Today we are pleased to feature this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association…

Shades of Gray Davis

The State Capitol is hemorrhaging red ink. The non-partisan legislative analyst’s office (LAO) has released a report showing that the revenue shortfall from the budget just passed in August could exceed $10 billion. Fortunately, the governor and the Legislature established a modest $4 billion reserve or the deficit would be much higher. How did we get into this mess? If this seems like déjà vu all over again, you’re right. It’s been just seven years since then Governor Gray Davis, who inherited a budget surplus, began to run up massive state deficits… Read More

Just off the transom, Assembly Budget Committee Vice Chairman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks):

“With recent reports showing that next year’s budget deficit has grown to $14 billion, it’s clear that lawmakers must act to get the deficit under control. I’ve been disappointed to see some in the Legislature immediately seize upon our growing deficit with a call to raise taxes rather than reduce state spending. As the old saying goes, the first thing you should do when you find yourself in a hole is stop digging. Proceeding with a course of action that the voters have summarily rejected will only deepen the current budget crisis. We must remember that frustrated Californians sent a powerful message to Sacramento the last time taxes were irresponsibly raised by recalling the Governor.

Now is also not the time to grow government. Our state simply cannot afford the massive government-run health care program that will be voted upon next week, which includes, at a minimum, an $8 billion tax increase. Taxpayers deserve responsible leadership that will make the necessary decisions to deal with California’s spending problem,… Read More

Lest anyone doubt the power of earmarks, various people (including yours truly) proposed that one way to close the budget stalemate between Republicans and Democrats would be to eliminate all $20 billion in earmarks from the budget. We would do this regardless of whether those earmarks were proposed by Republicans or Democrats. This idea got some traction for a while. Then, following a meeting with her caucus, Speaker Pelosi rejected the idea and said that they would cut other spending to try and close the gap. Similarly, the Intelligence bill is riddled with abusive earmarks, but a proposal to eliminate them was defeated on the floor.

Earmarks should be the first thing we cut when we are looking for money. Apparently, this Congress believes that earmarks should be the last thing we cut.

Chaos in Congress: Well, this was supposed to be the last week Congress would be in session for the year as we were to resolve many of the disputed issues which have impending deadlines.

It was supposed to be. But in fact, not a single one of these issues was brought to a vote. One of the most dysfunctional Congresses in history reached a new level of… Read More

It appears we will be taking up a highly amended form of AB 1X Monday, first in Appropriations Committee in the morning and, zowie, ‘if’ it passes out of Committee,the Assembly floor session is already scheduled for 1PM.

Not much detail yet on what the Guv’s office and the Speaker’s officeare including in the plan. Talk is the Senate isn’t too interested and will not be convening.… Read More

Apparently Governor Schwarzenegger, after much prodding, is going to declare a “State of Fiscal Emergency” for California. That is a good move because it moves the emphasis onto dealing with the state’s huge megabillion dollar fiscal problems.

In football parlance, its time to take the offensive team out of play and field the defense. The folly of blowing taxpayer funds on questionable scientific theories or massive expansion of the government’s role in healthcare will have to wait (yeah!).

That said, as pointed out by Senator Jim Battin on this blog, the actual declaration of fiscal emergency is much more style than substance. But if it indicates that the Governor is moving into austerity mode, then, it is a worthwhile declaration, indeed!… Read More

Morgan Crinklaw, the Assembly Republican Caucus’ communications director, sent this excellent release to Capitol press corps this morning. Good for the Assembly Republicans for quickly defining the state’s "new" budget problem as an overspending problem, not a "our taxes are too low" problem.

Democrats Think They Finally Have An Excuse to Raise Taxes

This week, California taxpayers learned that next year’s budget deficit has ballooned to a reported $14 billion. But rather than take immediate action to get spending under control, Democrats are hoping this will finally be the year they can raise taxes.

The Democrat chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee this week said the Legislature should raise taxes to reduce the budget deficit.

… Read More

It’s no secret that former State Controller and unsuccessful 2006 Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly wants to run for Governor again.

But you may not know that Westly has chosen an unusual platform for his next gubernatorial campaign – supporting subterfuge, and misleading California voters.

I noted with some degree of cynicism that Westly has endorsed Proposition 93, the Nunez/Perata Career Politician Term Limits Loosening Initiative.

It’s one thing to oppose term limits or believe it should be changed – but it’s a completely different thing to support an initiative that’s designed to trick the voters. Which is exactly what 93 does. Proposition 93 is so bad that a slew of major newspapers (you know, the ones who always endorse the WRONG candidates?) have come out strongly against the measure.

Proposition 93’s main backers – and beneficiaries – are the poster children for its defeat. Senate President Don Perata is under an active FBI investigation… Read More

It’s no secret that former State Controller and unsuccessful 2006 Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly wants to run for Governor again.

But you may not know that Westly has chosen an unusual platform for his next gubernatorial campaign – supporting subterfuge, and misleading California voters.

I noted with some degree of cynicism that Westly has endorsed Proposition 93, the Nunez/Perata Career Politician Term Limits Loosening Initiative.

**There is more – click the link**

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