JERRY BROWN'S MIRACLE: HE MADE CALIFORNIA TAXES WORSE

Gov. Jerry Brown has been signing a slew of bills designed to make Democrats happy--not just in California but nationwide. From protecting illegal aliens from deportations for minor crimes, to allowing non-physicians to perform abortions, he has checked every box on the blue social agenda. (He did veto a bill that would have let non-citizens serve on juries, but many reluctant jurors might describe that as doing them a favor.)

At the same time, however, news about California's economy remains alarming. On Wednesday, the non-profit Tax Foundation ranked California 48th out of the 50 states (again) in its "business tax climate"--the worst west of the Mississippi River, and ahead of only New Jersey and New York. Like other low achievers, California has "complex, non-neutral taxes with comparatively high rates," according to the foundation report.

That is the real news being drowned out by liberal applause. Democrats tell themselves that Brown has done more than enough to turn the state around, having balanced the budget by raising taxes and shifting funds over from the state's underperforming carbon auctions. But the reality is that the state's economy continues to be hollowed out by the liberal gentry's utopianism, the public unions' greed and the underclass's needs.

Via: Breitbart

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California governor vetoes jury service for non-citizens

SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill on Monday that would have allowed non-citizen legal immigrants to serve on juries in the most populous U.S. state, saying that such service was an obligation that went along with citizenship.

"This bill would permit lawful permanent residents who are not citizens to serve on a jury," Brown, a Democrat, said in his veto message. "I don't think that's right."

The bill was one of several passed by the California legislature this year as part of a rapid expansion of immigrant rights in the coastal state that has included allowing illegal immigrants to drive legally and practice law.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, likened the rules disqualifying immigrants who are permanent residents from jury service to long-discarded laws that kept blacks and women from serving.

"I don't see anything wrong with imposing this civic obligation on immigrants who can spend the rest of their lives in the United States," Wieckowski, who represents the San Francisco suburb of Fremont, said in a statement on Monday.

"Lawful permanent immigrants are part of the fabric of our communities, and they benefit from the protections of our laws, so it is fair and just that they be asked to share in the obligation to do jury duty," he said.

The bill drew strong opposition from Republicans in the legislature, even those who signed on to other immigration reforms, as well as from some moderate Democrats.

Rocky Chavez, a Republican who represents part of San Diego County, said during debate on the measure that allowing non-citizens on juries could deprive defendants of their right to have their cases decided by a jury of their peers.

"Not everywhere is innocent until proven guilty," Chavez said. "In some countries, it's guilty until proven innocent."

Via: Yahoo News

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