How to Leave CalPERS Without Paying Huge Fee
By Ed Mendel It may surprise cities that did not switch new hires to 401(k)-style plans because of huge CalPERS termination fees, not to mention the authors of a proposed initiative giving voters power over pensions. But a CalPERS white paper that surfaced last week describes a “soft freeze” of pension plans that switches new hires... Read More
California may have finally figured out how to fix workers’ compensation
By Kathy Robertson, Senior Staff Writer Sacramento Business Journal Workers’ compensation costs have dropped for employers since reforms took effect in 2013 — and payments to injured workers have increased, a new report by state regulators concludes. In May, the Department of Insurance adopted advisory premium rates that are 10.2 percent less than the average approved... Read More
Businesses worry ballot measure could block funding of big projects
By Allen Young A pending initiative that would require voter approval of financing for large public works projects is drawing fire. Some California businesses view it as a potential roadblock to improving infrastructure. The No Blank Checks initiative, which is now gathering signatures for the 2016 ballot, would require any state revenue bond costing $2... Read More
Are There Thousands of New Politicians in Our Future?
by Jon Coupal Would-be reformers have filed an initiative that, if adopted by voters, would make the California Legislature one of the largest – if not the largest – legislative bodies in the world. The Neighborhood Legislature Reform Act (NLRA) would require one Senator for every 10,000 Californians and one Assembly representative for every 5,000. This... Read More
Following Scandal, Irvine City Council Shows How To Run, and Fix Government
by Katy Grimes Conservatives on the Irvine City Council have abolished a million dollar business license tax, to reduce the taxes levied on local businesses. This move followed the council’s recent vote overturning the city’s mandated “living wage” ordinance. Mayor Pro-Tem Jeffrey Lalloway authored the issue, with votes in support from council members Christina Shea and... Read More
Brown Wants Tax Hike for Roads
By Jon Fleischman Last week, after a minor kabuki dance between Governor Jerry Brown and his fellow Democrats in the state legislature, a deal was struck: California has a new state budget that weighs in at a record-setting $115.4 billion. Or, put another way, California taxpayers this year are providing more funds for state government... Read More
Big Money Talks in California Politics
By David Crane Everyone knows about the pharmaceutical companies, defense contractors and other financial interests that dominate political spending in Washington, D.C. Because federal spending provides a big share of those businesses’ revenues, it’s not surprising they spend heavily for a Congress sympathetic to their interests. But fewer know about the financial interests that dominate... Read More
Move Along, There’s Nothing to See Here
By Jon Coupal A few years ago I wrote a column on the Orwellian practice of politicians who deceive voters by perverting the English language. For example, the benign sounding terms “investment,” “new revenue,” “budget solution,” and “fair share,” are all euphemisms for “higher taxes.” A horrible bill dealing with California’s controversial high speed rail projects... Read More
Certainty in Taxation: Prop. 13’s Best Feature
By Jon Coupal In its more than 160 plus year history, few things have remained constant in California. However, since the 1800’s California has taxed all classes of property the same. Thus, when the iconic Prop 13 passed in 1978, it did not differentiate between different kinds of property. All real property – whether residential or... Read More
Gov. Brown Orders Water Cut To Farmers – But No Environmental Cuts
by Katy Grimes Last Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown’s State Water Resources Control Board ordered junior water right holders to stop diversions of water in order to protect more senior water rights and “releases of previously stored water.” Friday’s announcement only targets those whose rights have been held since 1903. Senior water right holders in the... Read More