The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives by putting our health at risk, disrupting our work lives and robbing us of most of our recreational activities. It has also evaporated all of our assumptions about transportation policy in California. First, in one of the few positive consequences of the pandemic, California’s highest-in-the-nation cost of gasoline […]
In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a proposed budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 which envisioned a several billion dollar increase in spending for existing programs as well as a host of new programs. But that was before COVID-19 arrived at our shores. In over the course of just three weeks in March, it became obvious […]
By Jon Coupal and Timothy Bittle The powers of direct democracy — initiative, referendum and recall — have been powerful tools to control slow-moving or corrupt politicians. These powers are enshrined in the California constitution for reasons that are just as compelling in 2020 as they were in 1911 when Gov. Hiram Johnson, seeking to […]
A long-forgotten aspect of the nuclear arms race was the costly undertaking by the United States to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft as a strategic bomber. Even before Allied powers defeated Nazi Germany in 1945, both the United States and the Soviet Union were battling for post-war superiority. With the successful detonation of two atomic bombs […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down with massive disruptions in virtually every aspect of human life. With some notable exceptions, humanity has pulled together to vanquish this silent killer. It’s amazing how quickly both the private sector and public health experts have moved to confront this serious threat. For this, we can […]
With great fanfare, the proponents of an initiative to raise property taxes in California by $12 billion a year announced they had turned in over 1.7 million signatures to qualify the measure. Their press release was headlined “Schools and Communities First make history with most ever signatures submitted.” It’s a wonder they didn’t break their […]
The second installment of the 2019-2020 property tax bill was due on Friday and we hope the majority of California’s property owners were able to pay it without economic hardship. Unfortunately, for many homeowners and small businesses, it was more than just a hardship. They simply didn’t have the cash, and now they’re considered delinquent. […]
Homeowners have enough to worry about in the current coronavirus crisis. They face an April 10 deadline for the second installment of their annual property tax bill and there is no relief — yet — coming from either the governor’s office or the majority of county treasurer/tax collectors. Many taxpayers have been furloughed or laid […]
From many corners, California politicians and tax officials are under increasing pressure to extend the current April 10 deadline for paying property tax bills. The request is not unreasonable and there are many ways that government can assist homeowners who are under threat of hefty penalties or tax foreclosures. To date, our political leaders have […]
The word “unprecedented” is fitting for the coronavirus crisis that is now savaging both the health of countless Americans as well as our nation’s economy. Not since September 11th has the United States faced such a challenge. In reaction to the outbreak, healthcare professionals have emphasized the importance of speed. Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director […]
