Would Anyone Listen? Would He Even Be Elected?

Asked recently what might break the current budget loggerheads in the Legislature, former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown said:

“Two words – Ken Maddy.”

(The late former GOP Senate leader was a deft politician with a legendary penchant for successful deal-making. Stating the obvious, he was a devout and unapologetic pragmatist.)    Read more »

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From the Desk of the Editor —

As is so often the case, the chief correspondent of California’s Capitol finds himself in error.

Recently, he was gabbling about how “cool” — to use his routinely inarticulate language — it was to become a friend of former Gov. George Deukmejian on Facebook.

Among the elements comprising this “coolness” were that the former GOP governor is 83 years old but hip enough to use social media and that thisFacebook presence was somehow illustrative of  Deukmejian’s deeply relaxed attitude, engendered partly by excising what he calls the last frustration in his life  — golf.    Read more »

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This is an excerpt of the 30 minute speech given October. 27, 1964 by the Great Communicator supporting Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater .

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Drop in State Income Tax Collections for April 21

State income tax collections for April 21 were $528 million – a drop of almost $700 million from the previous day, according to a Franchise Tax Board tally.

The state budget proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown in January predicts income tax collections of $6.8 billion by the 30th.

If collections fail to reach that total, the state’s budget gap – estimated at $26.6 billion by the Democratic governor – will grow.      Read more »

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An Easter Latin Lesson

Omne Vivum Ex Ovo

“Every Living Thing Comes from an Egg”    Read more »

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Nearly a $1.2 Billion Daily Bump in State’s April Income Tax Receipts

With 10 days left in the month, the state moved closer to its goal of collecting $6.8 billion in April income tax payments.

For April 20, the Franchise Tax Board reported collecting $1,196,685 in income tax payments. Since Monday April 18, the state has logged nearly $3.3 billion in tax receipts.    Read more »

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Today’s Latin Lesson Is Always Out There

Anguis in Herba

“An Unsuspected Danger.”

(Literally: “A Snake in the Grass.”)    Read more »

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Time to Start Keeping an Eye on April Tax Collections

Now is the time to begin watching the state’s April tax collection tallies.

Traditionally, April has been the BIG month for income tax receipts. Go figure – Californians paying their annual nut and all that.

Budget-related legislation designed to bring the state more income sooner has made June almost as significant a month as April for collections but Gov.    Read more »

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Don’t See Many Letters Like This Anymore — In Fact, Don’t See Many Letters

To The Honorable C. A. Robins, Idaho Governor

11/28/47

Dear Gov:

Thanks for the potatoes. Would have thought you’d have stuck a piece of butter in each one. They were very nice potatoes. I wish all governors would acquire the habit of sending me their state’s best known product. In that way I might get a DeSoto from Michigan and a quart of Old Taylor from Kentucky.    Read more »

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Former Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe Discusses California’s Health Benefit Exchange    Read more »

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