In a recent column, I commented on how joyous the holiday season would be for members of the state legislature and our constitutional officers who are seeing a four percent increase in their pay. California lawmakers were already the highest paid in the nation.

But as the song says, you ain’t seen nothing yet. In a state the U.S. Department of Labor rates as first in pay for state and local government workers, one of the largest public sector unions has negotiated a pay raise of up to 19 percent for many of its members. Union leaders claim that many of the jobs their members perform are in high demand and, without the increases, employees will be lured away to the private sector. Therefore, a 19 percent increase for “financial experts” currently making between $7,300 and $10,000 per month, is warranted. However, everyone has been invited to the party. Even janitors will be getting an extra 3 percent on top of the standard 4 percent that has been negotiated for all the represented workers.

Other unionized employees, now negotiating pay increases with the state, will likely see similar raises. And it is important to mention that most of these “public… Read More

By vilifying Conservatives as sexists, racists, and imbeciles, political, academic, media, and cultural elites — the self-appointed arbiters of acceptable public debate — opened the door to a Trump presidency. And they are in a state of shock.

Political Correctness is used by the left as a weapon to destroy the fabric of American society. However, the leftist attack on speech in America may have ground to a halt with the election of Donald J. Trump as President.

There’s nothing voluntary about political… Read More

As reported earlier this month in theLos Angeles Times, California policymakers are expanding their war on “climate change” at the same time as the rest of the nation appears poised to reevaluate these priorities. In particular, California’s legislature has reaffirmed the commitment originally set forth in the 2006 “Global Warming Solutions Act” (AB 32) to reduce the state’s CO2 emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

Just exactly how California policymakers intend to do this merits intense discussion and debate.As the Los Angeles Times reporter put it,“The ambitious new goals will require complex regulations on an unprecedented scale, but were approved in Sacramento without a study of possible economic repercussions.”

At the risk of providing actual quantitative facts that may be extraordinarily challenging for members of California’s legislature, most of whom have little or no formal training in finance… Read More

Sacramento’s Very Expensive Homeless Problem

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s political track record is dismal; long on pious preening, and short on what makes a society successful. And if you don’t believe me, just look at where California stands now economically, with Steinberg’s25 yearsin political office. Fresh from the State Legislature, Sacramento’s new Mayor, former State Senator Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, announced his plans for making homelessness in Sacramento his priority – through more spending. But it appears that no matter the billions progressives spend on the homeless and homelessness, the problem is growing. And in Sacramento with its fancy new $556.6 million Golden One Center arena, the homeless problem is making the wealthy and… Read More

As is my custom for more than a decade on this eve…

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a… Read More

Good news! My constantly revised fact sheet — “CA vs. the Other States” — has been updated. Actually, now that I think about it, the update is BAD news.

My raw fact sheet (a Word file) is all but unreadable for normal human beings. Fortunately it’s just been reformatted and posted by the good folks at the California Policy Center. It’s QUITE readable. And up to the minute, as best as I can manage.

Sadly the superior formatting doesn’t improve the results. Almost three dozen updated comparisons to review. I dropped a couple of my topics because the data was too dated.

Lots of good ammo for critics of our progressive state policies. “Enjoy.”

http://californiapolicycenter.org/unaffordable-california-it-doesnt-have-to-be-this-way-7/

Currently California liberals are enjoying fantasizing about their state seceding from the Union — a process labeled “CalExit.” Legally it’s a silly idea. Though technically possible, it will never happen, for Constitutional and political reasons. But putting reality aside, is it a good idea? Oddly enough, I think it is.

Some of my conservative friends are unhappy about the proposal, even though they understand that ultimately it’s going nowhere. My frequent ally, attorney Kevin Dayton, presented his cogent arguments against allowing the CalExit proponents to even start circulating signatures for an official CA CalExit ballot proposition — a prop for what is surely a hair-brained, illegal idea. He posits a set of circumstances where the idea might actually come to pass.

http://www.flashreport.org/blog/2016/12/20/your-public-comment-can-help-keep-calexit-petitions-off-the-street-where-they-dont-belong/

But I disagree. I… Read More

I’ve just updated (December 2016) my salient household income comparison of California vs. hated Texas. My original figures were from 2009. Since then it’s gotten even better — for Texas.

According to recent U.S. census figures I can find, the 2015 median household income in California is significantly higher than Texas.

CA — $64,500

TX — $55,653 — 13.5% less than CA (vs. 18.1% less in 2009). TX is only $122 below the national average of $55,775.

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/acsbr15-02.pdf

But compared to the national average cost of living figure, the California cost of living (3rdquarter 2016) is 35.9% higher than the national average, while the Texas COL is 9.3% LOWER than the national average.… Read More