Year: 2012

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    The Third Tax Proposition (39)

    Byuclafaculty

    You have seen TV ads for Prop 39, the “Steyer” initiative that closes a loophole in the corporate profits tax that emerged from a 2009 budget deal and earmarks a chunk of the money raised for green energy projects.  But you haven’t seen any TV ads against Prop 39 because there has not been much of a campaign against it.  Part of the reason is that important elements of the local business community that feel the loophole gives competitors an advantage and thus favor Prop 39.  Those parts of the business community that oppose 39 have not chosen to fund…

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    Some qualifications needed

    Byuclafaculty

    In an opinion piece today in the Sacramento Bee, columnist Dan Walters slams CSU for its political activities.  An earlier posting on this blog noted that CSU had an official political scorecard that rated members of the state legislature available online indicating how well or poorly they supported CSU goals.  You can find it at:http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/10/lawsuit-filed-against-csu-campus-over.html UC gets dragged into his column at various points so some comments are in order. Below are some excerpts in italics:==The California State University system has traditionally been the steady workhorse of California higher education, generating the engineers, teachers, accountants and middle-managers that any society…

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    Poll Close to Home

    Byuclafaculty

    The Daily Bruin has an article on student knowledge about Prop 30 indicating that a majority were not familiar with the initiative.  Prop 30 – the governor’s tax initiative – has been endorsed by the UC Regents.  If it doesn’t pass, there will be trigger cuts to the state budget including $250 million to UC.  Note that the poll was done in late September and early October.  Presumably, the level of awareness has risen, particularly after the visit of Governor Brown to the campus on behalf of Prop 30. However, as yours truly notes in a quote in the article,…

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    Elections Can Produce Surprising Results

    Byuclafaculty

    SO THE DAY AFTER ELECTION DAY, The Faculty Assn. at UCLA will present… SPEAKERS’ FORUM ON ALTERNATIVE FUNDING MODELS FOR UC DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012TIME: Noon-1:30 pm LOCATION: Faculty Center, California RoomLUNCH: Complimentary Sandwiches and Beverages will be served.RSVP: ucfa@earthlink.net so we can get an accurate food count.  (Cut and paste this address into your email to RSVP.  You can’t do it directly from here.)==APRIL 1982: ANCIENT CALIFORNIA HISTORY “The interconnected complications surrounding the upcoming state budget for 1982-83 defy comprehension by most state legislators let alone the public at large… Governor Jerry Brown is projecting a $3 to $4 Billion shortfall in revenues for…

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    A Tree May or May Not Grow in Westwood

    Byuclafaculty

    From the Westwood-Century City Patch: The City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works will wait until November to decide whether it supports the removal of 18 trees in Westwood Village.  The trees would be removed as part of a sidewalk improvement project proposed by the Westwood Village Improvement Association (WVIA). Eighteen trees “are creating potentially dangerous conditions,” according to a Bureau of Street Services report. A permit would grant the removal of 16 Indian laurel fig trees, one red flowering gum tree and one magnolia tree in Westwood Village… Full story at http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/city-postpones-westwood-tree-removal-verdict? So we have a choice: Or:

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    Ballot Proposition Forum Nov. 1

    Byuclafaculty

    Campus Program on Ballot Propositions: Nov. 1 The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment present: Death and Taxes (and other hot topics): Debating the 2012 California Ballot Propositions  with Gray Davis, Luskin Distinguished Policy Fellow, and Cameron Smyth, Luskin Senior Fellow California voters face big decisions on the 2012 ballot initiatives. From tax policy to the death penalty to genetically modified food labeling, a lot is at stake on the ballot. Join us for an educational and informative forum to analyze the initiatives. TIME Thursday, November 1, from 12:15 – 1:45 pm (Note: An earlier version…

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    Campus Climate Survey is Coming

    Byuclafaculty

    Some readers may remember that after a series of incidents aimed at minority students on various campuses, including UCLA, the UC president was pressed by the Regents to “do something.” (Some readers will recall the “Asians in the library” incident at UCLA.)  What emerged was an elaborate all-campus survey of “campus climate.” In late December and early January, it will be coming to UCLA. There have been reservations raised about the participation rate and biases in participation caused by what appears to be a rather lengthy survey. The campus faculty welfare committee at UCLA, for example, raised such issues.  Apparently,…