California’s new unions: the rise and wreckage of occupational licenses
California’s new unions: the rise and wreckage of occupational licenses
Occupational licensing has been receiving a lot of attention recently with Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta calling for state legislators to roll back burdensome licensing requirements. No place is this needed more than in California, the breeding ground of strong unions and stiff occupational licensing requirements. While occupational licensing is viewed as a way to ensure...
By Nicholas Umashev
Assembly Bill 119 Mandates Union Access to New Employee Orientation and Other Information for Public Employers
Assembly Bill 119 Mandates Union Access to New Employee Orientation and Other Information for Public Employers
By Colby Mills – 26 July 2017 On June 27, 2017, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 119 into law, effective July 1, 2017. AB 119 requires public employers (including school districts, transit agencies, and county offices of education) to provide union representatives “mandatory access” to any new employee orientation, regardless of whether that orientation is...
By Nicholas Umashev
The horrible history of state contract awards
The horrible history of state contract awards
California’s state contract award system combines the worst of two worlds, delivering significantly higher infrastructure costs and longer construction time. Since government contracts are typically awarded on a lowest-cost basis, construction companies often engage in dodgy practices to win contracts. The history of Tutor Perini demonstrates why a company’s history should be taken into account...
By Nicholas Umashev
UCI’s hyperloop team looks to propel transportation technology forward
UCI’s hyperloop team looks to propel transportation technology forward
While other students are out partying on a Friday night, a team of UC Irvine undergrads is installing new control systems and fine tuning software for their hyperloop pod. Their prototype is a step toward realizing Elon Musk’s vision of whisking passengers and cargo from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes. The team...
By Nicholas Umashev
California is America’s economic prison
California is America’s economic prison
It is easy to see how tightly the state micromanages our lives and businesses. Our high tax burden, powerful unions, government debt, and overbearing regulations all speak to California’s low economic freedom. Whether one examines the United States, California, or each of its counties, Californians live in an economic prison. Country Freedom The United States...
By Nicholas Umashev
Kickstarting California’s infrastructure boom with asset recycling
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
Elon Musk‘s Hyperloop makes Brown’s bullet train obsolete
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