Budget and Finance
Back to homepageBudget rule hides where Prop. 30 and Prop. 39 taxes will be spent
Nov. 16, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi A little known new accounting rule buried in the fiscal 2012-13 California state budget now will make it virtually impossible for the public to track where and when the tax revenues from Propositions 30
Read MoreSupermajority can’t legislate away reality
Nov. 15, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi Since the election, several acquaintances of mine have gone out of their way to taunt me about the emergence of the Democratic supermajority in the California Legislature. I have listened respectfully but sadly. Achieving
Read MoreLittle Hoover: More CA city bankruptcies loom
Nov. 14, 2012 By Dave Roberts “Are your cities going to make it for five years?” asked Little Hoover Commission Chairman Daniel Hancock at the recent commission hearing on pension and infrastructure financing. “That’s a good question,” responded Dwight Stenbakken, deputy
Read MoreBankruptcy series: The Road Ahead
Editor’s Note: This is the 11th in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. Nov. 14, 2012 By Chriss Street Up through September 2011, Wall Street underwriters, bond counsels and other assorted securities industry camp followers were gloating over
Read MoreLos Angeles teeters on the brink of bankruptcy
Editor’s Note: This is the Tenth in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy Nov. 13, 2012 By Brian Calle Taxpayers in Los Angeles are facing a major crisis if Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other officials do not begin
Read MoreBankruptcy Series: Cities on a future spending spree
Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. Nov. 9, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi Are the staggering forecasted public pension obligations facing state and local governments in California the result of overspending or
Read MoreCalifornia politicians love to tax like the French
Nov. 4, 2012 By Chriss Street Support for Proposition 30, the income and sales tax increase touted by Gov. Jerry Brown, has fallen below the critical 50 percent needed for passage for the first time in the California Field Poll.
Read MoreMillionaire tax flight study full of hasty generalizations
Oct. 30, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi When hosting TV game show “Family Feud,” the late host Richard Dawson made famous his line: “Survey says!” There’s a new study out on how millionaires react to tax increases. What does the survey
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Do tax hikes drive out millionaires?
Oct. 25, 2012 By John Seiler Just in time for an election about raising millionaires’ taxes comes a study saying they won’t leave. Instead, when their taxes are raised, they’ll stay and shout, “Thank you, sir! May I have another!”
Read MoreCalifornia-bred supply-side economics is coming back
Oct. 23, 2012 By Chriss Street The Great Recession was primarily caused by the collapse in economic demand as 70 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 moved out of their peak spending years in their mid-30s to mid-50s
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