that would subject everyone else to one year...

By Edmund Pine

Unions trying to kill government transparency

It is no secret that most government employees enjoy far more generous salaries and benefits than the public who pay for those benefits. It is important for the voters to know if their elected officials are properly representing them in these negotiations. The unions as private organizations are not required to conduct any of their...

By Craig Alexander

Unions party like it’s 1886

May Day, which may have had some justification 131 years ago, has become an excuse for unions to spread leftwing propaganda. As the Communist Party USA website informs us, May 1st is a day for working people to “demonstrate their unity and celebrate those who labor and produce all wealth. But it’s also a day...

By Larry Sand