Fox&Hounds Daily is a website designed to discuss and explain the confluence of politics and business in California.
There are websites specific to California industries and business and numerous political blogs. But, there is little that combines the news of business and politics and links them in such a way to inform and persuade politically-interested business-people and professionals. To fill this void, Fox&Hounds Daily will create a new and different voice in the blogosphere on California issues, not based on ideology, but on the principle that an economically healthy California is a boon for all citizens.
The website, delivered free daily to subscribers, business people, opinion leaders, elected officials and journalists will educate readers on public policy and political issues. It will help businesses make decisions based on political trends, while at the same time helping policy makers and journalists to understand the issues facing the business community.
The site will provide news and commentary on California politics and business and offer a full roster of leading political and business insiders providing original content on important issues.
Fox&Hounds Daily‘s mission is to influence the political debate from a different perspective – one that’s concerned with a vibrant economy and economic growth in the Golden State.
About The Founders
Joel Fox
Joel Fox is a co-publisher and editor-in-chief of the website Fox and Hounds Daily (www.foxandhoundsdaily.com), which offers commentary and news on California business and politics. Fox and Hounds Daily was founded in 2008. The Washington Post twice named Fox and Hounds Daily one of the top California political websites.
Campaigns and Elections Magazine placed Fox on the list of the top 100 “influencers” in California politics today. Fox is a frequent commentator on local and national news media.
Fox operates Joel Fox Consulting, a public affairs/political consulting firm. He served as founder and president of the Small Business Action Committee, from 2003 to 2017 battling for small business on important political issues. Prior to starting his own firm in January 1999, Fox worked for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association for 19 years, serving as the association’s president from 1986 to 1998.
Over the years, Fox has taken a key role in many statewide and local ballot proposition campaigns, including leading the campaign to successfully pass Proposition 218, the “Right to Vote on Taxes” measure, on the 1996 ballot. In 2004, Fox was proponent of the workers’ compensation reform initiative embraced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which played a major role in leading to legislative compromise on workers’ comp reform.
Fox has authored hundreds of opinion articles which have been published in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post,Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union, Sacramento Bee, Indianapolis Star, National Review Online, and Manchester (NH) Union-Leader, as well as other newspapers and websites. He also wrote a piece for National Public Radio and had an essay published in a Time Warner-Baseball Hall of Fame sponsored book, What Baseball Means to Me.
Fox’s book, The Legend of Proposition 13, was published in May 2003. He has written a chapter for an anthology, After the Tax Revolt: California’s Proposition 13 Turns 30, published by the University of California Press, 2009. His essay appears in the book of essays on the state of California titled Taxifornia 2016. His first novel, Lincoln’s Hand, a mystery/suspense was published in Summer 2010 by Echelon Press. His second and third novels published by Bronze Circle Press are FDR’s Treasure and The Mark on Eve, for which he received many starred reviews.
Fox served on six state commissions, was a consultant to another, and served on two local government commissions.
- Commissioner on the California Performance Review Commission (2004) appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Commissioner on the Assembly Speaker’s Commission on the California Initiative Process (2000-2001) appointed by Speaker Bob Hertzberg.
- Commissioner on California Assembly Speaker’s Commission on State and Local Finance (1999-2000) appointed by Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa.
- Commissioner on the California Constitution Revision Commission (1996) appointed by Governor Pete Wilson
- Commissioner on the California Commission on Transportation Investment (1995) appointed by Governor Pete Wilson.
- Commissioner on California Citizens’ Commission on Ballot Initiatives (1993) appointed by Governor Pete Wilson.
- Vice Chairman of the Los Angeles County Blue Ribbon Budget Task Force (1996) appointed by Supervisor Mike Antonovich.
- Trustee of LEARN, (Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now), appointed by former Assemblyman Mike Roos (1991).
- Consultant to the California Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy, created by Gov. Gray Davis and chaired by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl (2003-2004).
Fox was a member of the Board of Directors of Valley Vote, a community organization to improve governance and civic involvement in the San Fernando Valley and the City of Los Angeles.
Fox served as a Senior Research Associate at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College; was on the Advisory Council of the Public Policy Institute of California; and was a member of the Board of Advisors at the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California.
He has been an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University, since 2006.
Fox was a Senior Policy Consultant for the Schwarzenegger for Governor campaign during the historic recall election of 2003; Policy Director for Richard Riordan for Governor in 2001-2; and a state co-chairman for John McCain for President in 2000. He was a McCain Delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Tom Ross
For 25 years Tom Ross has worked to elect candidates; pass ballot measures, solve complex government relations issues for fortune 100 companies and associations; and direct tens-of- millions of dollars in political giving.
Working with his business partners, John Peschong and Matt Rexroad they founded Meridian Pacific in 2003 and they have been involved in many of the California’s major political fights over the years — passing redistricting reform, open primary, stopping shake down lawsuits and requiring 2/3rds vote on fees. They’ve helped defeat many state tax measures along the way as well. At the local level, Meridian Pacific has been involved with numerous candidate races but Tom’s primary portfolio is focused on ballot measures and representing major donors either through Independent Expenditures or direct contributions.
Tom serves as the Political Director to New Majority California and TEAMCAL (the major donor organization within the Republican Party). In this capacity Tom works closely with State Party Chairman Jim Brulte, who he also worked for when he was the Senate Republican Caucus Chairman. Tom is a senior advisor to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Bryan Merica
Bryan is CEO and co-founder of Unearth, a digital public affairs agency providing digital communications solutions to businesses, political campaigns, and non-profit organizations. As CEO of Unearth, Bryan manages the company’s digital media services and works closely with its clients, including associations, political coalitions, business organizations, non-profit groups, and candidate and ballot initiative campaigns.
A long-time technology and political enthusiast, Bryan’s entrepreneurial prowess and depth of knowledge in digital public affairs, particularly in the political and policy spheres, have improved how campaigns communicate with voters today.
Prior to leading his own companies, Bryan was a senior strategist at the enterprise software firm, PeopleSoft; he began his career in management consulting, working with international consulting firms Deloitte & Touche LLP and Price Waterhouse LLP.
In 2008, Bryan co-founded Fox & Hounds Daily, recognized today as one of the top political blogs in California.
Bryan graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Bryan and his wife, Jennifer, split their time between Sacramento and the San Francisco bay area. Bryan also serves on the board of WEAVE, a non-profit provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.