Tag: Loren Kaye
Governor’s Infrastructure Proposal Cuts Red Tape to Speed Project Delivery
Budget surpluses may be a thing of the past, but Governor Gavin Newsom can still initiate massive new investments in state infrastructure—if he can...
Prudent Budget Proposal Keeps Key Commitments, No Tax Hikes
Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised budget last Friday, revealing a larger revenue shortfall, higher estimated safety net spending, but even so not a...
Assembly Committee Approves Bill Undermining Direct Democracy
Legislation that would diminish voters’ ability to hold elected leaders accountable was approved by the Assembly Elections Committee yesterday.
Introduced by the committee chairman, Assemblymember...
How ‘New Frontier’ Tax Will Hurt State Revenues
To the delight of the tax and spending lobby, Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose) has again introduced a tax on wealth. Inspired by government...
Don’t Treat California as a ‘Luxury Good’
The Golden State has enjoyed as much prosperity and created as much wealth as any society on the planet.
Its economic output rivals Germany and...
Governor’s Budget Plans for Uncertain Economy
Governor Gavin Newsom presented a balanced budget with no new general tax increases. He identified a $22.5 billion “shortfall” between previously expected revenues and...
Voters Maintain Support for Proposition 13, Increase Support for Improving Resolution of Labor Litigation
We previously reported on voters’ anxieties about the economy, the state’s business climate, crime, and drought and climate change. Voters have strong opinions about...
Drought Relief Top Priority for Voters; Climate Change Costs Also Concern
Earlier reports examined voters’ anxieties about the economy, the state’s business climate, and crime. Voters also have strong opinions about issues that affect their...
Economic Uncertainty, Need to Improve Business Climate Top of Mind for California Voters
California voters are readying themselves to face lean economic times, and want state elected leaders to do likewise, according the latest CalChamber poll, the...
Despite Economic Ranking, California Has Third Worst Business Tax Climate in US
California’s global rank among economies may be 5th, 6th or even 4th, but bragging rights make little difference to the day-to-day struggles that business...
SB 1149 Would Upend Intellectual Property Rights, Expose California Companies to Piracy
California’s economic success can be credited to two often-related advantages: a skilled workforce and a culture of innovation.
Our workforce has been nurtured by the...
High Cost of Living Drives Voter Concerns
The cost of living weighs heavily on the minds of voters, and has become the principal lens through which they consider California public policy...
Unprecedented Budget Surplus Is Focus of May Revision
To nobody’s surprise, Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced another upward revision in the state’s general revenues—a $55 billion bump since January. To the...
We’ve Reached Peak Budget
The Legislative Analyst has cried “last call” for the state budget bash.
Even as the State Legislature enjoys the prospect of spending record budget surpluses, its...
Gas Prices and the Gann Limit
Nothing shouts “cost of living” quite as loudly as gasoline prices in Los Angeles averaging $6.01 a gallon. Inflation has reached a 40-year high...
Revenue Windfall Provides Opportunity for More UI Funding, Tax Credits for COVID Sick Leave...
California’s mighty work-from-home economic engine continues to create massive value for workers, employers and entrepreneurs—and not incidentally for the state treasury.
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst...
Restraint Key in Handling New, Post-Pandemic Normal
The enduring lesson for policy makers as California recovers from the Pandemic Era should be restraint. California enjoys a bountiful budget surplus, but nobody...
Governor Newsom has Proposed the Fourth State Budget of His Term, and It’s a...
The proposed budget tops out at more than a quarter-trillion dollars, larger than the entire economies of Vietnam, the Czech Republic or Portugal. The...
State Leaders Should Use Budget Surplus to Restore Tax Incentives, Repay UI Debt
Only 18 months ago, expecting a massive pandemic-induced collapse of economic activity, California finance officials predicted a staggering $54 billion state budget deficit. The...
The People’s Voice: Drought and Wildfire Dominate Climate Issues
Californians strongly agree about the importance of addressing climate change, but are not convinced that costly, disruptive policies are the right approach. The seventh...