ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to demystify the essence of California's local governments and their relationships to the people. Efforts to control horizontal growth almost always fail because of the value of empty land, the power of builders and realtors to promote development, and the inability on the part of most local governments to stop it. Still, problems have been particularly onerous with public employee salaries, healthcare, and pensions—many of which have increased faster than the abilities of local governments to generate revenues and adequate retirement funds. In some cities, elected officials and public employee unions have renegotiated contracts, with the results being higher employee contributions to healthcare and retirement, reduced pay, and higher retirement ages for new employees. The Lennar Corporation has continued to promote the development of Newhall Ranch through an aggressive public relations campaign. The company has promoted the planned community as "Awesometown" for its "awesome schools, awesome walking paths, and awesome town center".
