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Katy Grimes: Despite Democrats saying Thursday that “GOP influence is fading” now that budget talks have blown up between Gov. Jerry Brown and Republican legislators, Republicans said that Brown called off the talks just as they were getting close. And,
Read MoreBrown, GOP Reach Budget Deal
John Seiler: In early negotiations Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown reached a budget agreement with Republican legislators to increase taxes $12 billion — without a ballot measure. Votes in the Assembly and Senate are expected later in the day. Two Republicans
Read MoreBrown Endorses Pension Reform
Steven Greenhut: Gov. Jerry Brown has, finally some would say, released a pension-reform proposal. We will analyze this carefully, but it looks like he is simply going after the low-hanging fruit — the abuses rather than the fundamental unaffordable pension
Read MoreIJ Calls For GOP To End RDAs
Steven Greenhut: Here is a press release from the Institute for Justice regarding Assembly Republicans’ decision to save redevelopment agencies. Institute for Justice Calls on California Republicans To Eliminate Costly and Abusive Redevelopment Agencies Arlington, Va.—The Institute for Justice—the nation’s
Read MoreCard Check Bill Passes Senate
Katy Grimes: The “card check” bill, SB 104, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, passed the Senate this morning 24-14, after a heated debate. “This bill would permit agricultural employees, as an alternative procedure, to select their labor representatives
Read MoreSpending Actually $121 Bill Higher
John Seiler: The wrangling over the $12 billion in taxes in Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2011-12 budget of $86 billion usually ignores something: All the federal tax money California gets. The Bee reports: The federal government gave California’s state government $120.7
Read MoreI Can't Afford a Tax Increase
John Seiler: I usually make coffee at home. But this morning, I got a Starbucks. Fishing around in my wallet for the money, I noticed I only had a couple of dollars left. Yet I recently patronized the cash machine.
Read MoreEducators Threaten Classroom Cuts
Katy Grimes: The latest budget threat over Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax extensions is coming from a group of school superintendents in the state who are urging Republican lawmakers to accept the tax extensions. Brown says the tax extensions will raise
Read MoreLogue Critical of Green Bill
Katy Grimes: There were outbursts and antics on the floor of the Assembly today while legislators debated a green energy bill authored by Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian (Palo Alto). SB 2 would increase California’s renewables portfolio standard to require all retail
Read MoreWho's Drinking the Budget Kool-Aid?
John Seiler: Some budget action might take place today. But who knows. Meanwhile, government apologist Peter Schrag charges that Republicans, “having swallowed Grover Norquist’s no-new-taxes Kool-Aid, and intimidated by a couple of Southern California radio talkers, would try to block
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