Budget and Finance
Back to homepage
Shutdown dents legislators' fundraising
Earlier this week, CalWatchdog.com mentioned some of the political implications that the partial government shutdown will have on Congress, particularly a few vulnerable representatives from California. Members are dealing with the competing demands of winning leverage against the other party, while
Read More
Coming days could be pivotal in bullet-train fight
Friday — or sooner — will see a crucial development in the five-year fight over implementation of Proposition 1A, the 2008 ballot measure that provided $9.95 billion in bond seed money for a statewide bullet-train project while establishing a state
Read More
Shutdown casts shadow over CA races for U.S. House
The partial government shutdown is now in its second week. Throughout the duration of the shutdown, national and local media have released myriad stories about the pain that different government workers — and those who rely on government — are
Read More
Shutdown: Where is CA now?
Another day, another case of epic gridlock in the nation’s capital. Both sides have reached an impasse. It’s likely that Republicans will now try to tie any government funding deal to another deal that raises the debt ceiling, which will
Read More
Shutdown: Where CA Lawmakers Stand
For the first time in 17 years, the federal government has shut down. As CalWatchdog.com has previously explained, this doesn’t exactly mean that steel bars have dropped in front of all government buildings. Rather, some programs are temporarily shuttered and
Read More
Federal govt. shutdown would ripple through CA
Confusion, as usual, reigns in the U.S. Capitol. Now that Sen. Ted Cruz has finished his epic speech (or filibuster, depending whom you ask), the question of whether or not House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, will be able to convince
Read More
CA taxes, mandates boost unemployment
“California raised a bunch of taxes this year. Its economy hasn’t collapsed.” So read the snarky headline accompanying a post last month by Jim Tankersley on the Washington Post’s Wonkblog. “Eight months after raising sales and income taxes, California
Read More
Life imitates sci-fi: Why CA pension crisis is sure to get far worse
The debate in California over public employee pensions has grown familiar in recent times. Those who demand reform finally appear to have momentum. In Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown won passage of a pension reform measure in September 2012. While many
Read More
Audit uncovers embers in Cal Fire slush fund
A new state audit shows that in 2005 a secret, $3.66 million off-the-books account was established by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Wildlife Fire Investigation Training and Equipment Fund, a private, nonprofit account, was filled through
Read More
CBP report shows weak jobs growth during recovery
In a new report, “Uneven Progress: What Economic Recovery Has Meant for California’s Workers,” the California Budget Project analyzed how the economic crash and recovery have affected the labor market in California. essay writing services Spoiler alert: It’s not good.
Read More