California
Business & Economics
Neo-Prohibitionism, Alcohol Taxes, and Central Planning in California
The last time I had a critical look at the neo-prohibitionists, it was via a pamphlet opposing a tobacco tax hike in California. Now, the Marin Institute has completed a “landmark” study suggesting that we need to hike alcohol taxes in the Golden State. And landmark it certainly is: the ...
California
Unbalanced Billing in California Hospitals: the Sacramento Bee Weighs In
The Sacramento Bee, our, our fair capital’s daily newspaper, has editorialized on the issue of “balance billing”, whereby ER doctors and hospitals which are not in a patient’s health plan’s network, send high-priced (and unexpected) bills to patients. Interestingly, although the editorial leans against the health plans, it approves of ...
Business & Economics
Lessons for Sacramento from San Francisco’s high-tech heist
For nine days last month, San Francisco’s state-of-the-art new computer network was held hostage by a convicted felon. Even a team of Silicon Valley’s best and brightest engineers working around the clock could not crack his code. Finally, in a secret midnight meeting at the Hall of Justice, the mayor ...
California
A Grotesque Twist to the Los Angeles Homeless-Hospital Saga
Only three days ago, I wondered what Los Angeles hoped to achieve by passing an ordnance forbidding hospitals from discharging ER patients without their written consent. As I noted, many homeless people would be happy to stay in the hospital for quite a while under such circumstances. I also blamed ...
Commentary
Why is The Budget Always Late?
Systemic Problems Cause Budget Woes Longtime California residents may have noticed a trend in state politics: The California State Budget is almost never passed by the constitutionally-mandated deadline, July 1. This year is no different. In fact, the state budget hasn’t been passed on time for three years, and the ...
California
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s War on Choice in Health Insurance Heats Up
Ever since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California Health Care Deforminator ABX1 1 stumbled just short of the finish line last January, he and his Democratic allies in the legislature have been looking to move bits and pieces of the failed health reform plan forward. According to the Los Angeles Times’ Jordan ...
California
New Los Angeles Ordnance Turns Hospitals Into Homeless Shelters
Enterprises that “collaborate” with government generally find that the costs come to outweigh the benefits. Those who seek a “seat at the table” often end up being the main course. (Thanks to Bridgett Wagner of the Heritage Foundation for the metaphor.) And in the end, you cannot buy politicians off; ...
Business & Economics
Attention eBay Users: Online Sellers Facing New IRS Rules
Countless Americans selling as individual entrepreneurs on sites like eBay must now be aware that the Internal Revenue Service has modified their rules to make sure taxes are reported on private Internet transactions. As part of the housing rescue package just signed by President George W. Bush, the Internet transaction ...
California
Unbalanced billing In California hospitals
Imagine if you bought an airline ticket to fly from San Francisco to Chicago and after the flight you received an extra bill from the co-pilot for what he claims is a fair price for his services. He is unsatisfied with the airline’s pay and would like you and your ...
Business & Economics
The annual budget paradox: taxes hit Dems, cuts hit Reeps
One knock against politicians is that they’re always trying to bring pork back to their districts. But when it comes to California’s annual Kabuki budget dance, a new pattern emerges: Republicans try to cut spending-often even money likely to flow to their own districts-while Democrats try to pass taxes that ...
Neo-Prohibitionism, Alcohol Taxes, and Central Planning in California
The last time I had a critical look at the neo-prohibitionists, it was via a pamphlet opposing a tobacco tax hike in California. Now, the Marin Institute has completed a “landmark” study suggesting that we need to hike alcohol taxes in the Golden State. And landmark it certainly is: the ...
Unbalanced Billing in California Hospitals: the Sacramento Bee Weighs In
The Sacramento Bee, our, our fair capital’s daily newspaper, has editorialized on the issue of “balance billing”, whereby ER doctors and hospitals which are not in a patient’s health plan’s network, send high-priced (and unexpected) bills to patients. Interestingly, although the editorial leans against the health plans, it approves of ...
Lessons for Sacramento from San Francisco’s high-tech heist
For nine days last month, San Francisco’s state-of-the-art new computer network was held hostage by a convicted felon. Even a team of Silicon Valley’s best and brightest engineers working around the clock could not crack his code. Finally, in a secret midnight meeting at the Hall of Justice, the mayor ...
A Grotesque Twist to the Los Angeles Homeless-Hospital Saga
Only three days ago, I wondered what Los Angeles hoped to achieve by passing an ordnance forbidding hospitals from discharging ER patients without their written consent. As I noted, many homeless people would be happy to stay in the hospital for quite a while under such circumstances. I also blamed ...
Why is The Budget Always Late?
Systemic Problems Cause Budget Woes Longtime California residents may have noticed a trend in state politics: The California State Budget is almost never passed by the constitutionally-mandated deadline, July 1. This year is no different. In fact, the state budget hasn’t been passed on time for three years, and the ...
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s War on Choice in Health Insurance Heats Up
Ever since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California Health Care Deforminator ABX1 1 stumbled just short of the finish line last January, he and his Democratic allies in the legislature have been looking to move bits and pieces of the failed health reform plan forward. According to the Los Angeles Times’ Jordan ...
New Los Angeles Ordnance Turns Hospitals Into Homeless Shelters
Enterprises that “collaborate” with government generally find that the costs come to outweigh the benefits. Those who seek a “seat at the table” often end up being the main course. (Thanks to Bridgett Wagner of the Heritage Foundation for the metaphor.) And in the end, you cannot buy politicians off; ...
Attention eBay Users: Online Sellers Facing New IRS Rules
Countless Americans selling as individual entrepreneurs on sites like eBay must now be aware that the Internal Revenue Service has modified their rules to make sure taxes are reported on private Internet transactions. As part of the housing rescue package just signed by President George W. Bush, the Internet transaction ...
Unbalanced billing In California hospitals
Imagine if you bought an airline ticket to fly from San Francisco to Chicago and after the flight you received an extra bill from the co-pilot for what he claims is a fair price for his services. He is unsatisfied with the airline’s pay and would like you and your ...
The annual budget paradox: taxes hit Dems, cuts hit Reeps
One knock against politicians is that they’re always trying to bring pork back to their districts. But when it comes to California’s annual Kabuki budget dance, a new pattern emerges: Republicans try to cut spending-often even money likely to flow to their own districts-while Democrats try to pass taxes that ...
