“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” is the question posed by the Roman poet Juvenal from his “Satires.” It is literally translated as “Who will guard the guards themselves?” The quote has several variations including, “Who watches the watchers?” and “Who will watch the watchmen?” Our question is “Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?” As the name suggests, “fact-checking” […]
Huntington Beach was awarded the official title of “Surf City” by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office in 2006 based on its historical beach culture, music and active outdoor lifestyle. A great case could also be made to have the entirety of California designated as the “Serf State” based on its excessive taxation, burdensome regulations […]
A popular meme making the rounds shows a row of Porta-Potties engulfed in flames. Underneath is written, “If 2020 Were a Scented Candle.” No two ways about it, 2020 has been a very bad year for millions of Americans who have suffered from all the fallout associated with the pandemic. Many have been furloughed or […]
This column has previously described Prop. 19, which barely passed with 51 percent of the vote, as a steak laced with cyanide. It may look good, but you don’t want to eat it. While there are some benefits from expanding property tax “portability” to allow homeowners to transfer their Proposition 13 base-year value to anywhere […]
Although election results are not yet official, it is clear that Proposition 15, the $12 billion property tax hike also known as “split roll,” has failed. But, true to form, the proponents are not giving up their 42-year goal of destroying Proposition 13. Recall that the proponents – mostly public-sector labor interests – had huge […]
2020 was supposed to be the year – the year when Proposition 13’s enemies finally inflicted a near fatal wound on the iconic property tax reduction initiative adopted by voters more than 40 years ago. As of this writing it appears that they have come up short. Since 1978, tax-and-spend interests – mostly public sector […]
By now, nearly half of all Californians have already voted in the general election. But that means millions have not and many of them may still be confused about the myriad of choices they confront. This column is for those who may still be undecided on which propositions present the biggest threats to taxpayers and […]
In August, the Fair Political Practices Commission imposed one of the largest fines in its history against Los Angeles County for using taxpayer funds to advocate for a ballot measure it had placed on the ballot. Measure H was a massive sales tax increase, ostensibly for homeless programs. That same illegal behavior resulted in a […]
It’s a sign of desperation. When anyone in politics starts making wild claims less than a month before an election, you know something is amiss. So it is with the proponents of Proposition 15, the “split roll” initiative which would impose the largest property tax increase in California history. Throughout this campaign, proponents have consistently […]
Examples of how California’s one-party rule has us sliding ever closer to third world status become more frequent with every passing week. From a governor who issues a sweeping executive order banning gasoline powered vehicles to record levels of poverty and rampant homelessness, it is now difficult to distinguish much of California from Venezuela. One-party […]
