Proposition 24’s Opponents Receive a $1 Million Contribution

On July 29, the opponents of Proposition 24, the November ballot measure that would repeal a trio of tax breaks for businesses enacted as part of the February 2009 budget, received a $1 million contribution from biotech giant Genentech.

While other companies benefiting from the changes in state tax law Proposition 24 would repeal have each contributed $100,000 to the “no” side – Amgen, Cisco Systems, Abbot Laboratories, Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, Viacom and Time Warner – Genentech has kicked in 10 times that amount.    Read more »

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And a Final Installment of Immortal Put-Downs

“He is not only dull himself;  he is the cause of dullness in others.” –Samuel Johnson

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“He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” –Paul Keating

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“In order to avoid being called a flirt,  she always yielded easily.” –Charles, Count Talleyrand

***** “He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.”    Read more »

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Democrats Shrink County Realignment Plan to “Wobblers”

The budget plan released August 3 by legislative Democrats significantly scales back an earlier proposal to shift greater responsibility to counties for several state social programs, including welfare.

In June, Senate Democrats pitched a plan that would have moved $4.3 billion in costs to counties within four years, paying for it with tax increases and the earmarking of some current state taxes.    Read more »

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Pity “Chicks In Charge” is Taken; WIP-PAC Evocative, Though

(Editor’s Note: What might the fall-out be over creation of a “Men in Power” political action committee?)    Read more »

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Democrats Offer Unified Budget Plan, GOP Objects to Taxes

More than a month into the state’s new fiscal year, Assembly and Senate Democrats unveiled a joint budget proposal that includes tax increases, causing republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pronounce it dead on arrival.

The plan would close a $17.9 billion budget gap largely through $8.4 billion in spending reductions, $4.1 billion in federal funds and $2.4 billion in net tax increases.    Read more »

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Assessing the Cost of No Budget on a California Legislator

The state Legislature returned from its one-month summer recess on August 2. Lawmakers took a break despite not sending a budget to the governor by June 15 – the Legislature’s constitutional deadline to do so – let alone July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

In the past 20 years, the June 15 deadline has been met once.    Read more »

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