Tech-enhanced Government

Task Force releases report on California budget
 150 150 Christopher Nelson
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In June of 2011, Richard Ravitch, former Lieutenant Governor of New York, and Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, took matters into their own hands. They shared a growing concern over the financial trajectory of the nation and how this trickled down into state budgets in the form of continued structural imbalances and an inability to provide basic services or invest in the future of state residents.

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California Pensions: Lack of transparency mires coming reform
 150 150 Christopher Nelson
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If you have been following the path of pension reform through the final few days of the California Legislature session this week, you might be scratching your head thinking you have walked into bizarro world

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Critical initiative focuses government on results
 150 150 Zabrae Valentine
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California once again finds itself in the vortex of a leadership vacuum. Public trust and confidence in government are at record lows – as is our performance in critical areas that matter most to Californians: education, job creation, and public safety. To fix our state, we must revamp how budgets and policy decisions are made and implemented and how leaders are kept accountable.

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AB109 offers significant state prison reform
 150 150 Kathy Jett
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AB109 is the unassuming name for the single most significant reform in a century to California’s prison system and the state’s approach to criminal justice. Beginning Oct. 1, anyone convicted of nonviolent, nonsexual and/or non-serious criminal offenses (a.k.a. triple nons) will head to county jail instead of state prison. Anyone up for parole on a similar offense will be supervised by county officials.

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Latest Field Poll another reason to support ‘Smart Government’
 150 150 Gina Baleria
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California voters remain fed up with their legislature, as seen in the latest Field Poll, which finds that people have little confidence in the body charged with passing laws and budgeting taxpayer dollars. Their support for the governor, however, remains steady.

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Common sense helps move California forward
 150 150 Caroline Vance
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Mention of the dysfunctions and malfunctions of California state government prompted chuckles from the audience at The Commonwealth Club on Thursday, at a panel discussion on government openness and accountability.

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Calls intensify for lawmakers to open their calendars
 150 150 Cheryl Getuiza & Nate Levine
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It’s become a hot button issue the last few months—Will California lawmakers buckle down and reveal their daily calendars?

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Forward thinking superintendent’s quiet sacrifice greeted with loud cheers
 150 150 Felicia Matlosz
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When Fresno County Schools Superintendent Larry Powell quietly decided to take a pay cut that saves government more than $800,000, he didn’t foresee that the idea would be greeted nationwide with accolades and applause.

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