Sacramento Bee commentary Six years ago, to pass a state budget, the Legislature’s Democratic leaders agreed to place a major change in primary election voting before voters. They’ve regretted it ever since. Proposition 14, approved by voters in 2010, is a “top-two” primary system in which all candidates appear on the same ballot in June
Gov. Jerry Brown's latest executive order provisionally extends California's drought restrictions into next fall and calls on the State Water Resources Control Board to consider adjusting the rules in the coming weeks. So far, input from local water agencies and environmental think tanks has been diverse and sometimes conflicting. "What is the state staff going
As the governor prepares to unveil the 2016-17 state budget early next month, the Legislative Analyst’s Office says California's state budget is better prepared for an economic downturn than it has been at any point in decades. Under the main economic scenario in this year's LAO Fiscal Outlook, 2016-17 would end with reserves of $11.5
A huge new set of government borrowing data from the California Treasurer’s Office for the first time details how government entities – from the state on down to counties, cities and special districts – planned to repay $1.5 trillion in bonds sold since the mid-1980s. Some of the borrowing has been financed with special taxes,
By more than 2 to 1, voters both nationally and in California say they are more worried than hopeful about changes in the country's morals and values. By nearly the same margin, more worry than express hope about the changing national economy. And by 5 to 1, they say they are worried about how the
Two well-known Republicans submitted language Thursday for a ballot initiative that would ask California voters to redirect about $8 billion in bond money from the state's high-speed rail project to build water storage. Board of Equalization member George Runner and Sen. Bob Huff of San Dimas, the former Senate minority leader, said they filed language
Call it a dream for California political consultants, a nightmare for voters or an electoral extravaganza: The November 2016 ballot could feature a bigger crop of statewide propositions than at any time in the past decade. "The voters pamphlet is going to look like the Encyclopedia Brittanica," said Steve Maviglio, a Democratic campaign strategist. The
In early 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Friedrichs v. the California Teachers Association et al., a closely watched California-based lawsuit with major implications for the state’s teachers unions and potentially all public-employee unions. The lawsuit challenges the authority of the CTA and other public-employee unions to collect mandatory fees, a main
Little union, huge deal. Earlier this month, the 3,000-member California Association of Professional Scientists nixed a three-year contract offer from Gov. Jerry Brown that included 15 percent in raises and a new requirement that members pay nearly 3 percent of salary into a health benefits fund for retirees. Of the 1,388 scientists who voted, 1,006
Preliminary General Fund agency cash for September was $217 million above the 2015-16 Budget Act forecast of $9.491 billion. Year-to-date revenues are $744 million above the expected $22.855 billion. Personal income tax revenues to the General Fund were $486 million above the month’s forecast of $6.21 billion. Withholding receipts were $244 million above the forecast