Budget and Finance
Back to homepageChiang: State Broke on March 8
JAN. 31, 2012 By CHRISS STREET State Controller John Chiang shocked California legislators today when he sent a letter announcing that the state will run out of cash on March 8. That is, unless Legislature allows state Treasurer Bill Lockyer
Read MoreCA Bucks National School-Choice Reforms
The following first appeared in City Journal California. JAN. 30, 2012 By LARRY SAND January 22 through 28 marked the second annual National School Choice Week. While much of the rest of the country can celebrate some successes since last
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Apple Cracking Textbook Racket
John Seiler: The biggest ripoff going is textbooks for K-12 and, even worse, college. I know some college kids who spend way more than $1,000 a year for required textbooks for their college classes. Usually the texts are sub-par regurgitations
Read MoreRedevelopment Agencies Facing Default
JAN. 23, 2012 By CHRISS STREET Public officials are scrambling to deal with the California Supreme Court’s decision in California Redevelopment Agency vs. Matosantos. It upheld the elimination of the RDAs last year by Gov. Jerry Brown and the California
Read MoreLA Students Regurgitate Govt. Food
John Seiler: Food fight! I love it when kids rebel against the government schools. Reported CBS Los Angeles: “The revamped school lunches at Los Angeles Unified School District have won awards, commending them for improving the menu at the second
Read MoreCA Should Sell Univ. Football Teams
John Seiler: To avoid bankruptcy, any sensible business or family begins selling things: cars, TVs, computers, office furniture, etc. Otherwise, the stuff might be sold anyway at a bankruptcy auction. Not California. The state owns billions of dollars of property
Read MoreCA Running Massive Cash Deficit
JAN. 12, 2012 By CHRISS STREET The California state government’s general fund is running a staggering cash deficit of $21 billion on an $88.5 billion budget. The number comes from Controller John Chaing just-released financial statement for December 2011. The
Read MoreLAO: Brown Numbers Don’t Compute
JAN. 12, 2012 By JOHN SEILER Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal contains more smoke than a forest fire. More mirrors than a funhouse. And more empty promises than a presidential candidate’s platform. So much for his solemn pledge, in his
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