Budget and Finance
Back to homepageTax hike could just go to pensions
April 4, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi Looks like California won’t need a tax hike after all—except to fund pensions. Economist Jeff Michael is the director of the University of the Pacific’s Business Forecast Center in Stockton. He tentatively indicates that
Read MoreRedevelopment Morphs Into Loan Sharking
April 2, 2012 By Wayne Lusvardi California redevelopment agencies may have been phased out. But cities are getting into the business of loan sharking to offset a decline in sales and property taxes. Last week the Ventura City Council voted
Read MoreSpecial Series: Bond Holders Seek Governmental Transparency
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of 12 in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. MARCH 20, 2012 By DAVE ROBERTS Once upon a time buying a municipal bond was considered a safe bet. A decent rate
Read MoreLow Interest Rates Will Kill Tax Hikes
MARCH 20, 2012 By WAYNE LUSVARDI All the proposed ballot initiatives to increase taxes in California are headed for a hard fall at the ballot box – because the economy is sluggish. And the economy won’t pick up speed unless
Read More396,345 Jobs Lost if Property Tax Split
MARCH 19, 2012 By WAYNE LUSVARDI The Davenport School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University is out with a blockbuster new study on the affects of the proposed elimination of caps on commercial property taxes provided for under Proposition 13.
Read MoreSpecial Series: Local Governments Face Bankruptcy Quandary
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of 12 in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. MARCH 16, 2012 By JOHN SEILER Bankruptcy is the boogeyman haunting governments across America. It’s not a question of if more cities
Read MoreAB 1500 Would Kill More Calif. Businesses
MARCH 15, 2012 By KATY GRIMES The Assembly Speaker and fellow Democrats are aggressively pushing a dangerous business-killing bill, designed to penalize out-of-state businesses operating in California. Clearly, these legislators do not recognize the importance of all business contributions to
Read MoreFour New California Cities Might Dissolve
Editor’s Note: Correction Below MARCH 13, 2012 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Newspapers across the United States have told of the financial plight of three cities in northern California facing possible bankruptcy: Stockton, Hercules and Lincoln. However, many may not be aware
Read MoreEureka! California Revenue Plunges 22%
MARCH 13, 2012 By CHRISS STREET State Controller John Chaing continues to uphold the California Great Seal Motto of “Eureka” — I have found it. But what Chaing is finding as controller is that California’s economy as measured by tax
Read MoreSpecial Series: Broke Municipalities Look to Bankruptcy Option
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a CalWatchDog.com Special Series of 12 in-depth articles on municipal bankruptcy. MARCH 9, 2012 By STEVEN GREENHUT Economist Allan Meltzer once quipped that “Capitalism without failure is like religion without sin. It doesn’t
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