Politics and Elections

Contra Costa case a template for Prop. 26 abuse

In recent California history, small-government advocates have no more significant victory than the triumph of Proposition 26 in 2010. Here’s an explanation of its main thrust from an analysis by the League of California Cities: “Prop. 26 is divided into

Dan Walters figures out Gov. Brown wants bullet train dead

Chris Reed March 4, 2014

For a few months, Cal Watchdog has been the only outlet in the media underlining how fundamentally strange and self-defeating the actions of the state government have been in defending the bullet train. After an August court ruling from Sacramento

Gov. Brown announces re-election bid under rain

John March 3, 2014

Last Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown officially launched his re-election campaign. Of course, filing the paperwork was a formality for a man who already has raised more than $17 million towards that end. But Brown’s campaign announcement coincided with what the National

Attorney for plaintiffs in bullet-train lawsuit suggests way out

Chris Reed March 1, 2014

Michael J. Brady, the Redwood City attorney for Kings County and other parties suing the California High-Speed Rail Authority, offers his theory on the easiest, cleanest way for Gov. Jerry Brown to abandon the bullet-train fiasco. This is from an

Lawsuit: Assemblyman forced staffers to work for his law firm

John February 27, 2014

A former employee of Assemblyman Steve Fox alleges that the Democrat lawmaker forced employees in his taxpayer-funded state office to work for his private law practice. The allegations are contained in a lengthy complaint filed last Friday in Los Angeles

The dog that didn’t bark: More evidence top Dems want bullet train gone

Chris Reed February 26, 2014

The California establishment fights dirty when it comes to direct challenges to its priorities and the people it wants to protect the most. The CTA blocking efforts to make it easier to remove classroom sexual predators and instead passing legislation

Judge confirms the ‘California rule’: Pensions can only go up

Chris Reed February 25, 2014

A state judge on Monday did a split-the-baby routine with San Jose’s voter-approved pension-reform law: “SAN JOSE — In a landmark ruling that could help shape city budgets around the state, a judge invalidated key parts of San Jose’s voter-approved

Welfare, housing: Clinton pragmatism still ignored by CA’s dim paleo Dems

Chris Reed February 24, 2014

In the late 1980s, after three straight Republican presidential wins in which GOP candidates won 133 of 150 states, the Democratic Leadership Council seized prominence in Democratic policy circles with its centrist reform agenda. Founded in 1985 by strategist Al

Calderons indicted in massive bribery, fraud case

Tori Richards February 22, 2014

State Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother Thomas, a former assemblyman, were indicted late Thursday in a massive bribery and insurance fraud case that could send them to prison for the rest of their lives. A 24-count criminal complaint