California Legislature

NEWS: California Democrats turn to interest groups

SSuttie — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:37:33 +0000

MyDesert.com reports on a new analysis by the Center for Investigative Reporting showing that funds raised by Democrats in the California Legislature came from industries and interests that regularly lobby the Legislature and state agencies, with one third of the money raised coming from donors with addresses in Sacramento, where many major interest groups maintain a lobbying presence.

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NEWS: California Democrats back gun control, Prop 13 reforms

SSuttie — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:01:09 +0000

ABC 23 Bakersfield reports California Democrats adopted resolutions on Sunday affirming many of their biggest political goals, including changing California's landmark property tax limitation law, Proposition 13, supporting more gun control legislation and imposing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for oil.

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EDITORIAL: Prop. 30? Who Cares? Tax-Hike Fever Is Back

SSuttie — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:33:32 +0000

Union Tribune's editorial criticizing Sacramento lawmakers who promised voters they would be spared any new push for higher taxes after Proposition 30's passage, only to push for a variety of new fees and taxes in the form of more than two dozen bills sent before the Legislature.

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NEWS: California bills seek range of fees, taxes

SSuttie — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:43:33 +0000

The Sacramento Bee reports more than two dozen bills introduced in the current session, take aim at Californians' pocketbooks. Taxes, fees or other charges are proposed for soda pop and sweet tea drinkers, motorists, gun owners and people who frequent strip clubs, buy prepaid cellular phone minutes, or use paper or plastic shopping bags.

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EDITORIAL: Union-backed lawmakers seek to thwart pension reform votes

SSuttie — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:11:57 +0000

The Orange County Register explains how California's legislators continue to stand in the way of voters' efforts to reform public pensions.

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OPINION: Off the Rails

SSuttie — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:33:53 +0000

Chris Reed of City Journal explains how the arrogance displayed by California's legislature might help fuel California voters’ building anger toward the Sacramento establishment.

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OPINION: Dan Walters: California's budget vote change is biting back

SSuttie — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 01:33:14 +0000

Dan Walters, writing for the Sacramento Bee looks back over the two years since California votes approved Proposition 25, a measure which reduced the legislative vote margin on the state budget from two-thirds to a simple majority, and how it has backfired in a major way.

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OPINION: Dems’ Idiocy on Pensions Recalls ’70s Tax Fiasco

SSuttie — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 19:56:34 +0000

CalBuzz.com compares the current blunderings of Democrats in the California Legislature over pension reform issues to those of the Legislature in the 70's, which eventually led to the massive spread of the tax revolt and the landslide victory of Proposition 13.

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OPINION: On-time budget full of holes, games, gimmicks

SSuttie — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:09:06 +0000

Katy Grimes of Cal Watchdog reports the Legislature met its constitutional budget deadline, which means legislators will not be docked their pay this year. However, claims by legislative leadership that this budget really is a balanced, honest budget, free of gimmicks and accounting tricks were met with guffaws, anger and stiff verbal sparring on the floor of the Senate and Assembly Friday.

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NEWS: California Public Employees Win Concessions in New Budget

SSuttie — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:47:15 +0000

Bloomberg New reports the budget California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature sent to Governor Jerry Brown last week granted concessions to public employee unions even as talks continue on cutting programs for the poor.

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