Judy Lin

Economy

Brown advisor: GOP tax plan will make it harder to buy homes in California

Gov. Jerry Brown's chief fiscal advisor says the Republican tax plan will raise the cost of homeownership by scaling back the mortgage interest deduction, making it harder to buy property in California given the state's high cost of housing.

By Judy Lin • December 13, 2017

Economy

What new jobs? California program to entice hiring falls short

Four years after Gov. Jerry Brown launched his signature program to boost California jobs by awarding tax credits to the businesses that create them, businesses have left two thirds of those available credits unclaimed—a sign that most expected jobs have yet to materialize. Nor can the state say for sure how many of the administration’s 83,414 projected jobs over five years have actually been created. State offices responsible for awarding and monitoring the California Competes tax credits say they aren’t keeping count.

By Judy Lin • November 21, 2017

Economy

Democrats outline how tax plan hurts middle-class Californians

Democrats are taking their concerns about the GOP tax plan to congressional delegates, highlighting the pain it would inflict on homeowners, college students and even victims of the Northern California wildfires.

By Judy Lin • November 9, 2017

Economy

All 14 California GOP members back plan to repeal state and local deductions

All 14 California House delegates voted today to back a budget blueprint that could eliminate state and local tax deductions, a move that would cost one out of three taxpayers thousands of dollars.

By Judy Lin • October 26, 2017

Environment

Trump administration opposes CA plan for twin water tunnels, then backpedals

The Trump administration announced today that it won't support a tunnel project to transport water from the California Delta to thirstier parts of the state, only to pedal back from that statement hours later.

By Judy Lin • October 25, 2017

Explainers

California Burning

After a particularly wet rainy season fueled growth of lush vegetation, the sweltering summer of 2017 dried those plants to a crackly, combustible crunch. Several locales had racked up record temperatures, including a historic thermometer high of 106 in San Francisco on Sept. 1. Wildfires were an inevitable consequence, but none so fierce as October's infernos that consumed vast swaths of the state's iconic Wine Country.

By Ben Christopher and Judy Lin • October 18, 2017

Economy

GOP alliances rip over gas tax repeal: Anti-taxers vs. business establishment

Business groups are threatening to wage a pricey campaign to stop California’s Republican officials from trying to repeal a new state gas tax—warning them not to “create new political adversaries.” But the politicians aren’t flinching.

By Judy Lin • October 11, 2017

Economy

Why a few sentences of legalese make all the difference in curbing California’s public pension costs

More than 20 times in the last 15 years, political leaders looking to control California’s fast-growing public pension costs have tried to put reform initiatives before the voters. None of the proposals has made it onto the ballot.

By Judy Lin • April 7, 2017

Politics

Building big stuff—can Trump and California hug this one out?

Infrastructure may be one of the rare opportunities for the Trump administration and California to clinch each other. Trump has signaled support for spending up to $1 trillion on an infrastructure initiative and already, California officials have sent a $100 billion wish list of 51 projects for federal funding to repair roads and bridges, improve transit and water storage, and update military and emergency facilities.

By Judy Lin • February 9, 2017

Economy

Cutting jobs, street repairs, library books to keep up with pensions

Generous retirement benefits for public safety employees could help push the Bay Area city of Richmond into bankruptcy

By Judy Lin • February 6, 2017