Infrastructure
Agriculture
Taxes Up, Roads Still Down, Nothing New
Almost five years ago, the California Legislature passed, and then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed, Senate Bill 1, hiking fuel taxes to raise $52 billion over 10 years for overdue road repairs. For all the revenue raised and spent, the condition of the state’s highway system continues to decline. Under SB1, state ...
Blog
Time to Cut Gas Taxes?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced earlier this month that energy prices in the U.S. rose 33 percent for the 12 months ending November. In many regions of California, prices rose even higher. In the L.A.-Long Beach-Anaheim region, energy prices jumped 35 percent. In the Inland Empire, prices shot up ...
Blog
Is Gann Limit Next Item on Budget Chopping Block?
Last week, I wrote about the “key values” put forward by Senate Democrats for their approach to the 2022-23 state budget process. Assembly Democrats quickly followed up by releasing their own “budget blueprint,” which like their Senate counterparts, would spend the state’s budget surplus largely on new and expanded government ...
Agriculture
No Water Yet Says DWR
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced a zero percent water allocation on Dec. 1. The water agency said that the drought has forced state water regulators to prioritize “health and safety water needs” and that water deliveries are essentially on hold until the state recovers from the ongoing ...
Blog
Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Would Do More to Build ‘Equitable’ California Than Higher Spending
Shortly after the New Year’s holiday, Gov. Gavin Newsom will kick off “state budget season” when he releases his 2022-23 state budget proposal on January 10. In a sign that perhaps lawmakers won’t be ceding as much of the spotlight to Newsom in 2022 that they have in 2021, Democratic ...
Blog
Southern California Traffic Is Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels. Now What?
Well, it’s official: Southern California’s infamous traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels. Worse yet, according to one estimate for SR 91—connecting Los Angeles to her Orange and Riverside suburbs—it might actually be worse. While morning commutes have dampened with the rise of remote work and flexible scheduling, the data suggest ...
California
NEW STUDY: Government Fees ‘Nickel and Dime’ Californians Out of Hundreds of Dollars Per Year
California “nickel and dimes” consumers with hundreds of dollars in fees annually for under-utilized services, and their repeal would give relief from the high cost-of-living and make fees more efficient and accountable, finds a new study released today by California-based, nonpartisan, free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute. “While ...
Blog
CA Lawmakers Proposed $236 Billion+ in New Taxes Despite Record Revenue
Despite taking in record state tax revenue over the past year, California lawmakers proposed more than $236.4 billion in new taxes and fees in 2021, finds the annual “Tax and Fee Report” just released by the California Tax Foundation. Over the past twelve months, lawmakers proposed 74 different tax and ...
Business & Economics
Wayne Winegarden Discusses Entrepreneurship Study on Iowa PBS Market to Market
Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics, discusses inflation, infrastructure and the latest Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity study on how government pandemic policy negatively impacted entrepreneurs with host Paul Yeager on Iowa PBS’ “Market to Market”.
Business & Economics
Wayne Winegarden Discusses Infrastructure Bill on Insight with Vicki Gonzalez
Listen to Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics, discuss the federal infrastructure bill and the impact of higher spending on future entrepreneurship on “Insight with Vicki Gonzalez” on Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. The interview begins at the 15:45 mark. https://www.pacificresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/insight-211129-full-show.mp3
Taxes Up, Roads Still Down, Nothing New
Almost five years ago, the California Legislature passed, and then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed, Senate Bill 1, hiking fuel taxes to raise $52 billion over 10 years for overdue road repairs. For all the revenue raised and spent, the condition of the state’s highway system continues to decline. Under SB1, state ...
Time to Cut Gas Taxes?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced earlier this month that energy prices in the U.S. rose 33 percent for the 12 months ending November. In many regions of California, prices rose even higher. In the L.A.-Long Beach-Anaheim region, energy prices jumped 35 percent. In the Inland Empire, prices shot up ...
Is Gann Limit Next Item on Budget Chopping Block?
Last week, I wrote about the “key values” put forward by Senate Democrats for their approach to the 2022-23 state budget process. Assembly Democrats quickly followed up by releasing their own “budget blueprint,” which like their Senate counterparts, would spend the state’s budget surplus largely on new and expanded government ...
No Water Yet Says DWR
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced a zero percent water allocation on Dec. 1. The water agency said that the drought has forced state water regulators to prioritize “health and safety water needs” and that water deliveries are essentially on hold until the state recovers from the ongoing ...
Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Would Do More to Build ‘Equitable’ California Than Higher Spending
Shortly after the New Year’s holiday, Gov. Gavin Newsom will kick off “state budget season” when he releases his 2022-23 state budget proposal on January 10. In a sign that perhaps lawmakers won’t be ceding as much of the spotlight to Newsom in 2022 that they have in 2021, Democratic ...
Southern California Traffic Is Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels. Now What?
Well, it’s official: Southern California’s infamous traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels. Worse yet, according to one estimate for SR 91—connecting Los Angeles to her Orange and Riverside suburbs—it might actually be worse. While morning commutes have dampened with the rise of remote work and flexible scheduling, the data suggest ...
NEW STUDY: Government Fees ‘Nickel and Dime’ Californians Out of Hundreds of Dollars Per Year
California “nickel and dimes” consumers with hundreds of dollars in fees annually for under-utilized services, and their repeal would give relief from the high cost-of-living and make fees more efficient and accountable, finds a new study released today by California-based, nonpartisan, free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute. “While ...
CA Lawmakers Proposed $236 Billion+ in New Taxes Despite Record Revenue
Despite taking in record state tax revenue over the past year, California lawmakers proposed more than $236.4 billion in new taxes and fees in 2021, finds the annual “Tax and Fee Report” just released by the California Tax Foundation. Over the past twelve months, lawmakers proposed 74 different tax and ...
Wayne Winegarden Discusses Entrepreneurship Study on Iowa PBS Market to Market
Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics, discusses inflation, infrastructure and the latest Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity study on how government pandemic policy negatively impacted entrepreneurs with host Paul Yeager on Iowa PBS’ “Market to Market”.
Wayne Winegarden Discusses Infrastructure Bill on Insight with Vicki Gonzalez
Listen to Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics, discuss the federal infrastructure bill and the impact of higher spending on future entrepreneurship on “Insight with Vicki Gonzalez” on Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. The interview begins at the 15:45 mark. https://www.pacificresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/insight-211129-full-show.mp3