Author: admin

governor | politics | State Budget

Will Controller’s Report Undermine Brown Budget Strategy?
Byadmin January 8, 2011

Gov. Brown will release his budget on Monday. Meanwhile, the state controller has issued figures on the state’s cash receipts and expenditures through December, i.e., half way through the fiscal year. The figures show revenues up almost a billion dollars relative to projections made when the budget was signed (late). You can find the figures and analyses at : http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD/CASH/fy1011dec.pdf http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-EO/01-11summary.pdf There will be a temptation to say the fiscal problem is over or is getting better or will take care of itself. If so, the strategy of presenting a Budget from Hell and then putting tax extensions on the…

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UCLA

UCLA History: Westwood Land Ad by Janss
Byadmin January 8, 2011

By giving land for UCLA, Janss enhanced the value of otherwise semi-vacant lots.

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pension | pensions | UC | UC-Davis

LA Times Characterizes Pension Demand as “Gimme, Gimme”
Byadmin January 7, 2011

LA Times Editorial: Tone-deaf at UC (excerpt) UC is rightly balking at granting additional retirement perks to about 200 highly paid administrators. A group of highly paid executives at the University of California has adopted an unseemly attitude best described as “gimme, gimme.” Although each of them already earns at least $245,000 a year, along with generous pension benefits, they’re threatening to sue if the university, which has imposed hefty tuition increases on its students over the past two years, doesn’t give them more. …Legislation has been introduced to take away some of UC’s historic independence from state government. Those…

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pension | pensions | UC

Now We Get Bipartisan Legislation on Pension Caps
Byadmin January 7, 2011

Assembly bill caps public worker pensions (excerpt)January 7, 2011, San Francisco Chronicle,Nanette Asimov Spooked by the University of California’s pension revolt – in which its highest paid executives are threatening to sue unless UC fattens their retirement benefits – a Democratic state lawmaker introduced a bill Thursday to prevent all public employees from gaining dramatically increased pension benefits. And Republicans are applauding. “You’re witnessing a moment of bipartisan joy,” said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-San Bernardino, vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee. “I’m ashamed that I didn’t think of this myself.” The UC executives, some of whom earn more than…

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pension | pensions | UC | Yudof

Media Continues Anger on UC Executive Pension Issue: Flogging a Dead Horse?
Byadmin January 6, 2011

PropZero blog, KNBC LA, Joe Mathews, 1/6/11 University of California President Mark Yudof this week rejected a demand for a boost in pension from some of the university’s systems highest paid employees. That was the right move, but it didn’t go far enough. The request came from executives who said it was unfair their pensions would be calculated only on their first $245,000 in income. They make more. Such a request — at a time of state budget cutbacks, cuts in university offerings and big tuition hikes — was so out of line that it deserved not just rejection, but…

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governor | politics | State Budget

Jerry Brown’s World May Collide With Legislative GOP World on State Budget
Byadmin January 6, 2011

As a result of last November’s election, only a simple majority is needed to pass a state budget. However, a 2/3 vote is required to raise taxes or fees. Legislative Democrats have a majority but not a 2/3 supermajority. Gov. Brown’s plan is apparently to propose a budget constrained by current revenue – which would feature major cuts – and then put a measure on the ballot that would extend temporary tax increases the legislature adopted in Feb. 2009 that will soon expire. To put a measure on the ballot, however, he needs a 2/3 vote – which means some…

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miscellaneous | UCLA

Groundbreaking for Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA in 1964
Byadmin January 6, 2011

Hollywood stars – Bette Davis, Cesar Romero, Gene Kelly, and Bob Hope – turn out with architect Rodney Hemsworth at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Maybe it was not surprising that Hollywood types would be prominent in the ceremony since Jules Stein headed MCA. Note: Yours truly will be out of town at a meeting Jan. 7-9 so blogging will be light in that period. The state budget will be unveiled on Jan. 10. Once you see it, you may find your eyes filling with tears. A visit to Jules Stein probably won’t help.

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politics | State Budget | UC

Brown Indicates He Will Protect K-12 (or is it K-14?) From Budget Cuts If Voters Approve Tax Extension
Byadmin January 5, 2011

Reports are leaking out that Gov. Brown says he will protect funding for K-12 (or maybe K-14) if voters approve extending tax increases that were put into effect in Feb. 2009. Voters rejected extending those tax increases in an election in May 2009. But the strategy appears to be to confront voters with a Budget from Hell and then offer a repeat of the May 2009 choice as a way out of Hell. Prop 98 of 1988 has various formulas for K-14 funding which the legislature can suspend. So what is unclear in the leaking reports is whether the Brown…

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pension | pensions | UC | Yudof

Pension Rejection Hits the Press
Byadmin January 5, 2011

In an earlier post, the press release from UCOP rejecting the lifting of the pension cap for high-paid execs was reproduced. So now the story is in, where else?, the press: UC’s top leaders reject bigger pensions for top earners: Thirty-six highly paid employees have threatened to sue if benefits were not based on full salaries. The UC president and the regents board chairman support the $245,000 limit. (excerpt) Larry Gordon, LA Times, Jan. 5, 2011 The University of California system’s two top leaders on Tuesday rejected a politically controversial demand by some of the university’s most highly paid employees…

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pension | pensions | UC

Gall and Chutzpah: The Pension Editorials Continue to Flow
Byadmin January 5, 2011

The tone of the editorial below makes it clear which definition of chutzpah (see right-hand box) the newspaper is using. Monday, January 3, 2011, Editorial The Riverside Press-Enterprise Pension gall The tallest ivory towers at the University of California apparently have no windows, or top administrators would see that they are wildly out of touch with reality. UC executives should drop their insulting quest for bigger retirement benefits. And if not, the university’s Board of Regents should flatly reject a proposal the university cannot afford. A group of 36 UC executives sent a letter to regents last month, in advance…

Read More Gall and Chutzpah: The Pension Editorials Continue to Flow

Author: admin

Will Controller’s Report Undermine Brown Budget Strategy?

UCLA History: Westwood Land Ad by Janss

LA Times Characterizes Pension Demand as “Gimme, Gimme”

Now We Get Bipartisan Legislation on Pension Caps

Media Continues Anger on UC Executive Pension Issue: Flogging a Dead Horse?

Jerry Brown’s World May Collide With Legislative GOP World on State Budget

Groundbreaking for Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA in 1964

Brown Indicates He Will Protect K-12 (or is it K-14?) From Budget Cuts If Voters Approve Tax Extension

Pension Rejection Hits the Press

Gall and Chutzpah: The Pension Editorials Continue to Flow

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Labor and Advocacy

UC Faculty Associations

Higher Ed Policy

Labor and Advocacy

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