Greg Lucas has been a California political writer and satirist for more than 20 years. He’s leveled his bipartisan wit and humor at both Republicans and Democrats – and, not infrequently, himself....
Greg Lucas has been a California political writer and satirist for more than 20 years. He’s leveled his bipartisan wit and humor at both Republicans and Democrats – and, not infrequently, himself.
Now a freelance writer, he still covers state government shenanigans at California’s Capitol, www.californiascapitol.com, an often funny – usually intentionally -- and occasionally insightful blog on California politics.
Greg has spoken to educators, business leaders and numerous trade associations about the good, bad and ugly of California politics. He has also counseled companies on improving their writing and communications. There is plenty of room for improvement.
During 19 years covering the state Capitol for the San Francisco Chronicle, Greg wrote nearly 3,000 articles on everything from presidential politics to the introduction of prune burgers in school cafeterias.
Greg has written about gambling, transportation, health care, growth, education and nearly every DBI – Dull But Important – issue that has confronted public policy makers over the past two decades. His most challenging job, however, was ride operator on Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Stanford University and a Masters degree in Professional Writing – as opposed to amateurish writing – from the University of Southern California. But he has never let academics stand in the way of his education.
California’s Independent – decline-to-state – voters will decide November’s gubernatorial race between Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown.
Proposition 26 on the November ballot attempts to answer that question. Opponents say the business, anti-tax group backed measure defines a "fee" too narrowly and that doing so will cost the state at least $1 billion in revenue.
Late spring storms, a heftier Sierra snowpack, and higher reservoir levels have largely made Californians believe the state’s record dry three-year drought is over. But, despite a year where, through May, rainfall is 107 percent of average – up from 76 percent of average in 2009 –dry conditions remain in parts of the state.
Economic indicators and recent forecasts say that the worst of the recession is over for California, but the recovery from its ravages will take years and occur at differing speeds throughout the state.
More than a month into the state’s new fiscal year, Assembly and Senate Democrats proposed a joint budget that includes tax increases, causing Republican lawmakers and Governor Schwarzenegger to pronounce it dead on arrival. The plan would close a $17.9 billion budget gap largely through $8.4 billion in spending reductions, $4.1 billion in federal funds, and $2.4 billion in tax increases.
The wild card in November’s election is marijuana. It just depends on who decides to vote. The kind of voters drawn to the polls by Proposition 19, which legalizes marijuana and allows localities to tax and regulate it, may be a determining factor.
California is a step closer toward creating the nation’s most ambitious program to regulate toxic substances in consumer products after publicly releasing in late June the mechanics of how its so-called Green Chemistry Initiative would work.
