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Blog
Newsom public safety budget shortchanges crime victims
For California’s Crime Victims – Budget Dust
Despite his protestations to the opposite in the recent debate with Governor DeSantis, California’s violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over their 2021 levels, making California a crime outlier compared to national crime statistics which have dropped. The Governor’s “Real Public Safety Plan” ...
Blog
Take a deep dive on Gov. Newsom's education budget
Newsom’s Proposed Education Budget: A Recipe for More Disaster
With all the blaring headlines about California’s huge state budget deficit, one would think that education spending, which accounts for around 45 percent of the budget, would take a significant hit. Well, think again. In the 2019-20 fiscal year, which was the last pre-pandemic budget, state General Fund spending for ...
Blog
In 2024, will more cities relax the grip of progressive policy?
In 2024, will more cities relax the grip of progressive policy? by Kerry Jackson | January 12, 2024 Joel Kotkin of Chapman University recently posted a piece on Unherd in which he reports that, “Across America’s cities, voters are driving out progressives.” Encouraging, if true. Kotkin says that in Seattle, ...
Blog
Get the latest scoop on local green programs
Budget woes force cities to limit utopian climate programs
City officials depend on money from state and federal governments to implement climate agendas imposed from above. A new report finds them griping about their favorite topic: not enough money from the taxpayers. Key takeaway: “Across all policy areas, respondents were most likely to identify staff capacity and funding as ...
Blog
Learn about an important state budget priority
Public Employee Pay Savings Must Be Part of Budget Solution
California’s record $68 billion deficit for the 2024 fiscal year is a national newsmaker. State government isn’t the only administrative body facing a budget shortfall, though. A number of cities are also finding they have insufficient funds. Officials are busy trying out plans to resolve their financial troubles, but balancing ...
Blog
Get a state budget preview
Three things to watch in Governor’s budget rollout
On Wednesday, Gov. Newsom will unveil his much-anticipated 2024-25 state spending plan, officially kicking off the budget debate at the State Capitol. While the state is facing a $68 billion shortfall according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s office, Newsom said in a December TV interview that, “we have different numbers ...
Blog
Public pension reform needed to balance state budget
The Miracle Of Defined Contributions
The headline says “Florida has an answer” and if so there could be any number of public policy dilemmas that the state has solved, but in this case it’s government employee pensions. California also knows the answer, but there can be a sizable gap between having knowledge and applying it. ...
Blog
An ode to the suburb
An ode to the suburb By Andrew Smith | January 4, 2024 Suburbs are considered the ugly stepchild of American urban design. They’re generally despised, considered bastions of conformity, derided as “cookie-cutter vinyl villages,” considered eyesores and blamed for virtually every malady that has affected urban America. But if they’re ...
Blog
Read latest on debate over changing CA election laws
Are Proposed Election Law Changes Defending ‘Fair and Open Elections’ or ‘Shenanigans’?
You may have missed it during the holiday season, but there was a big political dustup in California over the race to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress. Assemblyman Vince Fong filed to replace his former boss in Congress, but he had previously filed for re-election. Democratic Secretary of State Shirley ...
Blog
Learn how much you'll be paying for power
Power And Higher Prices To The People
With the arrival of the new year comes higher energy prices for many Californians. Here is how things are looking: One week before Thanksgiving, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a 13% rate hike for Pacific Gas & Electric. It will go into effect on New Year’s Day. But even ...
Newsom public safety budget shortchanges crime victims
For California’s Crime Victims – Budget Dust
Despite his protestations to the opposite in the recent debate with Governor DeSantis, California’s violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over their 2021 levels, making California a crime outlier compared to national crime statistics which have dropped. The Governor’s “Real Public Safety Plan” ...
Take a deep dive on Gov. Newsom's education budget
Newsom’s Proposed Education Budget: A Recipe for More Disaster
With all the blaring headlines about California’s huge state budget deficit, one would think that education spending, which accounts for around 45 percent of the budget, would take a significant hit. Well, think again. In the 2019-20 fiscal year, which was the last pre-pandemic budget, state General Fund spending for ...
In 2024, will more cities relax the grip of progressive policy?
In 2024, will more cities relax the grip of progressive policy? by Kerry Jackson | January 12, 2024 Joel Kotkin of Chapman University recently posted a piece on Unherd in which he reports that, “Across America’s cities, voters are driving out progressives.” Encouraging, if true. Kotkin says that in Seattle, ...
Get the latest scoop on local green programs
Budget woes force cities to limit utopian climate programs
City officials depend on money from state and federal governments to implement climate agendas imposed from above. A new report finds them griping about their favorite topic: not enough money from the taxpayers. Key takeaway: “Across all policy areas, respondents were most likely to identify staff capacity and funding as ...
Learn about an important state budget priority
Public Employee Pay Savings Must Be Part of Budget Solution
California’s record $68 billion deficit for the 2024 fiscal year is a national newsmaker. State government isn’t the only administrative body facing a budget shortfall, though. A number of cities are also finding they have insufficient funds. Officials are busy trying out plans to resolve their financial troubles, but balancing ...
Get a state budget preview
Three things to watch in Governor’s budget rollout
On Wednesday, Gov. Newsom will unveil his much-anticipated 2024-25 state spending plan, officially kicking off the budget debate at the State Capitol. While the state is facing a $68 billion shortfall according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s office, Newsom said in a December TV interview that, “we have different numbers ...
Public pension reform needed to balance state budget
The Miracle Of Defined Contributions
The headline says “Florida has an answer” and if so there could be any number of public policy dilemmas that the state has solved, but in this case it’s government employee pensions. California also knows the answer, but there can be a sizable gap between having knowledge and applying it. ...
An ode to the suburb
An ode to the suburb By Andrew Smith | January 4, 2024 Suburbs are considered the ugly stepchild of American urban design. They’re generally despised, considered bastions of conformity, derided as “cookie-cutter vinyl villages,” considered eyesores and blamed for virtually every malady that has affected urban America. But if they’re ...
Read latest on debate over changing CA election laws
Are Proposed Election Law Changes Defending ‘Fair and Open Elections’ or ‘Shenanigans’?
You may have missed it during the holiday season, but there was a big political dustup in California over the race to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress. Assemblyman Vince Fong filed to replace his former boss in Congress, but he had previously filed for re-election. Democratic Secretary of State Shirley ...
Learn how much you'll be paying for power
Power And Higher Prices To The People
With the arrival of the new year comes higher energy prices for many Californians. Here is how things are looking: One week before Thanksgiving, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a 13% rate hike for Pacific Gas & Electric. It will go into effect on New Year’s Day. But even ...
