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George Passantino
George Passantino
Senior Fellow
Senior Fellow
george.passantino@reason.org
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Bio
George Passantino is a senior fellow at Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank advancing free minds and free markets.
In 2004, Passantino served as a full-time director on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California Performance Review. Passantino helped lead a thorough, top-to-bottom review of state government that the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office concluded could save California $15 billion over five years.
Passantino has authored frequent studies, white papers, and commentaries on California's need for fundamental economic, legislative, and regulatory reform. His views have appeared in numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Orange County Register, San Diego Union-Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and Investor's Business Daily.
Prior to joining Reason in 1997, Passantino served as a legislative consultant to the California State Legislature. His wide range of high-profile legislative accomplishments include the 1996 passage of California's version of Megan's Law, which has helped thousands of parents protect their children from dangerous sex offenders.
Passantino graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Applied Economics from California State University, Bakersfield.
Contributions | Out of Control Blog Posts
- Redistricting in California: Competitive Elections and the Effects of Proposition 11
Policy Brief 72
George Passantino
October 1, 2008 - Not the Time for Tax Increases in California
State has many options for raising money besides tax increases
George Passantino
August 1, 2008 - Put a Lid On State Budget, Already
California's budget woes underscore need for a spending limit
George Passantino
December 12, 2007 - The Chilling Effect of the Schwarzenegger-Bush Freeze
Mortgage assistance plans don't fix the problem
George Passantino
December 6, 2007 - Spiderman and Schwarzenegger
Will impulse to spend or reform win out in California?
George Passantino
May 29, 2007 - Schwarzenegger Goes From Milton Friedman to Big Government
Arnold's nanny-state plan misdiagnoses what's wrong with health care
George Passantino
February 9, 2007 - Governor's Rose-Colored Glasses Tint the Budget
Schwarzenegger is outspending Gray Davis, ignoring state's major fiscal woes
Adrian Moore and George Passantino
February 7, 2007 - Enabling Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation in California
George Passantino
September 1, 2006 - Undermining the Future
Problems with November's Bond Initiatives, and Alternatives
Adrian Moore, George Passantino and Adam Summers
September 1, 2006 - A Pocket Guide to Propositions on California's November 2006 Ballot
George Passantino
September 1, 2006 - Addressing California's Transportation Needs
Problems with Proposition 1B and Alternative Approaches
Ted Balaker, Adrian Moore, George Passantino, Robert Poole, Adam Summers and Lanlan Wang
September 1, 2006 - Infrastructure, Yes! Mega-debt, No!
Massive bond isn't answer to California's troubles
George Passantino
November 30, 2005 - Schwarzenegger Needs to Refocus
Quality of life issues left on sidelines
George Passantino
November 11, 2005 - Plan Districts to Safeguard Democracy
CA needs nonpartisan redistricting
George Passantino
November 3, 2005 - California Needs Better Laws, Not More Government
Needless boards only add red tape, bureaucracy
George Passantino
October 23, 2005 - San Diego Pension Proposals Don't Do Enough
City needs shift to 401(k) plans, voter approval for benefit increases
George Passantino
August 23, 2005 - Reviving the Reform
California Performance Review still packs a punch
George Passantino
August 3, 2005 - How to Keep Pension Promises on the Road to Solvency
CA government pension systems encourage irresponsible behavior
George Passantino
June 21, 2005 - The Gathering Pension Storm
How Government Pension Plans are Breaking the Bank and Strategies for Reform
George Passantino and Adam Summers
June 16, 2005 - The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in California's Transportation Future
Projects funded by tolls could add highway capacity that would not otherwise be built
George Passantino
May 17, 2005 - Billions of Reasons to Reform Pensions
Shifting to a 401(k) plan would stabilize skyrocketing CA pension costs
George Passantino
April 17, 2005 - Ending CA Gridlock Requires Compromise
Pols should quit raiding road funds; allow toll lanes
George Passantino
April 1, 2005 - Priority Colorado
Balancing the Budget While Preserving TABOR and Colorado's
Geoffrey Segal, George Passantino, Adam Summers, Lisa Snell and Tarren R. Bragdon
February 1, 2005 - The Bodybuilder's Guide to Government Reform
Getting rid of California's flab
George Passantino
November 19, 2004 - What Schwarzenegger Didn't Do
Evaluating the governor's first year
George Passantino
October 8, 2004 - Our Unfocused Legislature
Why pay full-time money for part-time results?
George Passantino
August 10, 2004 - Lighting a Fuse to Blow Up Boxes
Report offers more than 1,000 ways to improve state government
George Passantino
August 8, 2004 - A Lean and Fit State Government
Pushing the state toward reform
George Passantino
January 13, 2004 - CA State Deficits: The Day of Reckoning Is Here
Spending must be controlled
George Passantino
December 22, 2003 - After the Recall
Immediate action needed to revive state
George Passantino and Carl DeMaio
October 6, 2003 - Reforming California
Text of speech to California Commission on Taxation and the New Economy
George Passantino
September 9, 2003 - Roadmap to Reform for California
George Passantino, Carl DeMaio, Kathleen Connell, Matt Fong, Bill Jones, Bill Baker and Lucy Killea
August 1, 2003 - Companies Can't Leave CA Fast Enough
State lost 21,500 jobs last month alone
George Passantino
June 19, 2003 - A Risk Based Airport Security Policy
Robert Poole and George Passantino
May 1, 2003 - Citizens' Budget
How to Balance CA Budget without Tax Increases
Carl DeMaio, Adrian Moore, Adam Summers, Geoffrey Segal, Lisa Snell, Vincent Badolato and George Passantino
April 1, 2003 - State Meddling, Not Deregulation, Behind Energy Crunch
California did not deregulate
George Passantino
October 1, 2001
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