Budget and Finance
Back to homepageChamber launches ‘California Comeback’
Aug. 31, 2012 By Joseph Perkins Here’s an ad: “California is struggling … badly. Two million people out of work… Huge deficits… High taxes… Over-regulation…” “Instead of creating jobs, politicians increased spending $30 billion since 2008. And bureaucrats put $37 billion
Read MoreController Chiang pounds California municipalities
Aug. 29, 2012 By Chriss Street California State Controller John Chiang announced that the cities of Milpitas and Morgan Hill illegally tried to convert hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate, cash and investments that were required to be
Read MoreBrown, Legislature advance phony pension ‘reform’
Aug. 29, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi There are many books that have sprung up with titles such as “The 2 Percent Solution,” “The Four Percent Solution,” “The Five Percent” solution, “The One Percent Solution,” the 999 Plan, all offering simplistic
Read MoreStockton leads tsunami of Calif. bankruptcies
Aug. 27, 2012 By Troy Anderson During Vallejo’s bankruptcy, which began in 2008, the city cut the number of police in half rather than deal with the “pension problem.” Now, a somewhat similar scenario is playing out in Stockton, a
Read MoreFighting public service ‘corruption’
Aug. 27, 2012 By Steven Greenhut SACRAMENTO — During recent travels to Madison and Milwaukee for some research about reform-minded Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s survival of a union-backed recall, I found little residual anger among the friendly folks there,
Read MoreNew Wells Fargo report bullish on state economy
Aug. 22, 2012 By Joseph Perkins A new report by Wells Fargo Securities Economics Group declares that “California’s economic recovery has gained considerable momentum over the past year.” It cites the decline in the state’s jobless rate, increase in sales
Read MoreEducrats: Collective bargaining rights trump existing state law
Aug. 21, 2012 By Chris Reed The key to understanding Golden State politics is knowing that the most powerful forces in Sacramento by a wide margin are the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers. Using union dues
Read MoreBankruptcy no panacea for pensions
Aug. 20, 2012 By Steven Greenhut SACRAMENTO – Municipal bonds have long been among the safest investments, but a coming wave of municipal bankruptcies in California — and the disturbing way one of those cities is stiffing its bondholders —
Read MoreConfusion: Each Calif. state agency uses different accounting numbers
Aug. 20, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi In 15th century Italy, the Medici Bank issued two sets of currency: gold Florins for exclusive use by the wealthy and silver Piccioli only for use by the poor. Since it was forbidden to break
Read More