Fiscal Reform at the State Level
From January to March 2009, California Forward conducted five forums about revenue reform with regional leaders around the state and more than a dozen briefings and discussions. Click here for a report of these discussions.
California Forward is exploring ways to change our tax system as part of a restructuring of state and local responsibilities. Our goal is a fiscal system that provides increased performance, transparency and accountability. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions on this work.
We also applaud and thank those of you who are extending the discussion about revenue reform and overall fiscal reform more deeply into your communities.
Local Success Guides State Reform
On May 19 California Forward, the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and the Fresno Business Council jointly convened a forum in Fresno with 120 area leaders to discuss how “boundary crossing” collaboratives are changing business as usual in the Valley. Examples of the successes discussed: the generation of 17,000 additional jobs; the creation of 11 industry clusters, the financial and academic turnaround at Fresno Unified School District; the transformation of the local Workforce Investment Board (WIB) from a reactive social service agency to proactive business resource; the introduction of programs that address the whole family when tackling poverty and unemployment; and new collaborations that increased resources for air quality and clean energy.
These interrelated stories provided a stepping off point for the participants to reflect on how success happens and what the implications and opportunities are for realigning state and local responsibilities to accelerate progress. Read more about it here.
