California

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Squatters’ Blues

“California homeowners are facing an ongoing squatter crisis across Los Angeles,” Newsweek reported in May. Based on comments from Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, Newsweek said that “thousands of homes are being invaded by squatters who live in them without paying rent, and ...
Blog

Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center

Democratic plan would bring turmoil to housing markets

A century ago, the federal government involved itself hardly at all in housing, leaving that to state and local governments, and the market. The major exception was housing on federal land, including the District of Columbia, other territories and military bases. That changed in 1937 when, as part of President ...
Blog

Spending Watch

The Governor’s Special Session Will Worsen Gasoline Affordability

The Governor’s Special Session Will Worsen Gasoline Affordability Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson September 2024 The special session called by Governor Gavin Newsom is supposed to save Californians from price gasoline spikes. The governor wants to blame the price spikes on greedy corporations. His accusations are merely a diversion from ...
California

Tim Anaya and Kerry Jackson – The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide

In a special episode, we interview co-host Tim Anaya and his co-author Kerry Jackson on their new book, The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, which chronicles the bad policy ideas that have been emanating from Sacramento for years and now are inspiring the Biden-Harris administration and policymakers nationwide. They talk ...
Blog

Read about latest taxpayer-funded giveaway for undocumented immigrants

Newsom Gets One Right in Vetoing Downpayment Aid for Undocumented

Had he signed it, the legislation would have forbidden applicants seeking financial aid for home purchases through the state’s housing purchase assistance program, created by a previous bill, from​​ being “disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status.” But as the governor said in his veto message, funding for the ...
California

Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA

Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises

Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog

Learn about the problems with rent control

Rent-control madness is coming to California’s November ballot

Indeed, the so-called Justice for Renters Act features this simple text: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.” If voters approve the initiative, it would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Control Act. That 1995 law ...
Blog

All Crime is Local – Why National Crime Statistics Don’t Matter

The FBI doesn’t receive individual reports of crimes, rather, they aggregate the crime statistics reported by thousands of law enforcement agencies who, for ease of comparison, share a common reporting format. This gives us a bird’s eye view of national and state crime statistics, albeit with a lot of errors ...
California

‘California way’ offers a preview of a Harris’ presidency

Suppose Ms. Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, who has governed Minnesota as if he were following the Golden State playbook, are elected. In that case, voters can expect the California way to guide a future administration. Read the full article at the Washington Times
Blog

Get the latest update from under the Capitol dome

Newsom’s Absence Was ‘Elephant in the Room’ at End of Legislative Session

Coincidentally, I found myself out and about that evening near the Capitol, going to dinner and then a show with friends.  Ironically, there was a comic book convention that weekend at the convention center. The hundreds of strangely dressed people milling about downtown Sacramento that evening had no idea what ...
Blog

Squatters’ Blues

“California homeowners are facing an ongoing squatter crisis across Los Angeles,” Newsweek reported in May. Based on comments from Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, Newsweek said that “thousands of homes are being invaded by squatters who live in them without paying rent, and ...
Blog

Read the latest from PRI's Free Cities Center

Democratic plan would bring turmoil to housing markets

A century ago, the federal government involved itself hardly at all in housing, leaving that to state and local governments, and the market. The major exception was housing on federal land, including the District of Columbia, other territories and military bases. That changed in 1937 when, as part of President ...
Blog

Spending Watch

The Governor’s Special Session Will Worsen Gasoline Affordability

The Governor’s Special Session Will Worsen Gasoline Affordability Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson September 2024 The special session called by Governor Gavin Newsom is supposed to save Californians from price gasoline spikes. The governor wants to blame the price spikes on greedy corporations. His accusations are merely a diversion from ...
California

Tim Anaya and Kerry Jackson – The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide

In a special episode, we interview co-host Tim Anaya and his co-author Kerry Jackson on their new book, The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, which chronicles the bad policy ideas that have been emanating from Sacramento for years and now are inspiring the Biden-Harris administration and policymakers nationwide. They talk ...
Blog

Read about latest taxpayer-funded giveaway for undocumented immigrants

Newsom Gets One Right in Vetoing Downpayment Aid for Undocumented

Had he signed it, the legislation would have forbidden applicants seeking financial aid for home purchases through the state’s housing purchase assistance program, created by a previous bill, from​​ being “disqualified solely based on the applicant’s immigration status.” But as the governor said in his veto message, funding for the ...
California

Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA

Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises

Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog

Learn about the problems with rent control

Rent-control madness is coming to California’s November ballot

Indeed, the so-called Justice for Renters Act features this simple text: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.” If voters approve the initiative, it would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Control Act. That 1995 law ...
Blog

All Crime is Local – Why National Crime Statistics Don’t Matter

The FBI doesn’t receive individual reports of crimes, rather, they aggregate the crime statistics reported by thousands of law enforcement agencies who, for ease of comparison, share a common reporting format. This gives us a bird’s eye view of national and state crime statistics, albeit with a lot of errors ...
California

‘California way’ offers a preview of a Harris’ presidency

Suppose Ms. Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, who has governed Minnesota as if he were following the Golden State playbook, are elected. In that case, voters can expect the California way to guide a future administration. Read the full article at the Washington Times
Blog

Get the latest update from under the Capitol dome

Newsom’s Absence Was ‘Elephant in the Room’ at End of Legislative Session

Coincidentally, I found myself out and about that evening near the Capitol, going to dinner and then a show with friends.  Ironically, there was a comic book convention that weekend at the convention center. The hundreds of strangely dressed people milling about downtown Sacramento that evening had no idea what ...
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