Budget and Finance
Back to homepageCalifornian Utopia turns into Dante’s Inferno
Mar. 10, 2010 Inferno, the first part of the famous 14th century epic poem Divina Commedia (Divine Comedy) by Dante Alighieri, tells of a man’s journey through Hell toward faith. Along the way, Dante sees the uncommitted souls of the people
Read MoreCalifornia’s jobs crash worsens
March 9, 2010 By JOHN SEILER In some of the articles I’ve written for CalWatchdog, I’ve devised new ways of looking at policies and their consequences, such as my “California Jobs Gap” calculation here and here. It showed that California’s
Read MoreLegislators Consider Merits of Williamson Act
Mar. 3, 2010 By KATY GRIMES For more than 45 years, California farmers, ranchers and land owners have voluntarily participated in the Williamson Act, which restricted the use of their land to agriculture but gave property tax breaks for the
Read MorePublic Versus Private: Different Sets of Rules
Mar. 2, 2010 The recent stories of state workers abusing vacation policies and comp-time serves as another reminder that there are two sets of rules and laws in California — one for private sector employers and one for the state
Read MoreCommunity colleges oversell 0.7% enrollment decline
Feb. 26, 2010 By ELISE VIEBECK The chancellor for California’s community colleges lamented a 0.7% decline in the system’s enrollment yesterday, reporting that more than 200,000 students will be “unfunded” — that is, enrolled beyond schools’ funded capacities — this
Read MoreDid schools win state lottery?
Feb. 25, 2010 By KATY GRIMES In an effort to shore up some of the state’s record deficit, a bill heard this week would require more money from the State Lottery be spent on schools and less on lottery administration.
Read MoreCalifornia's business exodus
Feb. 25, 2010 By KATY GRIMES According to Joe Vranich, a business relocation specialist located in Southern California, his business is booming helping businesses move out of California, and not into the state. For the rest of California businesses, the
Read MorePensions push state to insolvency
FEB. 23, 2010 By TROY ANDERSON As the $17 billion annual taxpayer tab for government employees’ pensions and retiree health care increases at a rate of “several billion dollars” a year, Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach says California is heading for an “economic
Read MoreState selling properties to raise cash
Feb. 23, 2010 By KATY GRIMES With the state of California selling off property to raise cash in the face of the $24 billion deficit, 11 office-building complexes are for sale, which will then be leased back to the state for 20
Read MoreThe eyes of Texas are upon us
Feb. 23, 2010 Californians used to sing “I Love You, California.” Now, the tune has changed and it’s “Can’t Get Enough of Texas.” The bad news stories about California businesses packing up and moving out of state are so frequent,
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