In what is surely this legislative session’s biggest surprise, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1383, which would have substantially weakened a modest pension reform bill backed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012. The veto was especially unexpected given that AB 1383 cleared both houses of the legislature by nearly unanimous votes. In 2012, California’s pension debt exceeded $200 billi...
Oct 9, 2026
Two tax increase ballot measures facing voters this November deserve rejection. Proposition 3 would extend higher income tax rates initially imposed in 2012, while Proposition 40 is an attempt to levy a wealth tax on a handful of very rich individuals. Although not specifically related, the former offers a lesson why the latter should be viewed with skepticism. The genesis of Prop. 3 occurred i...
Sep 25, 2026
Two-thirds of California voters consistently tell pollsters that they think Proposition 13 is a good thing, but even with more than 48 years of constant support, Proposition 13 remains unpopular among politicians and bureaucrats who want higher property taxes. But the limits that Prop. 13 imposes on property taxes can hardly be considered draconian. California ranks 18th out of 50 states in...
Aug 9, 2026
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal should dispel all doubts as to why Prop. 13 is so important to California homeowners. The article, entitled, “Americans have amassed $35 trillion of wealth in their homes, yet many feel less well off because of it,” presents a sobering view of what is happening in most other states. The extensive piece, written by Veronica Dagher and Anne Tergesen,...
Apr 25, 2025
