Los Angeles Daily News columnist Doug McIntyre highlights the continued influence of special interest groups over the California legislative process and how taxpayers suffer the consequences.

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Charter Amendment 617, a controversial budget initiative in Huntington Beach, will be on the ballot this November thanks to financial backing from the HJTA. Standing up for local taxpayers shows that the HJTA is ready to "put its money where its mouth is," says the Orange County Register.

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In 2002, the citizens of Huntington Beach voted to put 15% of their city budget toward infrastructure improvements. But city lawyers found a loophole that let them spend the money otherwise. Now, with help from the HJTA, Councilman Devin Dwyer hopes to close that loophole and teach the city a lesson in fiscal responsibility.

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New American editorial on the harsh realities cities and states are having to face in terms of budget shortfalls, whether it be spending cuts, tax and fee increases, or filing for bankruptcy.

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CNNMoney.com reports on the recent progress of legislators to get approval for California's $40 billion high-speed rail project. However, as studies sponsored by HJTA and other taxpayer organizations have shown, the plan has a faulty business model and could turn out to be one of the most monumental wastes of taxpayer dollars in recent history.

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The Daily News reports on an effort by Los Angeles County officials to cut their runaway office supply budget. Thanks to a system that allows employees to choose their own supplies, the county spends $195,000 a year on pens alone. Kris Vosburgh, Executive Director of the HJTA, applauds the effort by County CEO Bill Fujioka to stop this waste of taxpayer money.

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The Los Angeles Times reports that government agencies like Caltrans, spent around $75 million last year on what could be seen as frivolous vehicles and furniture. This occurred after a direct order from the governor to cut spending on these types of expenses.

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This featured story on BigJournalism.com tracks the unfortunate government policies, which have have ravaged California's economy and caused businesses to leave the state in droves. Some of these policies, such as tightly regulated business and lavish spending on the public sector, are now being seen on the national level through the Obama administration. Using California as an example, the U.S. economy could be in serious trouble in the coming years.  Read more >>

On the National Review Online, editor Rich Lowry has written a report on the the contrast between the financial prosperity of private citizens and that of government employees. In the last year, the percentage of government employees making more than $100K a year has jumped to around 20%, while the rest of the U.S. is experiencing the worst unemployment in recent history.

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This article, published by the Orange County Register, explains how CalPERS' top actuary has warned that a large group of state employee pensions are completely unsustainable and are driving California's debt. The California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility recently published a database that shows more than 5,100 Retirees that receive more than $100,000. Clearly something must be done to change the pension system.

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