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A tale of two cities and blocked pension reforms
A San Diego city attorney urged an appeals court last week to order talks with unions on repaying 4,000 employees for pensions illegally replaced by 401(k)-style plans under an initiative, a cost some estimate could reach $100 million. If the talks result in agreement, the city attorney suggested the pact could go back to voters […]
Gavin Newsom’s threat to localities is extortion by any other name
Shortly after his inauguration, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he would withhold funds designated for transportation from local governments that didn’t comply with his vision for affordable housing. His move could be characterized as either the height of hypocrisy or extortion. Take your pick. Let’s start with the hypocrisy. Our new governor has complained bitterly […]
Rent Control Comes Roaring Back to Life in California
California legislators are trying to revive rent control. This week, state lawmakers introduced a package of new bills that would roll back existing state limits on the policy, and impose new regulations on how much landlords can charge tenants and when they’re allowed to kick them out. The bills are light on policy meat at […]
A First Look at the Governor’s Housing Budget
During his campaign for Chief Executive of California, then-candidate and now Governor Newsom promised three and a half million new housing units would be built in the state by 2025. He promised a majority of those units would be affordable to lower-income households, as well. He also promised he would make it profoundly easier to […]
Green New Deal Would Cause a New Depression
The legislation’s title is fitting. The original New Deal failed to create jobs and actually prolonged the Great Depression. This Green New Deal would be no different — it will destroy millions of jobs and push working-class Americans into poverty. The bill seeks to transition America to nearly 100-percent renewable energy sources. Right now, those […]
CPR Blog
Could You Pass the Citizenship Test?
Quickly now – name one of the authors of The Federalist Papers, and don’t you dare go to Google. Do you know the pseudonym used by the authors to hide their true identities? Do you know why the Federalist Papers were written? If you have difficulty with any of the above be thankful that you’re not […]
Is Anything Off-Limits for California’s Police Unions?
A few weeks ago the Costa Mesa Police Association (read: Police Union) and their former law firm agreed to pay $607,000 to settle a lawsuit after their scheme against two Costa Mesa city councilmen came to light. As I wrote in my book, this settlement represents a small but important victory in the broader philosophical war between California’s […]
Towards a Grand Bargain on California Water Policy
When it comes to water policy in California, perhaps the people are more savvy than the special interests. Because the people, or more precisely, the voters, by huge majorities, have approved nine water bonds in the past 25 years, totaling $27.1 billion. It is likely they’re going to approve another one this November for another […]
Publisher’s Corner
Thank you CPR readers, for another great year!
The editors and writers at California Political Review join me in thanking you, our readers, for making this another successful year of our service to you. In 2018, California Political Review saw record participation since creation of this on-line presence in 2011. In 2018, we enjoyed over 1,600,000 “Page views” from readers like you, and […]
Cali-Culture
The West Coast Jazz Revival
Every 50 years or so, California makes a claim for jazz preeminence — and then loses its way. Will it work out better this time? Don’t believe anyone who tells you that jazz originated on the West Coast. It’s just the word for jazz that started out in California. But it could have been so much more. […]
Trending News
California Sitting on $9.3 Billion in Unclaimed Property, Funds
The state may owe you cash! California is currently sitting on $9.3 billion of unclaimed property and forgotten funds. Visit the state controller’s website and fill out the form to search if you are owed any money. If that money is less than $5,000, you can file that claim right away. Last month, the California State Controller’s […]
Governor Gavin Newsom halts California death penalty executions
Child murderers, rapists and serial killers who tortured their victims with everything from ice picks to a 4-foot twig are set to have their lives spared Wednesday – until at least 2023 – as California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs an executive order to halt death penalties in the state. The controversial decision by the Democrat – which has drawn the ire […]
Newsom delays threat to block transportation funds to cities that flunk housing goals
In his first week in office, Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a strong warning to cities and counties: He was coming for their road repair dollars if they didn’t meet state goals for new housing. “If you’re not hitting your goals, I don’t know why you get the money,” Newsom said when he announced his budget plans in January. […]
California’s ambitious plan to stop deadly wildfires may not be enough
As California fire officials roll out an ambitious plan to thin the state’s overgrown forests in an attempt to prevent another year of deadly wildfires, a growing body of research suggests their success may be limited. The foremost strategy, proposed in a 28-page report to the governor last week, is to clear trees and brush near vulnerable […]
California bill would seal 8 million criminal convictions
A Northern California lawmaker and district attorney announced Thursday a proposed law that would automatically clear some 8 million criminal convictions eligible for sealing but that remain public records. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and state Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting of San Francisco said the bill if passed would help millions of offenders take […]
