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2020’s Big Tax Increases Might Not Be the Sure Bet Some Thought They Were

Earlier this year, I wrote about the #Build2020 plan put forward by Assembly Democrats to make it easier to raise taxes at the local level for special taxes and general obligation bonds to pay for things like libraries, hospitals, parks, and other politically-appealing infrastructure projects. This week, the measure was ...
Blog

2020 Presidential Candidates Trying to One-Up Themselves Giving Away Free Money to College Students

In late April, Senator Elizabeth Warren beat out other 2020 presidential contenders to the college-aged voter pulpit by introducing a sweeping student loan forgiveness plan. With the previous debate about the nation’s massive $1.57 trillion student loan debt focused on reducing the cost of attending a college or university and ...
Blog

Despite Some Problems, Americans Should Be Grateful for Current Health Care System

Recently, I had a health scare that sent me to the emergency room for a few hours.  The care that I received at UC Davis Medical Center was excellent. I drove myself to the emergency room at 6:30 in the morning.  Upon registering, I saw a doctor within twenty minutes ...
Blog

This Is California: Paying the Rich To Buy State-Approved Cars

California leads the country in electric vehicle sales, but it’s apparently not enough to satisfy the Sacramento meddlers. The same legislator who would outlaw gasoline and diesel automobiles now wants to increase the publicly-funded subsidy that is intended to motivate car buyers to choose EVs. As if rich Californians couldn’t ...
Blog

What We’re Watching: August 16, 2019

Tim Anaya – Don’t Mess with Bingo Players One of the reasons why I love going on cruises is getting to play bingo every day. I’ve learned over the years not to mess with bingo players, whether you call out bingo when you haven’t actually won (they make you dance ...
Blog

Will Californians Go Through Withdrawal If They Can’t Recycle Plastic Bottles?

California, which would like to think of itself as the recycling capital of the universe, has lost its largest bottle and can recycling chain, rePlanet. The company shut down all 284 sites across the state on Aug. 5 and terminated its workforce of as many as 750 employees. It’s been ...
Blog

California and a Global Standard for Innovation

Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California.  ...
Blog

CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?

CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year.  Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – August 9

Rowena Itchon – Yes, I Really Did Work for Ronald Reagan When people learn that I worked at the Reagan Speechwriting office, people ask me if I ever met the President. My brother recently came across this old video in 1986 when the staff did the annual photo op. You’ll ...
Blog

Big Government Plays Favorites with Renewable Energy, We All Pay the Difference

Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) can be considered the flagship environmental policy for state government in the US. The RPS programs have been adopted by 29 states and apply to half of the national electricity market. The staple of any RPS program is mandating the use of one energy source over ...
Blog

2020’s Big Tax Increases Might Not Be the Sure Bet Some Thought They Were

Earlier this year, I wrote about the #Build2020 plan put forward by Assembly Democrats to make it easier to raise taxes at the local level for special taxes and general obligation bonds to pay for things like libraries, hospitals, parks, and other politically-appealing infrastructure projects. This week, the measure was ...
Blog

2020 Presidential Candidates Trying to One-Up Themselves Giving Away Free Money to College Students

In late April, Senator Elizabeth Warren beat out other 2020 presidential contenders to the college-aged voter pulpit by introducing a sweeping student loan forgiveness plan. With the previous debate about the nation’s massive $1.57 trillion student loan debt focused on reducing the cost of attending a college or university and ...
Blog

Despite Some Problems, Americans Should Be Grateful for Current Health Care System

Recently, I had a health scare that sent me to the emergency room for a few hours.  The care that I received at UC Davis Medical Center was excellent. I drove myself to the emergency room at 6:30 in the morning.  Upon registering, I saw a doctor within twenty minutes ...
Blog

This Is California: Paying the Rich To Buy State-Approved Cars

California leads the country in electric vehicle sales, but it’s apparently not enough to satisfy the Sacramento meddlers. The same legislator who would outlaw gasoline and diesel automobiles now wants to increase the publicly-funded subsidy that is intended to motivate car buyers to choose EVs. As if rich Californians couldn’t ...
Blog

What We’re Watching: August 16, 2019

Tim Anaya – Don’t Mess with Bingo Players One of the reasons why I love going on cruises is getting to play bingo every day. I’ve learned over the years not to mess with bingo players, whether you call out bingo when you haven’t actually won (they make you dance ...
Blog

Will Californians Go Through Withdrawal If They Can’t Recycle Plastic Bottles?

California, which would like to think of itself as the recycling capital of the universe, has lost its largest bottle and can recycling chain, rePlanet. The company shut down all 284 sites across the state on Aug. 5 and terminated its workforce of as many as 750 employees. It’s been ...
Blog

California and a Global Standard for Innovation

Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California.  ...
Blog

CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?

CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year.  Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – August 9

Rowena Itchon – Yes, I Really Did Work for Ronald Reagan When people learn that I worked at the Reagan Speechwriting office, people ask me if I ever met the President. My brother recently came across this old video in 1986 when the staff did the annual photo op. You’ll ...
Blog

Big Government Plays Favorites with Renewable Energy, We All Pay the Difference

Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) can be considered the flagship environmental policy for state government in the US. The RPS programs have been adopted by 29 states and apply to half of the national electricity market. The staple of any RPS program is mandating the use of one energy source over ...
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