politics

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Slipping support for governor’s tax initiative in latest poll

Byuclafaculty

Support for the Brown tax initiative to be on the ballot in November seems to be slipping.  Folk wisdom among California politicos is that a controversial ballot proposition should start with at least 60% support before the campaign gets underway.  Brown’s support among voters is 52% according to the latest Field Poll.  Under Brown’s budget plan (yet to be enacted), there are trigger cuts if the initiative doesn’t pass including $250 million for UC. See below for an excerpt: * Small sample The full poll is at http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2413.pdf. The November ballot is becoming crowded and is likely to have three…

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Glad That’s Clear

Byuclafaculty

Voters created a non-partisan, top-2 primary system which went into full effect on Tuesday. The purpose of the non-partisan primary, as seen by proponents, was to create more “centrists” (compromise-prone representatives) in the legislature and Congress. Centrists would then form a bridge between the polarized parties. As far as the state budget (and UC’s stake in it) goes, the theory was that impasses, particularly over taxes, would be less likely to occur. There is a lot of analysis in the news media post-Tuesday on whether the new system had the effect expected by proponents. In more detail, the theory is…

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Reading the Electoral Tea Leaves on Pensions

Byuclafaculty

Two major cities had pension reform propositions on the ballot yesterday and were being watched concerning voter attitudes on the subject.San Jose voters Tuesday handed Mayor Chuck Reed a crucial victory with his nationally watched pension reform measure passing by a decisive margin.  It was a big night for pension reform, with a San Diego measure also winning by a wide margin. City employee unions who argued the measures are illegal were expected to challenge both in court.  But voter approval of San Jose’s Measure B puts Reed and the city in the vanguard of efforts to shrink taxpayer bills…

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Close But No Tobacco Tax

Byuclafaculty

The proposed tobacco tax was narrowly defeated, 49.8% to 50.2% in yesterday’s voting.  As a prior post on this blog noted, the tax would not have gone into the general fund and thus would not have directly aided the UC budget. However, defeat of the tax – as also noted in the prior post – could be taken as an omen of resistance to tax hikes more generally, and therefore not a good sign for the prospect of the governor’s proposed tax initiative for November, which would go into the general fund. Yes, there was heavy anti-tobacco tax advertising by…

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Tobacco Tax Ahead in Poll for June Has Indirect Implications for November

Byuclafaculty

The USC-LA Times poll is reporting that the initiative that would raise tobacco taxes with the funds earmarked for cancer research is supported by 62% of voters. Since the funds raised by the tax would not go into the general fund, there is no direct benefit for UC (except perhaps for future UC cancer researchers).  However, a defeat of this tax, especially since it affects only the minority of Californians and voters who smoke, would be taken as a symptom of an anti-tax mood of voters more generally. Obviously, the tobacco industry opposes the initiative and is spending a lot…

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Fork in the Road on Public Pensions in California?

Byuclafaculty

Diligent readers of this blog will know the following 7 points about public pension proposals in California (and their relation to UC’s pension plan): 1) The Regents adopted pension changes – essentially a two-tier defined-benefit approach – for the UC retirement system. 2) The governor is pushing a 12-point “hybrid” system (mix of defined benefit and defined contribution) for all public pensions in California that – unless UC is exempted – could override the Regents’ action. 3) Although it is the official position of UC that it wants an exemption, the governor has not agreed to one. 4) The legislature…

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Berkeley Problems Continue

Byuclafaculty

On campus Protesters who stormed UC Berkeley’s main administration building late Friday afternoon have been removed from the offices by campus police. Ten people, including two UC Berkeley students, were cited for trespassing and released at about 7:30 p.m., said UC police Capt. Margo Bennett. A group of about 25 protesters called By Any Means Necessary marched into Sproul Hall at 3:30 p.m. after a rally outside. The group, which is arguing for a greater representation of minority students in the university’s undergraduate population, included several Bay Area high school students who say they were denied admission to the school……

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November Tax Could Go Up in Smoke in June

Byuclafaculty

You probably know that Governor Brown has now filed his tax initiative for the November ballot.  He will be unveiling his May Revise 2012-13 budget proposal this coming Monday and it is likely to be unpleasant since state tax revenues are coming in below forecast levels for this year.  Exactly how UC will fare in the new proposal is unknown but it was the target of trigger cuts in the January version; the trigger would be pulled if voters do not pass the governor’s tax initiative.  (Ultimately, of course, the budget and any triggers must be enacted by the legislature;…

A Prayer for Dysfunction? In the Legislature?

Byuclafaculty

From http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/05/am-alert-seaworld-critters-turn-california-capitol-into-animal-house.html PRAYER BREAKFAST: Senate Republican leader Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Rocklin, and Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, are co-chairing the 51st annual California Prayer Breakfast at the Sacramento Sheraton Grand. The keynote speaker is Patrick Lencioni, author of “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” The program begins at 7 a.m.Not clear on the concept.  Is there a need to pray for dysfunction in the legislature?  The May Revise budget is due on Monday.  That should provide plenty of opportunity for dysfunction.Meanwhile:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTqoTZ3lPsA&w=320&h=195] Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/05/am-alert-seaworld-critters-turn-california-capitol-into-animal-house.html#storylink=cpy

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Regents to Discuss (Not Enact) Possible Future Tuition Increases at May 16 Meeting

Byuclafaculty

Excerpts from the Fresno Bee: University of California students could face significantly higher tuition if the state doesn’t increase funding and voters reject the governor’s tax initiative, school administrators said Tuesday.  Under one scenario, the 10-campus system would raise tuition by 6 percent this fall if the state doesn’t increase funding by $125 million for 2012-13, according to a document posted online ahead of next week’s UC Board of Regents meeting.  The university would need to consider a mid-year tuition increase in the “range of double digits” – or make drastic cuts to campus programs and staffing – if voters…