The union assault on charter schools in California has intensified, but resistance isnotfutile. Parents, students, conscientious teachers, lawmakers and concerned citizens are stepping up. There are many ways to fight for charter schools, which represent one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal performance by California’s K-12 system of public education.

In anApril 2019 reportin the respected websiteCalMattersentitled “Charter-mageddon: Lawmakers advance a raft of union-backed charter school curbs,” the ongoing battle between charter school advocates and their foes is updated as follows: “While the two sides have battled for decades—typically to a draw—the political momentum has shifted in favor of organized labor this session.”

This is an understatement. On April 4th, three charter-killer bills cleared the State Assembly’s Education Committee, and all of them have a good chance of moving on to the Governor’s desk, where Gavin Newsom is considered far more likely to sign them than former Gov. Brown would… Read More

In 2012, San Diego voters approved Proposition B, a pension reform measure that replaced pensions for new hires with a 401K plan. Seven years later, it is possible this reform will be completely unwound, because union attorneys have successfully argued that the city didn’t “meet and confer” with the unions before putting the reform measure on the ballot for voter approval.

As reported two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the city’s argument that the San Diego’s mayor, who supported Prop. B, was exercising his right to free speech, and to force him to meet and confer with the unions prior to supporting Prop. B would have been a violation of that right.

Since then, the case has been returned to the original appellate court, which on 3/25 ruled that the city must “meet and confer over the effects of the initiative and to pay the… Read More

With fresh news this week that Californians—including 53 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Latinos—are souring on taxes, it is perhaps no surprise that big government-happy legislators are turning to regulation to advance pet policy goals.

Among them are several measures targeting vapers in California and seeking to limit choices in the vapor market. All of these should be rejected out of… Read More

Should the government spend money to benefit private companies? Should the government spend money to influence voters? In California, they do it all the time. There are laws specifically written to prevent this, but they are undermined by aggressive exploitation of loopholes combined with lax enforcement. And to be fair, genuine ambiguity often makes it hard to know where the lines belong. Let’s consider these one at a time.

Using Taxes to Benefit Private Companies – Corporate Welfare

Gifts of government resources to private organizations – in the form of subsidies to corporations, for example, or payments made under unlawful contracts – are illegal in California.

Article 16 Sec. 6 of the California Constitution, the “gift clause,” prohibits the giving or lending public funds to any person or entity, public or private. Here’s the actual language:

“The Legislature shall have no power to give or to lend, or to authorize the giving or lending, of the credit of the State, or of any… Read More

Recently California progressives have been touting two studies that supposedly prove that it’s the poor people who are moving out of the Golden State, while the rich people are moving in. The INFERENCE is that the rich are replacing the poor — the common MSM interpretation. For instance:

Another assertion is that these studies represent CURRENT migration patterns. But digging deeper, it turns out that both studies are badly outdated.The SACRAMENTO BEE study(published March, 2017) uses the interstate migration figures from 2005 through 2015.The California Legislative Analyst’s Office study(February, 2018) uses the interstate migration numbers from 2007 to 2016.

But it’s more than just outdated numbers. The California state income tax rates on the wealthychanged dramatically for the… Read More

“If ever I was in any position to actually be accountable, I would be accountable to the will of the voters. I would not (put) my personal opinions in the way of the public’s right to make a determination of where they want to take us, as (it) relates to the death penalty.”Sept. 15., 2016 Lt. Governor of California, Gavin Newsom

These altruistic words of Gavin Newsom to the editorial board of the Modesto Bee, during the 2016 battle over the elimination vs the acceleration of the death penalty, melted away like the Sierra Nevada snowpack with his declaration of a death penalty moratorium in California.

Simply put, he acted exactly as he said he wouldn’t and justified his actions by proclaiming the death penalty “…is inconsistent with our bedrock values and strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a Californian.” (Emphasis added.)

How utterly patrician! Apparently, Governor Newsom never read the quote by President Dwight D. Eisenhower who said, “You don’t lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership.”

Having been slapped in… Read More

In November 2018, former Assembly Republican leader Kristin Olsen wrote aguest commentaryforCalMattersentitled “GOP is dead in California. A new way must rise.” She’s right on both counts. California’s GOP is dead. And a new way must rise.

Unfortunately, theNew Way Californiapolitical action committee that Kristin Olsen, Chad Mayes, and Arnold Schwarzenegger have formed, at least so far, is heavy on inclusive rhetoric but short on the sort of bold policy proposals might actually excite voters. Snippets from theNewWayCA website:

“The most durable solutions have bipartisan support.” “We will work collaboratively to advance solutions on issues that are important to all Californians.” “Not everyone has the same chance to develop their abilities.” “Often it is clear that a helping hand is needed because too many people are excluded from achieving their dreams.” “Race, religion, gender do not determine a person’s abilities or natural rights, and should not… Read More

“The ruling is also an implicit endorsement of the state Public Employment Relations Board’s conclusion that the employees hired since the measure took effect must be made whole and get a pension equivalent to what they would have received pre-Proposition B.” – Editorial, San Diego Union Tribune, March 18, 2019

The ruling in question is the California’s Supreme Court’s August 2018 decision which found that “San Diego’s six-year-old pension cutbacks were not legally placed on the ballot because city officials failed to negotiate with labor unions before pursuing the measure.” It’s in the news again this week because the U.S. Supreme Court has just announced they will not hear the City’s appeal of the California ruling.

What’s going to happen now is uncertain. Back in 2012, a super-majority of San Diego voters, 65 percent, approved pension… Read More