Comstock's magazine 0419 - April 2019 | Page 15

this month's CONTRIBUTORS RYAN Ryan is a certified residential ap- LUNDQUIST praiser in the Sacramento area. He "Friend or Foe?" helps illuminate the local real estate pg. 24 allocations to build roadmaps for some of his most ambitious plans. However, these one-time funds are down payments on what will have to be tens to hundreds of billions in revenue in- creases from yet unidentified sources. This will be a critical time for the business community, which will need a strong voice in shaping the budget debates on these issues. The revenue demand is coming, whether it’s from the existing looming deficit or as a result of new and ex- panded state programs. In fact, we have already seen the push for new and higher revenue from both special interests and the governor. The Business Roundtable is helping lead the effort to oppose the $11 billion split roll property tax increase on the November 2020 ballot. And the Newsom administration has already floated a number of new and higher taxes, including “tax conformity,” which could net $2 billion in new revenue, primarily from the business community. A higher payroll tax, water tax and 911 emergency tax have also been discussed. The Center for Jobs and the Economy is working toward de- veloping a unique, easily consumable one-stop website where businesses and the public can get something not available right now — a better picture of all state finances, especially how decisions made in Sacramento impact businesses, their ability to compete nationally and globally, and the costs their employees pay every day. We want to provide clear answers on revenue and draw a better connection between revenue and expenditures to identify revenue pressures and increase trans- parency in state spending. We look forward to working with our partners in the business community to make this budget center a reality this year. market through his Sacramento Ap- praisal Blog. Ryan is a teacher at heart and regularly does classes for both appraisers and agents. His clients include homeowners, gov- ernmental agencies, attorneys, real estate professionals and lenders. Comstock’s runs his column, “On the Market,” every other month. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys wood- working, craft beer and spending time with his wife, two sons and dog Ollie. For more, visit sacramen- toappraisalblog.com. On Twitter @SacAppraiser. JEFF WILSER This month, Jeff wrote about lone- “In the Age of Isolation” liness, an issue that can impact a pg. 34 company’s bottom line more than you would think; by some estimates, loneliness has the same impact on our life expectancy as 15 cigarettes a day. Jeff has been writing regularly for Comstock's since 2010, and now he’s traveling the world (with only a backpack and laptop) while, yes, fighting loneliness. He’s the author of six books, including "The Book of Joe: The Life, Wit, and (Sometimes Accidental) Wisdom of Joe Biden." For more, visit www.jeffwilser.com. FRED GREAVES Fred has been capturing moments "Charting the and telling stories through his pho- Next Course" pg. 50 tography for over 25 years. Whether Rob Lapsley was named president of the California Business Round- table in 2011, a nonpartisan organization consisting of the senior executives of the state’s major companies. Previously, he served as VP and state political director for CalChamber; president of RCL Consul- tants and VP for Arnel Development, one of the largest private real estate companies in Southern California. Lapsley served in the U.S. State Department during the Iraq War and as chief of staff to former Secretary of State Bill Jones, serving as undersecretary of state from 1995 to 2001. Lapsley served in the California Assembly from 1987- 2002 and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. he is documenting a raging wildfire, illustrating the community of Isleton or photographing A-list entertain- ers visiting troops in Afghanistan, he always finds the defining mo- ments that tell the story. For this month’s story, Fred captured eighth- graders working on their big annual project at Natomas Charter School. To see more of his work, visit www.fredgreaves.com. April April 2019 2019 | comstocksmag.com | comstocksmag.com 15