When California voters approved Proposition 13 by a landslide in 1978 they launched a nationwide revolt for lower taxes. Critics now blame that revolt for our current fiscal crisis. That charge needs to be considered in the light of actual data about property taxes in California.  Read more >>

It is said the most dangerous place in Sacramento is between a politician and a TV camera. This is because politicians, by nature, subsist on attention. Since the media has a guiding principle, “If it bleeds it leads,” politicians know they will not get good coverage simply by being good stewards of the public’s business. They must show action! So what we end up with, not surprisingly, is lots of activity and very little in the way of results.  Read more >>

There is an old expression, “what am I, chopped liver?” that is employed – usually in a social setting – when one is being ignored. For all the harsh words, finger pointing and declarations of entitlement that fill the current budget debate, there is something strikingly absent from our political ruling class: An acknowledgment that taxpayers have been, and will continue to be, the sole driving force of any economic recovery.  Read more >>

For a decade, California state government has spent more than it receives in revenue. The result? Our state has the lowest credit rating of all 50 states, we rank in the top four in unemployment, near the top in tax burden per capita, and we rank last or close to last in a number of surveys that measure business climate. Not coincidentally, California small business bankruptcies are up 81% over last year.  Read more >>

Californians are tired of hearing about government’s problems. Because they are struggling with their own crises – including record high unemployment, foreclosures and taxes – the last thing they want is more bad news from government. But want it or not, the bad news keeps coming.  Read more >>