Regulatory Affairs
Case Study: Mutual Fund Taxation
When the California Board of Equalization proposed changing the tax treatment of mutual funds, four California-based funds retained Forward Observer to analyze the proposed regulatory change and provide a strategy to support the regulation.
Forward Observer reviewed the proposed regulation as well as a study undertaken by out-of-state mutual fund firms and developed a scope of work for a thorough economic analysis. The independent analysis by the economist we identified showed the new regulation would not reduce revenues, as opponents claimed, but instead would generate $12 million in added revenues to the state.
The economist supplemented his quantitative analysis with persuasive policy arguments, noting in his written report that the regulation was good public policy since it stopped penalizing companies that located their headquarters, and associated jobs, within the state.
The analysis was submitted to the Board of Equalization. No member of the Board disputed these findings, and the Board voted unanimously to enact the regulation.
Case Study: Saving a State Park from a Toll Road
"On a tough toll road issue, Forward Observer’s analysis, development of arguments and rapid response technology played a critical role framing the debate on our terms--we were always one-step ahead of the opposition."
Matt Klink, president of Cerrell Associates Inc. and media consultant for toll road opponentsThe California State Parks Foundation retained Forward Observer to provide research and strategy consulting for their campaign to save the San Onofre State Park and world-famous Trestles Beach from a billion-dollar toll road proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) in Southern California. Forward Observer played a key role in framing the arguments and developing a strong factual case against the proposed toll road. We also provided content for an advertising campaign that received national recognition from the American Association of Political Consultants.
Forward Observer staff managed the rapid-response effort on site at two high-profile public hearings, one before the U.S. Commerce Department and another before the California Coastal Commission, that were attended by dozens of reporters and thousands of interested stakeholders. The toll road was rejected by the California Coastal Commission; the U.S. Commerce Department rejected the TCA appeal.
