Californians reject new taxes and borrowing

By Edward Ring
03/12/2020
The preliminary election returns reported on March 4th indicate that California’s voters delivered a stunning rejection of new taxes and borrowing. It’s about time. At the state level, Prop.13 which would have authorized $15 billion in general obligation bonds for schools and colleges, required a simple majority for approval. But as of March 9th the...

TAGS: CalTax, Edward Ring, Edward Ring, Prop. 13

Californians face a wave of local tax hike measures

By Craig Alexander
02/10/2020
The economy has been booming over the last decade, which has provided local governments with a windfall in sales and property taxes. Despite the economic fat times, California cities have been complaining about their dire economic straits, with some of them even fearing insolvency unless something is done to change the financial trajectory. What explains...

TAGS: CalTax, Prop. 13, school bonds, Unions

West Contra Costa School District putting a half-billion dollar bond before voters in March

By Edward Ring
01/09/2020
One of the most financially mismanaged school districts in California has found a solution to their financial challenges – borrow more money, and let the voters pay more in property taxes. Scheduled to appear on the March 2020 local ballot for voters living within the West Contra Costa Unified School District, Measure R, a “classroom modernization...

TAGS: CalTax, Edward Ring, In the Public Interest, school vouchers, Transparent California, Vergara, West Contra Costa Unified School District

$6.2 Billion in New Borrowing on June 7th Primary Ballot

By Edward Ring
05/31/2016
They are overshadowed by one of the most tumultuous Presidential primary campaigns in decades, but California’s June 7th primary ballot has local tax and bond proposals in numbers that, in aggregate, ought to be generating vigorous public debate. Next week voters will be asked to approve 46 local bond measures totaling $6.18 billion in new debt, along...

TAGS: CalTax