Inside Government

CA road use tax could morph into social engineering experiment

The prospect that Californians will face a new state levy is certain to cause grousing and considerable comment. But a proposal that is increasingly making waves has far-reaching implications and possibilities that have yet to be acknowledged. This is from

Contra Costa County government scandal: Third World R Us?

Chris Reed January 27, 2015

It’s long been common in politics for one side to comment on how alleged wrongdoing is covered by the media if their side does it versus how it’s covered if it’s the other side doing it. But this tactic and/or

LAO report: Dozens of school districts not honoring intent of state law

Chris Reed January 25, 2015

The state Legislative Analyst’s Office released a report last week on how 50 California school districts were dealing with the requirements of the 2013 Local Control Funding Formula law. That’s Gov. Jerry Brown’s ballyhooed reform measure that is meant to

UC president appears to cave in fight with Gov. Brown

Chris Reed January 22, 2015

Three months ago, University of California President Janet Napolitano triggered a fight with Gov. Jerry Brown and leaders of the Legislature when she persuaded the UC regents to commit to a five-year plan in which tuition was raised by 5

Brown may hint at Vergara plans with state education board picks

Chris Reed January 17, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown has been vague about whether he agrees with the incendiary premise of last June’s decision in the Vergara case: that state teacher tenure and job protection laws are so likely to steer poor teachers to struggling mostly

San Diego mayor leery of subsidizing stadium, sees political risk

Chris Reed January 16, 2015

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s call for another task force to consider how to build the Chargers a new stadium and keep the NFL team from fleeing to a newly plausible Los Angeles stadium prompted an are-you-kidding-me reaction from the

Hoover Poll: CA wants growth, not green programs or rail

Wayne Lusvardi January 15, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown just won a resounding re-election victory. But his new budget released last week for Fiscal Year 2015-16, which begins on July 1, is out of sync with Californians on some important issues, according to the Hoover Institution’s

Sacramento aims to police the police

James Poulos January 14, 2015

After a politically punishing year for law enforcement departments from Los Angeles to New York, California legislators are riding the wave of controversy, drafting a spate of bills that would use the power of state government to assert more control over how police

Top lawyer for controller benefits from much-criticized state perk

Chris Reed January 14, 2015

The state government’s practice of letting workers defy official state policy and pile up unused vacation days and cash them in upon retirement has been criticized on and off for years. California government watchdogs and journalists have outlined the budget

LAPD’s fresh push for higher pay

James Poulos January 14, 2015

With a potentially damaging sense of timing, the Los Angeles Police Department has embarked on a fresh push for higher pay — enlisting the services of a public relations firm to help accomplish the goal. The LAPD hired the top-flight