This morning, PublicCEO is giving a look back at our top stories from last week.
Stockton Votes for Bankruptcy
The City of Stockton has set a new standard for municipal bankruptcy, after the city council voted Tuesday night’s meeting to move ahead with a pendency budget and a Chapter 9 filing. The move was largely expected after the confidential mediation process ended Monday night without a major breakthrough.
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Why Californians Should Care About Water Rights
It has become almost cliche to say that water is the “next oil,” but the big difference between oil and water is that, if we have to, we can live without oil. A recently released documentary, “Last Call at the Oasis,” makes a valiant effort to demonstrate why water, our most precious resource, is at serious risk.
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Budget Bill has Hammer for Redevelopment Agencies
One of the budget trailer bills has given the state new teeth in enforcing its redevelopment clawback from local governments. Under the new rules, the state can withhold sales and property taxes to non-compliant cities and counties.
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Pension Puffery
The discourse over pensions is full of half-truths and twice the finger pointing. Governing.com and Girard Miller investigated the top twelve half-truths and described them as “Pension Puffery.”
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Santa Clara County Looks to Ask for Sales Tax Increase
In November, the County of Santa Clara will ask voters to approve a 10-year sales tax increase. Their hope is that the extra $500 million that the tax would raise over the next decade could protect services from further cuts.
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