Now that I am not making a living at politics, I think I understand why people get so frustrated by what they see going on in politics. These guys must think we are stupid.

Nunez says yesterday he wants to raise the car tax. John Laird, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, says "this problem cannot be resolved by cuts alone. It will take a combination of tax increases and spending cuts."

Raising the car tax was in the talking points of Steve Peace, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in the Gray Davis years. He actually put in a bill to allow the Governor to raise the car tax unilaterally, without a vote of the Legislature. When the Governor tried to do that, he got recalled. Of course, the people that counseled the Governor to raise that tax didn’t lose their jobs, they just went to work for the next Governor.

Tax increases and budget cuts were in the talking points of John Vasconcellos, Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee in the 1991-92 budget crisis. Then Governor Pete Wilson bought into that line, and in a $14 billion deficit (on a $41 billion budget as opposed to today’s $111 budget), supposedly cut… Read More

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

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

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

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

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**

View Full Commentary… Read More

Last September, I warned that Los Angeles County was poised to name a labor operative that helped “steal” and election in Washington State as the new Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for the County. Well, Merry Christmas to all voters and ghost voters out there, it’s official. Dean Logan has been named as the “acting” chief until the search is complete. It doesn’t take a college degree to see that search that will probably find him as the replacement and if not there is always a recount that can find more votes. Note: Apparently you don’t need a college degree to be County Clerk either. … Read More