politics

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Note: Not everyone loves us

Byuclafaculty

The conservative/libertarian City Journal complains about a UC-San Diego diversity executive appointment in its latest issue (and about the Regents’ endorsement of Prop 30). Excerpts: The University of California, San Diego has done it again. Last year, it announced the creation of a new diversity sinecure: a vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Campus leaders established this post even as state budget cuts resulted in the loss of star scientists to competing universities, as humanities classes and degree programs were eliminated to save money, and as tuition continued its nearly 75 percent, five-year rise. The new vice chancellorship was wildly…

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Another Poll Shows Prop 30 Marginally Ahead

Byuclafaculty

Another poll – the Field Poll – has appeared which shows the governor’s tax initiative (Prop 30) marginally ahead and the rival Munger initiative failing (Prop 38).  Earlier today, we posted similar results from the PPIC poll. The poll also shows that Prop 39, which closes a corporate tax loophole, is ahead in a plurality sense but doesn’t have a majority. Ultimately, folks must vote yes or no on initiatives but not having a majority at this stage is not a good sign. The poll is at:http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2425.pdf A Sacramento Bee article on the poll results is at:http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/09/poll-support-for-prop-30-highest-among-wealthy-educated.html

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Some Handy Comparison Slides of Props 30 & 38

Byuclafaculty

The Legislative Analyst’s Office has some handy comparisons of the governor’s tax initiative (Prop 30) and the rival Munger tax initiative (Prop 38).  “PIT” = personal income tax.  Three slides are below: Prop 30 Prop 38 ($7,316 is not a typo.  Prop 38 starts at a relatively low income hurdle.  A more detailed description that you will be finding in the official ballot pamphlet is: “Increases personal income tax rates on annual earnings over $7,316 using sliding scale from .4% for lowest individual earners to 2.2% for individuals earning over $2.5 million, for twelve years.” Prop 30’s income tax hurdle is much…

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Higher Ed Metrics Bill is Dead on Arrival

Byuclafaculty

On Friday, the governor vetoed SB 721 which would have instructed the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to come up with “metrics” to determine if the UC, CSU, and the community colleges were meeting three goals.  These goals were described in a section of the bill: In order to promote the state’s competitive economic position and quality of civic life, it is necessary to increase the level of educational attainment of California’s adult population to meet the state’s civic and workforce needs. To achieve that objective, it is the intent of the Legislature that budget and policy decisions regarding postsecondary education…

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Got the Message?

Byuclafaculty

Our friends at CSU have developed a rather blunt way of delivering the message about Prop 30. From the LA Times: Hundreds of thousands of applicants to California State University campuses this year will be receiving a warning instead of the typical warm note thanking them for their interest.The spots they are hoping to fill next year, the prospective students will be cautioned, could evaporate if the governor’s push to raise taxes in November fails. The letter also will say no admissions decisions will be made until a few weeks after the election, a departure from the usual policy of…

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LAO Needs to Join Governor & Legislature on the UC Pension Train

Byuclafaculty

The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) yesterday issued a review of the 2012-13 state budget enacted last June.  At one time, LAO asserted that the state had no responsibility for the UC pension plan.  The language on page 19 describing the treatment of the pension this time around is more constrained and does not venture a legal opinion.  That’s progress but LAO is still not where it needs to be.  Here is what it said on the UC pension: Provides Augmentation for UC Pension Costs.  The $89 million augmentation for UC’s pension costs represents the first time in more than two…

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Service With a Smile? UC is Encouraged; CSU is Mandated

Byuclafaculty

It may seem self-evident, but it’s nevertheless a matter of state law that teaching is an “essential responsibility,” along with research, for members of the University of California’s faculty and “a primary responsibility” for those in the California State University system…  But if Gov. Jerry Brown signs a bill that whipped through both houses of the Legislature in the final, hectic hours of the 2012 session, that will change – radically, perhaps. A third element would be required in the hiring and promotion of faculty members. It’s called “service.” The specifics of Assembly Bill 2132 appear to give great weight…

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Bill to Cut Tuition Goes Down the Drain

Byuclafaculty

The bill sponsored by assembly speaker John Pérez that would close a corporate tax loophole with revenue dedicated to tuition cuts went down the drain last night.  An earlier post on this blog noted that a version of it had gotten through the assembly – despite needing a 2/3 vote.  (Pérez got an independent and one renegade GOP member to vote for it, giving him the 2/3.)  But getting 2/3 in the senate, despite all sorts of manipulations was not possible. …(A) closely watched bill may have been too unwieldy to gain orbit. That was Assembly Speaker John Pérez’s gambit…

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Issue ads may quack like ducks…

Byuclafaculty

…but technically, they are not ducks.  We have noted in earlier posts on this blog that a) Governor Brown seems to have a big campaign funding advantage for his tax initiative – Prop 30, but that b) “issue ads” that are not technically part of the campaign against Prop 30 have been airing on the radio.  Apparently, a new TV ad is airing sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which can be inferred to suggest voting against tax increases, but doesn’t mention Prop 30 (or the other two tax propositions on the ballot). Exactly why the U.S. Chamber is…