Budget and Finance
Back to homepageAnother economic dip coming?
JUNE 21, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Here’s something Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown should be debating. As the California budget is haggled over by the governor, Legislature and the powerful government unions, one thing everyone assumes is that the California
Read MoreSteinberg appeases educators
JUNE 17, 2010 By EVELYN STACEY On June 14, Senator Darrell Steinberg held a press conference at Edward Kemble Elementary, of Sacramento City Unified School District, to offer his support and solutions for schools in the midst of the budget
Read MoreBye-bye budget deadline
June 15, 2010 By LAURA SUCHESKI Boiled down, the state government has one big job: levy taxes and spend the revenues. But California’s statutory budget deadline passed again today with little notice from Sacramento lawmakers. The Legislature hasn’t met the
Read MoreCal recovery lags USA
JUNE 7, 2010 By JOHN SEILER California’s economy is recovering, but more slowly than that of the rest of America, according to the June 3 forecast of the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research at Chapman University, which I
Read MoreThe Unserious State
MAY 31, 2010 The Australian radio announcer interviewing me last week about the dreadful state of California’s budget and economy wanted to know what she would find if she landed at LAX and drove around the state. It’s not like
Read MoreState to foist inmates on counties
MAY 27, 2010 By LAURA SUCHESKI Although state legislators say that state-to-county unfunded mandates are illegal, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to use an exemption in sentencing laws to force counties to take title to state law offenders. On Wednesday, the
Read MoreCA budget tops sensible limits
MAY 27, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Budget time. So I thought I would revisit an analytical tool I devised a few years ago to help better understand the California state budget. Back in the early 2000s, I was pouring over
Read MoreUnion bill would block city bankruptcies
MAY 25, 2010 By KATY GRIMES A union-backed Assembly bill, authored by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, would potentially prevent financially destitute California cities from filing for federal bankruptcy protection under Chapter 9 of the bankruptcy code. Mendoza’s bill would give
Read MoreGrab redevelopment cash
MAY 24, 2010 Few things are more ironic, and infuriatingly funny, than listening to California’s notoriously ham-fisted redevelopment agencies complain about the state’s “theft” of redevelopment funds. Last week, California cities had to comply with a Sacramento Superior Court judge’s
Read MoreCal Jobs Gap widens in 2010
MAY 24, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Instead of bashing one another for past liberal postures, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner should be talking about the California Jobs Gap. Jerry Brown should be, too. There’s no more important issue today, especially
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