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Will standing up to Trump hurt California’s economy?
Will standing up to Trump hurt California’s economy? By Rob Lapsley, The Sacramento Bee, December 8, 2016 California’s top elected leaders are making it clear they will push back hard against any efforts by President-elect Donald Trump to undermine their progressive policy agenda. These not-so-veiled threats, in combination with the supermajorities legislative Democrats hold, are
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SB 32: Too many important questions unanswered
SB 32: Too many important questions unanswered By Rob Lapsley, The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 24, 2016 As California’s future climate policy takes center stage in the Legislature, there needs to be more focus on creating a business environment that will promote quality, middle-income jobs. While California far exceeds the nation in climate change regulations,
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Now we’ll see if Jerry Brown remembers the 1970s: Guest commentary
Now we’ll see if Jerry Brown remembers the 1970s: Guest commentary By Rob Lapsley, The Los Angeles Daily News, August 11, 2016 When Jerry Brown became governor in 1974, California was in a recession. But over the next five years, the state’s recovery produced 2.1 million jobs, and Brown’s fiscal restraint created a $4 billion
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Here’s how to attack inequality in California
Here’s how to attack inequality in California By Rob Lapsley, The San Francisco Chronicle, August 1, 2016 The California Dream — affordable higher education, a glut of middle-class jobs and moderate housing costs — attracted families from across the nation to our state after World War II. Now, that California Dream is out of reach
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Before expanding climate law, fix existing problems
Before expanding climate law, fix existing problems By Rob Lapsley, The Sacramento Bee, July 5, 2016 Ten years ago, California adopted Assembly Bill 32 to require greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020, an important milestone in the fight against climate change. The state Air Resources Board was granted nearly unlimited
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Cal-Access proved in three hours why it needs immediate upgrades
Cal-Access proved in three hours why it needs immediate upgrades By Rob Lapsley, The Los Angeles Daily News, May 4, 2017 Californians face a presidential election year with a ballot full of important decisions to make. Timely information and transparency will be essential to making good decisions, but one key tool, the state’s official website
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Backers of proposed tax on mansions end their ballot campaign
Backers of proposed tax on mansions end their ballot campaign Sacramento Business Journal, February 25, 2016 A ballot measure campaign to levy new taxes on high-end homes has been suspended, its supporters announced Wednesday. Backers of the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Act, which sought to chip away at Proposition 13 by raising
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State’s economy no longer glistens
State’s economy no longer glistens By Kirk Clark, The Sacramento Bee, December 15, 2015 Re “State’s economy is doing well” Viewpoints, Dec. 14): The op-ed by F. Noel Perry and Christopher Thornberg paints an overly rosy picture of California’s business climate. If as the authors’ state, California is so business friendly, why are companies like
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California Setbacks Show Limits of U.S. Environmental Movement
California Setbacks Show Limits of U.S. Environmental Movement By Bloomberg, September 10, 2015 Even in California, there are limits to the power of the environmental movement. That clout was tested and diminished this week in two bills championed by environmentalists and their allies, including Governor Jerry Brown and the Democratic leaders of the state Legislature.
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Flaws in climate legislation need to be fixed
Flaws in climate legislation need to be fixed By Rob Lapsley, The Sacramento Bee, September 5, 2015 California’s leadership role in the global effort to address climate change is unparalleled. But we are now at a critical point. Can next-generation policies achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and also support jobs and economic growth at