In order to "solve" California's massive budget crisis, the tax-and-spend lobby and left-leaning academics are again suggesting that we revise Proposition 13, which changed the state's tax structure in 1978 by lowering property tax rates and limiting annual increases.

Ironically, these new efforts to change the highly popular initiative are based, not on the argument that Proposition 13 has failed California, but on the grounds that Proposition 13 is working precisely as intended.  Read more >>

A great line from Carly Simon's song You're So Vain is "you probably think this song is about you." Well, if you are reading this, Anthony Adams, rest assured that this column is not about you. It is about reasonable taxpayer expectations.  Read more >>

On May 19th, California voters made it clear that they are taxed enough and want their elected leadership to prioritize spending using the large amount of tax revenue we already send to Sacramento. That revenue, of course, includes the additional $12 billion in higher taxes imposed in February that the voters never approved.

But those supporting yet even higher taxes have resorted to the tactic of presenting false choices. They ask, for example, "which do you want to cut, aid to the frail elderly or assistance to vulnerable children?"  Read more >>

The phrase "feeding the alligators" is a metaphor about the dangers of appeasement. One may be able to buy temporary peace by feeding a threatening alligator, but the problem is that the alligator will, sooner or later, get hungry again. And because it was previously fed, it is now larger and more dangerous.  Read more >>