Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Claremont Institute's Center for Local Government will be hosting a California Public Policy 2008 conference on Saturday, May 31 at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach, California. With this symposium we hope to stimulate a serious and candid discussion of local and state government policies for both citizens and policymakers. Confirmed panelists include officials of both parties from local, county, and state governments; distinguished academics and policy analysts; real estate developers; and editorial writers.

Seating is limited, so attendance is by invitation only. To receive an invitation, please call the Claremont Institute at (909) 621-6825. 

Topics for discussion include:

• The Budget Crisis and California Taxation
• Land Use, Redevelopment, and Property Rights
• Federalism and Decentralization
• Major Issues Facing California Today
• The California Economy: What Can Be Done?

Conference events will be held at the Balboa Bay Club hotel at 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663. 

Agenda

Saturday, May 31

8:00-8:45 am

Continental Breakfast (Grand Ballroom C)

8:45-9:00 am

Introductory Remarks by Brian Kennedy, President of the Claremont Institute (Grand Ballroom B)

9:00-10:30 am

Panel #1: Major Issues Facing California Today (Grand Ballroom B)

An introductory panel sketching the big picture of local, county, and state politics today and touching upon issues other than the budget, land use, the economy, and taxation.

Chair: Brian T. Kennedy, President of the Claremont Institute

Panelists:

• Bob Foster, Mayor of Long Beach
• Steven Greenhut, Senior Editorial Writer, the Orange County Register
• Mark Bucher, CEO, Employers Resource
• Pam Keller, City of Fullerton Council Member
• Tom Tait, President, President, Tait & Associates
  
  

10:45-12:15 pm

Panel #2: Land Use, Redevelopment, and Property Rights (Grand Ballroom B)

The interest of communities in internal improvements while remaining sensitive to local history, aesthetics, and individual property rights.

Chair: Edward J. Erler, Professor of Political Science, California State University, San Bernardino; Claremont Institute Senior Fellow

Panelists:

• Curt Pringle, Mayor of Anaheim
• Chris Norby, Orange County Supervisor, Fourth District
• Joel Kotkin, Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University

12:15-1:30 pm

Luncheon Address by Charles Kesler, Professor Claremont McKenna College and Editor of the Claremont Review of Books, on the importance of federalism and decentralization to limited constitutional government. (Grand Ballroom C)

1:45-3:00 pm

Panel #3: California's Budget and Taxation (Grand Ballroom B)

The current budget crisis facing California, and the policy challenges created by the revenue relation of Sacramento and local governments.

Chair: Keith Carlson, Carlson & Jayakumar and 2007 Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow

Panelists:

• Dick Ackerman, California State Senator
• Chuck DeVore, California State Assemblyman
• Mark Landsbaum, Editorial Writer, the Orange County Register

3:15-4:30 pm

Panel #4: The California Economy: What Can be Done? (Grand Ballroom B)

Panelists:

• Esmael Adibi, Chapman University Anderson Center for Economic Research
• Bill Leonard, State Board of Equalization
• Ken Miller, Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College
  

Seating is limited, so attendance is by invitation only. To receive an invitation, please call the Claremont Institute at (909) 621-6825.