The Oceanside Analysis… Voters in the City of Oceanside recently turned back a labor-fed attempt to recall Councilmember Jerry Kern, who fueled the contempt of the unions for touting fiscal responsibility. Now, the San Diego County Taxpayers Association has released an analysis of the fiscal problems in the city, concluding, "Generous increases in employee pension benefits coupled with lower than projected revenues are at the heart of the City of Oceanside’s municipal budget quandary." Read all the details and download the reports (link to the Oceanside item under News and Highlights)…
Taxpayers Association Analysis Pinpoints Cause of Oceanside Municipal Budget Deficit
Napping in the 77th Assembly District… A few readers didn’t agree with my "ridicule" the other day of the lackluster fundraising by the field in Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s seat (see prior post), responding to me that no one will be able to raise dollars until the incumbent officially says he’ll be running for Senate.
The post was of course meant as “inspiration” to the candidates, not as a chastisement. The three major contenders — Brian Jones, Christine Rubin and Bill Wells — each raised in the neighborhood of $25,000. Each decided to announce and start campaigning prior to Anderson making his intentions formal, because none of them could afford to wait, needing to raise bucks in the interim. Anderson should have no problem with them fundraising, as they are all on record they won’t be running if he were to seek re-election. So, that leaves the rightful assumption that no donor wants to appear to be contributing against a sitting incumbent. Thus, I understand some of the small bankroll, but not all of it. I would think that sitting officeholders would be doing better at this point….and, I am letting them know!
Yet, Does Money Matter so Much?… The blogs slay me, but there seems to be more of a contention in comments on various political blogs in recent months that money somehow isn’t so important anymore, as the political climate has changed the landscape and candidates with little funding, but lots of concern for freedom-loving citizens will do well. Puh-leaze.
The number of candidates over the years that told me that they weren’t going to raise a lot of money because they didn’t want to be beholden to anyone…I can place that number in the several dozen. The number of them that actually won…I can count on one hand. The political landscape is littered with the carcasses of those that “thought” they could win without having the resources to get a message to the voters. Yes, I know, the landscape has changed and candidates all over are going to win because of mass voter frustration and the tea party movement, right? Those things are substantial, dependent on the race, but in most cases — like always — it will be those candidates helping themselves that will be further bolstered by sentiments and movements, not those doing little for themselves and expecting a movement to carry them to victory.
Waking Up in the 78th Assembly District… In Democratic Assemblyman Marty Block’s district, previously held by Republican Shirley Horton, the incumbent may not be able to nap. GOPers Rick Powell, a retired Army Colonel who served in Iraq, and La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board Member Emma Turner, have both taken out initial paperwork to vie for the seat. Jim Sills has the news at San Diego Rostra…
No Free Ride for Martin Block
CalPERS Thumbing Its Nose at Legislature on Iran, Sudan Divestment… Many FlashReport readers will remember Assemblyman Anderson’s AB 221 a couple of years ago that banned the State’s two huge retirement systems, CalPERS and CalSTRS, from investments in Iran. Now law, the legislation mirrored a previous Paul Koretz bill that similarly forced divestiture of the retirement systems in Sudan. So, how is that all going, you may ask?
San Diego CityBeat says not so well. CalPERS has said pound sand, even if not of the Iranian and Sudanese desert variety. In a great piece, Dave Maass writes, "Now, California has more money tied to Sudan and Iran than it did before the legislation was enacted to curtail these investments." This is really worth the read, especially as an example of how a large, virtually self-funded bureaucracy can defy the law and get away with it…
Trading the blame: CalPERS bucks the state Legislature by profiting off Iran and Sudan
Tweet of the Week… "Global warming rampage continues as Washington DC is buried in snow." -Ron Nehring
Have a super Sunday and a great week. Go Saints!
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