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Lawmaker rejects per diem, tax-funded car

A newly-elected Bay Area lawmaker isn’t reveling in the perks of public office. She’s forgoing two of the best bonuses afforded to members of the California Legislature. As her first act in office, Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-Pleasanton, has declined per diem

Vacancies trigger 2015 state Senate elections

John December 5, 2014

The Nov. 4 vote didn’t end this election cycle, but sparked a new round. Three sitting state senators won seats in the U.S. House of Representatives: Sens. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Walnut Creek; Steve Knight, R-Antelope Valley; and Mimi Walters, R-Irvine. They will resign their positions in

Gov. Brown, CalPERS face off in 2015

James Poulos December 5, 2014

A piece of this year’s politics moving into 2015 is Gov. Jerry Brown’s tiff with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. In particular, Brown remains steamed over CalPERS’ use of temporary pay to pad pensions. In a letter to CalPERS, he said

VIDEO: Steve Forbes can fix California, but Sacramento won’t listen

CalWatchdog Staff December 4, 2014

Gov. Jerry Brown once supported a flat tax and Steve Forbes tells CalWatchdog.com’s Brian Calle that would be 真人麻将游戏平台 the first step toward unleashing the economic power of the Golden State.

Covered CA struggles through second enrollment

James Poulos December 4, 2014

Covered California’s huge enrollment numbers boosted the national health care program, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, during its first year. But the Covered CA health care exchange, the center of the system, has been sneezing through its crucial second open-enrollment period, which

VIDEO: A CEO’s advice for Gov. Jerry Brown

CalWatchdog Staff December 4, 2014

Innovation is at the core of California’s identity. Now the Golden State needs to embrace innovation to build a better future. The CATO Institute’s John Allison joins Brian Calle to discuss the right ways to reform the state, including privatizing

CA housing policies clash in Encinitas

Wayne Lusvardi December 3, 2014

How much can state and federal law dictate local housing policy? That confrontation has turned over headlines in Encinitas, where residents are debating which policy should be adopted by them at the ballot box in 2016. According to KPBS, “Under California law,

Realignment worsens woes for CA county jails

James Poulos December 3, 2014

Pushed by the courts to thin out California’s state prisons, Gov. Jerry Brown has imposed a cascade of burdens on the county jails required to receive waves of inmates. The latest of these has caused extra heartburn for county sheriffs —

Chapman forecasts continued modest growth

John Seiler December 3, 2014

It’s better than a recession. That’s about all one can say about the current economic “recovery,” which today’s Chapman University 37th annual economic forecast expected to continue over the next year. The forecast was given before about 1,500 local business

Voters skeptical of major tax system overhaul

Joel Fox December 3, 2014

While much attention has been paid to potential tax measures on the 2016 ballot, working in the background is an effort to overhaul the state’s tax system. The recently released Public Policy Institute of California poll shows how difficult