You knew it was going to be a tough budget year for fiscal conservatives from the minute that Governor Schwarzenegger introduced his budget to the legislature — one that was more or less embraced by the ultra-liberal legislators that dominate the State Senate and State Assembly. As a Governor who campaigned in two different elections as a fiscal conservative, we were looking to him to propose a budget that reduced the size and scope of state government. But instead, again, he introduced a budget that contained deficit spending. Using some football parlance, I equate the introduction of this bloated budget by the Governor the equivalent of a football team downing the ball on their own 20 yard line! Where we wanted strong negotiation between Democrats advocating big government on one side and the government championing taxpayers on the other — instead we got a ‘status quo’ budget.

(Need some ideas on how to shrink state spending? Remember this? Or how about these… Read More

Hundreds of printers, 3,000 cartridges, and truckloads of other paraphernalia in undisclosed warehouses, all leading to millions of wasted dollars. It would be fitting to assume this report is about a counterfeit money production crime ring. Instead, it’s about the LA County Department of Children and Family Services, led by apparent shopaholics with a knack for squandering taxpayers’ money.

According to the Los Angeles Times (August 9, 2007), an audit has uncovered that “Los Angeles County’s child welfare agency wasted more than $1 million on unnecessary or overpriced equipment and failed to adequately keep track of hundreds of thousands of dollars more in supplies.” Despite LA County’s tarnished financial records, the magnitude of this agency’s overzealous buying habits is alarming. “I think it’s probably the most significant departure from purchasing practices that I’ve ever seen,” said the auditor-controller, whose career with the county has… Read More

Just off the transom from State GOP Communications Director Hector Barajas:

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nùñez continues his disingenuous rhetoric regarding the budget delay, even though a budget deal has been reached. Perhaps the Speaker had a lapse in memory, as he seems to have forgetten that he left California’s needy high and dry while a budget deal was still in the works. For all of his political posturing, Speaker Nùñez has failed to mention that, when he left Sacramento for his European summer vacation, he not only left the wheels of the budget process still in motion, he also consequently left thousands of Californians at risk of losing their Medi-Care coverage and hundreds of summer programs at risk of being reduced or eliminated. Upon returning to California,… Read More

There is a vibrant Republican primary taking place in the Inland Empire’s 64th Assembly District (a "safe" seat for the GOP). This district that spans from Riverside out to the Coachella Valley is currently represented by conservative Assemblyman John Benoit, who is a candidate for the State Senate. One of the front running candidates in that primary was businesswoman Rose Girard. Well, not anymore. We’ve found out that Girard has made a relatively sudden decision to end her candidacy, supposed to focus more on personal business opportunities. I’m sure that we’ll hear more about this. That said, her departure certainly leaves a vacuum in the field. But, she was also not the only candidate running. Others in the race include John Pate (Cons. Tim Clark/JohnsonClark), Kelly McCarty (Cons. Matt Rexroad/Meridian Pacific), and Angel Sanchez (Cons. Joe Giardello). I caught up to the local State Senator (and a FlashReport correspondent) Jim Battin, who told me that he felt that Girard’s departure makes Kelly McCarty the front runner in the race. In doing a little poking around tonight, it… Read More

Test… Read More

This evening I was tooling eastbound along I-8 from San Diego into East County, passing San Diego State University on the right, just as I have done hundreds if not thousands of times over the years. The last several years the campus edge along the freeway has been adorned with a large electronic sign, flashing information about SDSU ongoings and upcoming events a few seconds at a time for passersby to see, even if only subliminally. "TUESDAY VOLLEYBALL 8 PM," and the like. A large e-vertisement for a moving but linearly captive audience.

Many San Diegans will remember the installation of the sign (with the opening of Cox Arena, if memory serves) as slightly controversial, especially to the Del Cerro residents across the freeway who complained of the outlandish night-time light in their otherwise residential community. The details are now a bit fuzzy, but I seem to recall finger pointing about SDSU as a State school ignoring local sign ordinances, a lack of a hearing and approval process for the public, etc. I believe SDSU agreed to have the sign off after a certain time of night.

The sign tiff has been quiet the last few years, although the… Read More

You knew it was going to be a tough budget year for fiscal conservatives from the minute that Governor Schwarzenegger introduced his budget to the legislature — one that was more or less embraced by the ultra-liberal legislators that dominate the State Senate and State Assembly. As a Governor who campaigned in two different elections as a fiscal conservative, we were looking to him to propose a budget that reduced the size and scope of state government. But instead, again, he introduced a budget that contained deficit spending. Using some football parlance, I equate the introduction of this bloated budget by the Governor the equivalent of a football team downing the ball on their own 20 yard line! Where we wanted strong negotiation between Democrats advocating big government on one side and the government championing taxpayers on the other — instead we got a ‘status quo’ budget.

(Need some ideas on how to shrink state spending? Remember this? Or how about these… Read More

Should Californiansvote to withdraw troops from Iraq?

A bill to place an "advisory measure" on the February Term Limit Extension Election ballot [that the presidential primary will share] passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee today, with all of usRepublicans voting no.

The ballot question would ask voters whether the President should end the "occupation" of Iraq, and also whether the President and Congress should provide "necessary diplomatic and non-military assistance to promote peace and stability in Iraq and the Middle East."

This measure, known in bill form as SB 924,will now proceed to the Assembly floor, where it needs only a majority vote [plus a Senate vote concurring on Assembly amendments] to place it on the Governor’s desk.

Even placing this measure on the ballot in front of 37 million Californians would very likely be seen as giving aid to those whom our soldiers are fighting and a very bad signal to the confidence of those forming the fledgling new government of Iraq. Should it pass, the impact to our fighting men and women’s moralecould be even… Read More