There’s a joke about public sector union bosses making the rounds in Sacramento lately: What happens when the California Legislature hands over a blank check to the California Teachers Association (CTA)? It’s returned the next day marked “insufficient.”

No matter that spending on schools is up 36 percent over the last four years, the state budget has increased 25 percent over the last three and the state is running a surplus of nearly $7 billion, it is never enough. The government employee unions are continuing to press for higher taxes and more spending from which they benefit both in terms of money and political power.

Since California already imposes the highest taxes in all 50 states in almost every category except taxes on property – we rank 19th highest – the obvious target is Proposition 13 which limits annual increases in property taxes. To take on Proposition 13, public unions, including the two major teachers unions and the Service Employee Employees International Union, have joined with some rag-tag groups of Bay Area radicals to create a front group, calling itself “Make It Fair.” The stated goal is to strip Proposition 13… Read More

Thursday, a California Appellate Court struck a blow to autocratic labor, when it struck down California’s Compulsory Contracting Statute as unconstitutional, and set aside the state’s Agricultural Labor Relations Board-ordered contract on Gerawan Farming. The court called the forcing of this unwanted union contract on workers an “unconstitutional abuse of authority.”

And, the Court even awarded repayment to Gerawan of its costs for bringing this appeal.

The ruling is a significant victory for Gerawan Farming and its 5,000 workers. Gerawan’s workers have been fighting a UFW takeover since October 2012, when the United Farm Workers labor union showed up unannounced after abandoning workers for more than 20 years, and ordered workers to pay 3 percent of their… Read More

A mandatory vaccination bill that would undermine informed consent, parental choice, and discriminate against certain California families, was passed by the State Senate Thursday. SB 277, which would end all personal belief exemptions to childhood vaccination requirements, was passed largely on a party line vote, 25 – 10.

What’s this all about? The Disneyland measles outbreak in January was hyped to hysteria thanks to the media. With the United States population at more than 320 million people, and 38 million in the state of California, it was interesting that a handful of pinpointed measles cases caused the Los Angeles Times to place blame on some parents, calling them “ignorant,” and engaged in a “self-absorbed rejection of science,” instead on the real cause. The Center for Disease Control said the viruscame from overseas, carried by a foreign tourist. But the Times Editorial was titled: “Blame Disneyland measles… Read More

Today Governor Jerry Brown released his revised budget proposal. He’s right to recognize that much of the money currently pouring into Sacramento is one-time dollars. Whether the Legislature will show similar spending restraint is an open question.

One thing is clear: given the current revenue windfall, tax increases are off the table. Instead of proposing tax hikes, the Legislature should spend its time ensuring taxpayers receive value for their money.

There’s no question government is doing well. We now need to make sure the people who fund government with their hard-earned dollars have a chance to prosper too.… Read More

When the dramatic drop in oil prices occurred starting in mid 2014, liberals were conflicted. They hated the fact that low oil and gas prices increased the attractiveness and use of fossil fuels. But they took solace in the fact that at least the irritating Texas economic boom was finally reversed — that a hick state’s economy built on their lucky abundance of natural resources would now be the Lone Star State’s undoing. The progressives were actually gloating about the resulting economic bust the hated Texans would experience.

Only one problem for liberals. It didn’t happen. Texas is still chugging along, with hardly a hiccup from the plunge in petroleum prices.

This ain’t our grandparents’ Texas. No-sir-re-bob!

Today’s Texas is a highly diversified economy. Yes, the oil industry is certainly important — but it’s only one component of the state’s economy — and a shrinking one at that.

Consider this recent history of the Texas unemployment rate — remembering the precipitous decline in petroleum prices starting in mid-2014:

Mar 31, 2015 4.20%

Feb. 28,… Read More

California’s kids receive more than 50 childhood vaccinations. However, not all parents agree with the aggressivevaccination scheduleand opt out. Well, they used to be able to opt out.

Parental choice over vaccines was removed thanks to a state law passed in 2012. AB 2109 by then-Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, orders that children will not be allowed to attend public school without proof that parents have been counseled, and children vaccinated. The only exception to the law is a religious exemption.

The State of California has injected itself into the doctor-parent relationship, and lawmakers can’t see how… Read More

Back in the early 2000’s, in the aftermath of the internet bubble’s collapse, California’s state and local governments endured a period of austerity that resulted in “furloughs,” where, typically, employees would take Friday’soff in exchange for a 20% cut in their pay. That is, they worked 20% less, and made 20% less in pay – but theirrateof pay was not cut.

This display of “sacrifice” was an eye opener for private sector workers, especially salaried employees of small businesses, who endured cuts to their rates of pay at the same time as their hours of work increased. Most people in the private sector back in the early 2000’s felt lucky to have a job, even if it meant working harder and making less.

There’s a lesson to be learned from the period of state and local government “furloughs” in California: California’s government functioned just fine with 20% fewer hours spent at the job, overall, and California’s government workers got by, overall, making 20% less money. So since we know these cuts arefeasible, it isinteresting to estimate just how much money Californians would save, if there were a 20% reduction to… Read More

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In the 1970s a taxpayer revolt ensued. Homeowners, just wanting their American dream to own a home with a bar-b-que and patio in the backyard, were facing extreme inflation and skyrocketing property tax bills, forcing some out of their homes. Then, in 1978, Proposition 13 appeared on the ballot which passed with more than 64 percent of the vote and put an end to continually increasing property taxes.

Proposition 13 set a uniform 1 percent property tax rate, limited yearly increases in assessed value to no more than 2 percent, and established property valuation at its acquisition price (usually the purchase price). It provided certainty and predictability to our government, and to home and business owners, in a time when uncertainty was all too common.

Unfortunately, some misguided groups are launching an effort to change Proposition 13. Just last week, a campaign called Make It Fair announced it would be pushing a “split roll” property tax in the legislature and engaging in a public education campaign. These groups want to dismantle Proposition 13, eliminating the protections for business owners by regularly reassessing non-homeowner properties. They often… Read More