After reviewing the oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in the legal challenge to Proposition 8, it is clear that those who would deny marriage equality to LGBT Californians have given increasing prominence to one argument in particular: Courts should not intervene to overturn Proposition 8 because to do so would interfere with routine
Few issues spark more local controversy than the parcel tax, a levy on property that raises money for specific local programs, such as schools, roads and fire fighting.
But their size, scope and purpose vary dramatically. And despite the intense emotions they enflame locally, parcel taxes have rarely hit the state Capitol’s radar —
Gov. Jerry Brown wants to give California’s 1,032 school districts more than $2.6 billion over the next five years to help them lower their energy bills.
Districts say they don’t know where to apply, what they can spend the money on or how much of an overall need exists but they’ll gratefully accept the
Ann Ravel, California’s political watchdog, captured public attention in November when she squared off against an obscure but well-heeled group calling itself Americans for Social Responsibility.
The Arizona-based nonprofit poured $11 million at the 11th hour into the California campaign opposed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, Proposition 30. On the eve of the
Saying California’s chronic multi-billion dollar shortfalls are over for at least the next five years, Gov. Jerry Brown presented a $139 billion budget Thursday that increases spending for public schools by nearly $3 billion and for higher education by $600 million.
“California came through probably 15 years of great fiscal difficulties. Some of it
When state Sen. Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat, announced his support for a constitutional amendment to roll back a critical piece of tax-cutting Proposition 13, the reaction was swift: There were catcalls, praise and at least one satiric newspaper cartoon.
Leno’s SCA3, which requires voter approval, would allow passage of local parcel taxes
Public Policy Institute of California
In the wake of Gov. Jerry Brown’s successful campaign to pass Proposition 30, his job approval rating hit a record-high 48 percent among Californians, according to a survey released today by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). Passage of the measure to increase taxes changed the feelings of
Months before California voters approved new taxes in the Nov. 6 election, accounting practices in the state budget were changed – changes that ultimately could make it much harder to define just how much money the state has taken in or is likely to get.
The changes were approved by the Legislature and governor
By Mark DiCamillo and Mervin Field
The latest Field Poll finds that for the first time supporters outnumber opponents of Proposition 34, the statewide ballot initiative to repeal the death penalty and replace it with life in prison without parole. Currently 45% of this state’s likely voters are voting Yes while 38% are voting
The next eight months are going to be very interesting: Will the canoe still float?