It is no secret that most government employees enjoy far more generous salaries and benefits than the public who pay for those benefits. It is important for the voters to know if their elected officials are properly representing them in these negotiations. The unions as private organizations are not required to conduct any of their meetings on these negotiations in public. The public entities (City Councils, etc.) almost always conduct their meetings in closed (private) sessions under the Brown Act. Elected officials are not allowed to reveal information presented to them in a closed session under the Brown Act.

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) starting at Government Code section 6250 provides: “In enacting this chapter, the Legislature, mindful of the right of individuals to privacy, finds and declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state.” All public records are subject to disclosure when requested by a member of the public unless they fall into an “exempt” category such as documents containing attorney client communications or certain… Read More

The last four elections have defined one of the most dramatic political realignments in our country’s history. In those elections, we’ve seen a net shift of 64 U.S. House seats, 12 U.S. Senate seats, 10 governors, 919 state legislative seats and the presidency shift from Democrats to Republicans.

This happened in large part on three overarching mandates: revive the economy; secure our borders and repair our healthcare system. If President Trump can accomplish these three objectives, his administration and this congress will be remembered as one of the most successful and beneficial in our nation’s history.

In… Read More

Whenever liberal Democrats talk about our Constitution it’s an exercise in pretzel logic as they preach about their belief that the document is a “living, breathing document” that requires it to adjust to the times we live in regardless of the issue. For example, when encouraging gun control and their view of the 2nd amendment they breathlessly pronounce that the Founding Fathers had no way of knowing that “assault weapons” would be available to Americans.

For your consideration, the California Legislature recently voted to raise the State’s gas tax and vehicle registration fees to grab more than $5.4 billion a year out of Californian’s pockets. This was accomplished by “negotiating” or giving key legislators that would vote for the new taxes nearly $1 billion of taxpayer money for “projects”in their districts.

In the days following the several news outlets ran stories with headlines like, “Buying’ the votes for a gas-tax hike: Is it illegal or just good politics?”There were statements from legal professors and ethics watchdogs that justified the wrangling in the stories as grand efforts at compromise and consensus.

All the… Read More

Democrats in the State Senate Thursday confirmed former Sen. Isadore Hall (D-Compton) to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board on a party line vote.

You’ll recall Hall’s recent “obscenity-laced tirade” and threats to use his position to ‘get’ several farmers who opposed his confirmation:

“Are you the mother******s here to testify against me tomorrow?” Hall then allegedly said, “I have a memory and… Read More

For the last three weeks this column has focused on both the policies and politics of the $5.2 billion annual transportation tax increase. In the unlikely event that some have forgotten — or were on another planet — the taxes include a substantial hike in the car tax as well as a 12 cent increase in the gas tax.

However, as one might hear in a low-budget, late-night television ad, “But wait, there’s more!” Specifically, the gas-tax hike which politicians tell us is 12 cents per gallon — which is bad enough — in actuality could be as high as 19 cents gallon. How is that possible?

The explanation is a bit complicated but important to understand. It involves a convoluted process known as the “gas tax swap” passed by the Legislature and implemented by the California Board of Equalization in 2010.

Read the entire piece: here.… Read More

An audit of California’s state disability parking permits reveals . . . and this doubtless will stun you . . . government incompetence. Not that anyone REALLY cares, of course.

Many people got their coveted disabled stickers improperly. The acquisition process is slipshod at best.

But the best part is that 35,000 disabled people have died, yet their “disabled” placards are still out there. Hard to imagine, but it’s likely that in many cases the “bereaved” have continued to use these wonderful permits –perhaps as a tribute to the deceased!

Not only are these permits good for the “blue” parking spaces, they also allow folks to park free at any parking meter, PLUS one no longer need worry about the amount if TIME in a metered space. Apparently disabled people are all POOR people. Good to know.

Coincidentally my back pain has REALLY started to act up today. Seems I need to find a “special” kind of doctor to properly diagnose my “disability.” Given that this placard will serve my beneficiaries well, this new quest gives my remaining life purpose!… Read More

If Gov. Brown and members of the California Legislature think that the backlash against the car and gas tax increases will subside any time soon, they are mistaken.

Our political elites are learning that taxes on cars and gasoline remain very unpopular because they fall disproportionately on the working Californians — which is where the majority of voters reside. And the resentment might only grow when the taxes actually kick in.

There are times when Californians are simply resigned to pay higher taxes imposed by Sacramento, but this might not be one of those times. Many are calling for a referendum of the tax hikes only to be disappointed with the news that, under the California Constitution, a tax increase can’t be repealed via a referendum. Nonetheless, it is possible that the tax package can be rolled back via an initiative and some groups are pondering that course of action. Other interests want more immediate action and are openly discussing recall efforts against some legislators who supported the tax package.

Read the entire piece… Read More

When weighing one’s exit strategy from California (all sane Californians should be giving this topic some thought), it’s important to pick a state that won’t turn zombie on you after you move there. Plan ahead.

For instance, Nevada has many attractive aspects, but it voted for Hillary in 2016. BOTH of its state legislative houses are now controlled by Democrats (the lower house by a LOT). Only a Republican governor provides some protection against the rising Democrat tide in this state. And how likely is it that the governorship will remain in GOP hands? Avoid any permanent move to Nevada — unless you are quite willing to move again when they institute a state income tax (IF an income tax matters a lot to you).

Here’s a good starting point for weighing the relative sanity and safety of states — use the 2016 presidential vote as a guide. More important than WHO won is how MUCH they won by. The higher the Trump percentage vote, the less likely that the state will later bite you.

Now I say that as a person who didn’t vote for Trump! I voted for Gary Johnson. In California with its standard “all or… Read More