By Jessica Jin ’16 First built in 1883, Colton Crossing historically is known as the site of one of the most heated railway construction conflicts of the 19th century, resulting in a personal confrontation between then California Governor Robert Waterman and the famed lawman Virgil Earp, an event that was later dubbed as “The Battle… Continue Reading
by Richard Mancuso ’16 The declaration of bankruptcy by cities like Detroit and San Bernardino has brought renewed attention to the issue of unfunded pension liabilities and the role they play in the fate of local governments. CNBC reports that at least 34 states failed to contribute the necessary amounts to fulfill promised pensions in… Continue Reading
Written by Daniel Shane ’13 The political landscape in the Inland Empire is turning blue. Once solidly Republican, like Orange County and San Diego, the region’s political shift reflects rapid growth and demographic changes over the past decade. The Inland Empire’s population grew by almost one million between 2000 and 2010 and Latinos made up… Continue Reading
Written by Jessica Jin ’16 Over the past few decades, redevelopment agencies have operated as an influential and powerful conduit for California’s local governments to improve areas in need of economic growth. Originally authorized by the California State Legislature in 1945, redevelopment agencies were first conceived as a local tool to address regional economic issues.… Continue Reading
By David Tse ’15 In recent years, the prized example of economic innovation, California, has fallen by the wayside, burdened by onerous regulation and partisan government. California, which rose so brilliantly in the 1950s and 60s, has run billion-dollar deficits for over ten years in a seemingly permanent fiscal crisis. While the state continues to… Continue Reading
On January 10th, the California redistricting process moves to the State Supreme Court. The Court faces a question it would undoubtedly prefer to avoid: the degree of involvement it will have in redistricting the State Senate.
New Years Day looms ever closer for the state of Washington’s independent redistricting commission. Constitutionally, the five-member committee must pass plans for both legislative and congressional districts by January 1st, but as of the end of the business day Friday, the commission remained deadlocked. Committee members vowed to continue working into the weekend to try to reach a compromise before the deadline, but for candidates and voters looking forward to November, the new district lines in Washington are still very much up in the air, despite months of work.
On Friday, New Jersey’s bipartisan redistricting commission officially approved the state’s new congressional districts. The commission, which convened on June 15, finished the redistricting process well in advance of the January 17 due date. Overall, the commission’s plan favors the GOP, likely reducing the number of Democratic districts while strengthening Republican districts in the southern… Continue Reading
On December 5th, Governor Jerry Brown filed an initiative with the California Attorney General’s office which, if passed, would impose a variety of new taxes with the aim of raising nearly $7 billion in revenue. This money would be dedicated funding for education and public safety programs, which have seen enormous cuts as a result of the recent and ongoing budget crisis. If approved by the voters, the initiative would institute two new taxes. First, individuals making $250,000 or more would pay up to 2% higher income taxes for five years, and second, the state sales tax would be temporarily increased by 0.5%, up to 7.75%, through 2017.
