Koko the gorilla a resident of the Los Angeles Zoo had become quite adept at picking the pockets of the zoo keeper. One day Koko used the zoo keeper’s key to let himself out of his cage and ambled over to the snack shop. Climbing onto a bar stool he grunted "Water." When the man […]
For decades California local elected officials have enjoyed a delicious privilege. Under existing California law they can use eminent domain to seize private property and turn it over to other private interests like shopping mall developers. This is why these officials were rocked back on their heels when legislation that would have enshrined this privilege […]
When the Legislature is in session the Capitol is awash with millions of dollars worth of lobbying talent. You have never seen so many suits per square yard in your life. In Sacramento nothing of importance happens without the involvement of lobbyists. These denizens of the Sacramento political scene are involved in the legislative process […]
It’s them vs. us. In Los Angeles there is a big gulf between what residents want and what they get from local government. The Los Angeles City Council is considering a moratorium on new fast food restaurants in areas of the city where council members consider the population to be too fat. No fooling. The […]
Until recently the closest thing to a sure bet was real estate. Especially in California. Buy a house hold onto it for a few years and you too could become a millionaire. Unfortunately the housing boom has turned into bust. Housing starts dropped to their lowest level in a decade in July. The number of […]
For over two months a small well disciplined cadre was able to hold off a howling army of eager spenders in the State Capitol. While Senate Republicans may not go down in history along side the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae by holding out for a better deal on the state budget they achieved more than […]
The California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act (CPOFPA) is an initiative that would curb government’s power to seize private property and turn it over to another private entity that is willing to pay more in taxes. The measure is sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association the California Farm Bureau Federation and the California […]
That loud crash you just heard is the sound of another Proposition 13 myth being busted. It turns out that contrary to the claims of some county and municipal officials new housing pays its own way. But before discussing the latest demise of a hallowed canard about California’s legendary taxpayer protection initiative let’s quickly review […]
As the stalemate over the budget continues into its seventh week taxpayers are troubled over mischaracterizations in the mainstream media about who is responsible. The negative attention is focused on Senate Republicans who are being portrayed as the obstructionists. But viewed fairly their position is both reasonable and mainstream. They want to see a balanced […]
As the stalemate over the budget continues into its seventh week taxpayers are troubled over mischaracterizations in the mainstream media about who is responsible. The negative attention is focused on Senate Republicans who are being portrayed as the obstructionists. But viewed fairly their position is both reasonable and mainstream. They want to see a balanced […]
