Steven Greenhut, Author at CalWatchdog.com

Posts From Steven Greenhut

Steven Greenhut

Steven Greenhut is CalWatchdog’s contributing editor. Greenhut was deputy editor and columnist for The Orange County Register for 11 years. He is author of the new book, “Plunder! How Public Employee Unions are Raiding Treasuries, Controlling Our Lives and Bankrupting the Nation.”

Gov. Brown signs major bills, including ones that expand workplace benefits

SACRAMENTO – In his veto message of two bills that would have banned smoking at California state parks and beaches, Gov. Jerry Brown argued that there must be “some limit to the coercive power of government.” Nevertheless, in a sea

Officials wrestle with ways to boost California’s voter turnout

Steven Greenhut October 4, 2017

SACRAMENTO – Does California have a voter turnout problem? The state’s voter-turnout rates hit the skids in the 2014 election cycles, with only 25 percent of registered voters casting a ballot in the June primary and only 42 percent voting

Technology-related bills struggled during recent legislative session

Steven Greenhut September 27, 2017

SACRAMENTO – California’s leaders often point to the burgeoning high-tech industry as evidence of the state’s strong, future-oriented economy. The industry’s ongoing success helps Democrats rebut arguments from conservatives who say that California isn’t particularly business friendly. But despite

End of session defined by higher taxes, anti-Trump and union priorities

Steven Greenhut September 20, 2017

SACRAMENTO – California’s legislative session, which completed its work in the wee hours Saturday morning, was one of the more controversial ones in years, given the degree to which the Democratic majority was able to secure various tax and fee

Will consumer privacy initiatives slow the internet economy?

Steven Greenhut September 14, 2017

SACRAMENTO – As the legislative session ends, California political junkies will soon turn their attention to the slate of initiatives making their way to the November 2018 ballot. One of the more significant proposed statewide measures is the California Consumer

Bill would revive California’s redevelopment agencies

Steven Greenhut September 8, 2017

SACRAMENTO – California’s redevelopment agencies were a fixture on the local political landscape for six decades, as they guided development policies and grabbed “tax increment financing” that localities used to pay for infrastructure improvements, downtown renovations and affordable-housing projects.

Democrats force recall backers to fight another court battle

Steven Greenhut August 29, 2017

SACRAMENTO – Most recall elections are primarily about electoral politics, as both sides duke it out with the usual broadcast ads and ground campaigns. But the burgeoning Republican effort to recall Orange County’s Democratic Sen. Josh Newman has turned into

Legislature is back and focused on housing, recall and bail

Steven Greenhut August 24, 2017

SACRAMENTO – California’s Legislature is back from its recess and legislators kicked off the session by focusing on two highly partisan matters. Assembly Republicans first voted to keep Chad Mayes as Republican leader, despite pressure from activists to oust

San Diego mayor offers suggestions for future of state GOP

Steven Greenhut August 16, 2017

SACRAMENTO – Even Republicans admit the state GOP is something of a rudderless ship these days. The party doesn’t control any constitutional offices. Democrats have supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature. Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley,

CalPERS’ divestment goals in crosshairs as coal stocks soar

Steven Greenhut August 9, 2017

SACRAMENTO – A newly released report from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System confirms that, fulfilling the Legislature’s directive to divest from coal-related investments, the pension fund has now largely exited from coal stocks. But as news reports this week