Blog

Unions win court round in battle with charter cities

Unions lost round one of their battle with California cities over “prevailing wages” on public works projects in 2012. That’s when the California Supreme Court ruled against a law they’d gotten the Legislature to pass targeting charter cities for their

Historic Vergara ruling finalized; state has weighty decision on appeal

Chris Reed August 28, 2014

A court decision that puts the interests of Latino and black students and parents on a collision course with those of the mostly white members of the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers has been finalized: The

Gut and amend time

John Seiler August 28, 2014

“Laws are like sausages. You should never see them made,” is a variant on a saying by Otto von Bismarck. The old Prussian has been dead 116 years, but if he came back he certainly would recognize the California Legislature’s

Mexico moves toward free-market oil

John Seiler August 27, 2014

After its 1994 peso crisis, Mexico could have chosen more socialism — or move toward capitalism. It chose the latter and has been one of the world’s growth success stories ever since. Tax rates actually are lower than in El Norte (although

Kiplinger: CA taxes highest — and state hostile to retirees, too

Chris Reed August 27, 2014

Over the years, when I’ve reported that the nation’s CEOs continue to rank California as the most anti-business state in the country, I’ve gotten some blowback in emails and comments that question whether the ranking was manipulated. This is goofy

Farm workers protest CA labor bureaucrats

John Seiler August 26, 2014

Gerawan’s oppressed workers are protesting today. For a year we have reported on the farm workers for Gerawan putting up with high-handedness, bureaucratic delay and abuse by state labor officials. The workers entered into a contract with the United Farm Workers 20 years

iPad scandal latest in long line for L.A. Unified — but different

Chris Reed August 26, 2014

The abrupt decision Monday by Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy to suspend the district’s $1 billion iPad program after reports that he manipulated the decision that led to Apple winning the big contract is hugely juicy. The program already

Take your pooch out to eat

John Seiler August 25, 2014

Gov. Jerry Brown just signed a bill legalizing restaurants and bars allowing pets on patios, starting Jan. 1. Given all the animal-rights activists and dog-lovers in this state, it’s surprising this took so long. Although in my experience here, this long

Vergara appeal decision: Nixon goes to China for Jerry Brown?

Chris Reed August 24, 2014

To an astounding degree, prominent California Democrats have so far avoided substantive comment on Judge Rolf Treu’s landmark — but tentative — June 10 ruling in Los Angeles Superior Court that teacher tenure laws are so harmful to minority students in

Fact-checking Tom Steyer on climate change

John Seiler August 23, 2014

I continue to contend that “climate change” is a meaningless phrase because the climate obviously changes. But how? To what effect? It’s like saying “baby change” about an infant. How? Is he well and growing? Is he ill? “Climate change”