News

Yesterday my SFMuni bus ride took me past a protest led by SFUSD teachers striking for better pay. You cannot blame the teachers. You also can’t blame the students whose schools are closed or the taxpayers who have been providing record revenues to schools. All are victims of a deception that started 27 years ago.

Last night I listened into a webinar for San Francisco parents anguished about the strike situation at SFUSD. No one mentioned the real reason SFUSD doesn’t pay its current teachers more.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has announced that he is running for governor. As you know from our past writings about him, Matt is the rare elected official who solves problems, exactly what California needs now.

State lawmakers in the pockets of government unions have re-submitted AB 1383, which would boost pensions for safety employees without setting aside sufficient funds to meet those promises.

With all the headlines about billionaires fleeing California because of a proposed — and self-harming — wealth tax, our disastrous state budget has escaped the grim headlines it merits.

Last Friday Governor Newsom presented his proposed budget for the next fiscal year that starts July 1. As usual, the revenue forecast is not reliable since no one can successfully predict stock market performance, which determines CA’s marginal revenues.

After our note last week some readers asked about GFC’s “Johnny Appleseed” activities. By that we mean actions to help other political organizations to succeed…

Every year around this time, my wife asks me what I want for Christmas. And every year since GFC launched in 2011, my response has been: “An uncaptured California Legislature and Governor.” I will be disappointed again this year.

Earlier this week the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) issued its annual Fiscal Outlook. This year’s edition is the gloomiest I’ve read during an economic expansion.

No sooner had Gov. Gavin Newsom spearheaded Proposition 50, the congressional redistricting measure that defuses the bomb tossed by President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, than he found himself dealing with two other explosive devices.