Deregulator: Alive since '85!

Coffee snob alert We don't ususally shop at Vons (part of the Safeway network, for those unfamiliar with the chain), but my day was made last week when I was in our neighborhood store and discovered they're carrying Peet's coffee ! I first discovered Peet's at the many Au Bon Pain bakery cafes in D.C. a decade ago, and we used to purchase Peet's by mail-order from San Fran. What's great about the stuff is that the folks at Peet's don't burn their beans beyond recognition (unlike, say the purveyors of a ubiquitous form of joe that originates in Seattle). I like the stuff so much that soon after my return to Reason's California HQ in 1997, some of us were able to prevail on the powers-that-be at the Reason Foundation to purchase Peet's for the office. (It probably helped our cause that Reason founder Bob Poole was a Peet's fan from way back.) Anyway, since Peet's has no retail outlets in Las Vegas, we no longer have to order the nectar from...

Back in the saddle Greetings, all. Time to resume some policy-related posting. We're both recovering somewhat from the accident -- I must say the 10-degree-above-normal, upper 70s days sure do a lot to pick up your spirits. Lola's back to moderate sun-worshipping, which can't hurt. Anyway, since we last met, Kenny Guinn's tax-Nevada-into-oblivion strategy has fallen flat. On Tuesday, his budget director Perry Comeaux (with or without cardigan?) told lawmakers the state is expected to end up the fiscal year with a $71 million reserve and $36 million in the "rainy day" fund ... unless we go to war with Iraq. Then, all bets are off. Just to be safe, the Legislature must pass Guinn's $74 million package of "temporary" tax increases to get the state through the fiscal year. Few were fooled by this lame attempt at brinksmanship. After hearing three hours of testimony from business leaders, stating how a tripling of the state's per-employee Busines...