Just a year after Proposition 13’s passage in 1978, California voters approved another taxpayer rights initiative called the Gann Spending Limit. …
California Commentary
Legislature says transparency for thee, but not for me
Examples of hypocrisy and double standards in California politics are too numerous to count. But some stand out more than others. Two bills, …
Endangering democracy for lawmakers’ convenience
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon Coupal released the following statement today in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's …
Free speech and trivial lawsuits
Everyone knows that the Constitution protects free speech under the First Amendment. But many may not realize that the First Amendment also …
Gas tax fight and memories of 1978
With the state government of California sitting on a budget surplus that exceeds $50 billion, Sacramento politicians can’t bring themselves to return …
Just say ‘no’ to no-bid state contracts
During the past two years, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has paid billions of dollars in secretive no-bid contracts with little to no …
Legislature’s gas tax hike goes down the memory hole
In George Orwell’s 1984, there is a particularly gripping scene where the protagonist, Winston, is being interrogated by O’Brien, a member of the …
Dems incoherent on Sacramento shooting
The mass shooting in Sacramento last weekend that took six lives occurred one block from the Capitol offices of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. …
Sacramento Democrats kill gas tax relief, transparency
As a participant in capital politics for more than 30 years, I’ve observed many abuses of power. Corruption, pettiness, gross narcissism, and dirty …
Stop home equity theft by the state of California
Property rights are one of the most fundamental constitutional provisions that protect Americans against government abuse. Unfortunately, these rights …