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Back to homepageWhy CA is so screwed up, in a nutshell
March 31, 2013 By Chris Reed So CalPERS’ actuary, in a fit of unusual honesty, says the pension giant’s finances are in bad shape in the long run and need to be firmed up. But Alan Milligan realizes that asking
Read MoreWhy is state gov so inefficient? Duh. Job preservation.
March 30, 2013 By Chris Reed The Sacramento Bee’s Jon Ortiz had a piece Thursday about the grotesque mess that is California state government that had lots of interesting details about the extent of the dysfunction: “Last year, Gov. Jerry
Read MoreAuditor: California $127 billion in the red
March 29, 2013 By John Seiler It’s official: California is broke. According to a new report by state Auditor Elaine Howle: “unrestricted net assets totaled a negative $127.2 billion. Restricted net assets are dedicated for specified uses and are not available
Read MoreUnionized workers reject their own UAW contract!
March 29, 2013 By Katy Grimes In an bizarre twist on reality, the United Auto Workers union found itself bargaining as an employer, but got a taste of their own medicine when 74 of the union’s own workers at the UAW-General Motors Center
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How will the Cyprus crisis impact the U.S.?
March 28, 2013 By Katy Grimes Is America headed for a Cyprus-like crash? These are the headline stories today from the Drudge Report: ‘THEY HAVE STOLEN OUR MONEY’… Cyprus banks reopen, with strict restrictions… €300 daily withdrawal limit… No money
Read MoreBullet train: Is L.A. Times’ beat reporter ashamed of edit page?
March 28, 2013 By Chris Reed There’s been quite a bit of good reporting done on the bullet-train fiasco. Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury-News and Lance Williams of California Watch jump to mind. But Ralph Vartabedian of the
Read MoreObamacare glitch previously covered by CalWatchdog
March 27, 2013 By Katy Grimes There are huge news stories all across the country today about the latest discovery in the Obamacare law. I have been writing about these cost increases long before this latest hysteria. And now, well
Read MoreObamacare to raise CA costs, shutter Anaheim hospital
March 27, 2013 By John Seiler Many people, including yours truly, have warned that Obamacare would lead to higher costs and worse medical care. That’s now happening like a heart attack. A new estimate by the Society of Actuaries pegs
Read MoreSacramento arena: A ‘Field of Schemes’
March 27, 2013 By Katy Grimes Sacramento officials have lost all ability to reason, and instead are letting emotions and delusions of grandeur drive their decision over a downtown sports arena. Arenas are nothing more that fields of schemes, and the
Read MoreStockton bankruptcy judge’s pedigree, history offer hope
March 27, 2013 By Chris Reed The stakes are immense in the four-day trial in Sacramento’s federal bankruptcy court this week. The New York Times frames the issue well: “Wall Street is taking America’s biggest pension fund to court this
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