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Back to homepageState tax receipts down sharply
March 31, 2010 By JOHN SEILER A new study by the U.S. Census Bureau found that the tax receipts of the California state government dropped 13.9 percent. That was fifth highest of the states, with the higher states being: Alaska
Read MoreIs Public Transit Bankrupt?
March 31, 2010 By KATY GRIMES With the announcement this week by Sacramento Regional Transit that it is reducing bus and train service by 22 percent, it’s never too late to address the problems faced by the chronic deficit-plagued transit systems in
Read MoreState violates e-waste rules
March 31, 2010 By ANTHONY PIGNATARO Despite a state Auditor’s report and a four-year-old law that prohibits consumers from throwing old and broken electronic devices into the trash, many state agencies are apparently still throwing computers, television sets, radios, printers,
Read MoreFighting Without Skin in the Game
Usually when two sides fight over a contentious issue, both have skin in the game. But when the government fights American citizens, it’s with bully tactics, intimidation, threats and not about the well-being of anyone. Which is probably one of
Read MorePublic financing on ballot
March 29, 2010 By JOHN SEILER With California’s politics messed up seemingly beyond repair, it’s not surprising two reform initiatives are on the June 8 ballot. I earlier wrote about Proposition 14, the “Top Two Primaries Act.” The other initiative
Read MoreVallejo avoids tough pension fights
March 29, 2010 By STEVEN GREENHUT (Originally printed in the Wall Street Journal) In 2008, Vallejo, Calif., was nearly broke. Faced with falling tax revenues, rising pension costs, and unmovable public-employee unions, the city was unable to pay its bills
Read MoreState touts 'green' progress
March 29, 2010 By KATY GRIMES In 2005 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered all state buildings to be 20 percent more energy efficient by 2015 and “encouraged” the private sector to do the same. And now, the Department of General Services (DGS)
Read MoreEastin defends nutrition boondoggle
March 26, 2010 By K. LLOYD BILLINGSLEY The current issue of The Atlantic features a letter from Delaine Eastin, former California Superintendent of Public Instruction. Her letter does not include any episodes from her tenure in that post, every bit
Read MoreJob Creation Means Unions Jobs
I recently gave a speech to two-hundred Republican women on the current state of politics in California and how businesses are being destroyed by the majority party’s regulations, taxes and now, global warming laws. During the speech I asked the
Read MoreThe Pandernator
Sometimes, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ability to pander amazes and awes even me. One week it’s the environmentalists, the next it’s the firefighters. Everybody needs help, everybody needs some special exemption or set-aside. This week, it’s Vietnam Vets. Specifically, it’s our
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