Throughout California, schools are scrambling to find money to help under-performing students meet federal and state educational standards. Getting the funds to help students in a given school year can determine whether a school district hits or misses its yearly progress goals. There are limited funds and no shortage of school districts that need them. That’s why the "grab and stash" actions of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), a district that already gets the lion’s share of many educational money pots, is particularly egregious.

According to the LA Daily News (July 5, 2007), "Over [the last] four years, [LAUSD)] filed claims for and received $46.6 million in state money under the Pupil Promotion and Retention Program." But, according to a recent state audit, only a fraction of that money was actually justified. Now, the State Controller’s Office says, 97.4 percent of those funds, $45.4 million, must be returned.

How could such a large… Read More

There should be a report out this afternoon on what the Secretary of State will require for California’s voting systems for next years 3 elections. The law requires that any changes must be done 180 days before an election, which means today is it for next February’s Term Limit Extension Election…oh, that the Presidential primary election is piggybacking upon.

Elections require a process that voters can be confident in their fairness and accessibility. California has had 8 statewide elections since the 2000 Presidential election, plus numerous local and special elections in between the statewides. During that has been the transition to more electronic/paperless ballots at polling places as required by HAVA, the Help America Vote Act, federal law passed after the Florida election fiasco. Much money has beenspent to change out election systems nationwide, including here, to hopefully boost security and confidence in election results, lower costs with much less paperballots being printed etc. and laudable improved accessibility for the blind and others withdisabilities

There are as many as 8 different election… Read More

With a lot of the spin (especially in the liberal media) out there being that, "the Republicans are holding up a state budget," I thought I would take an opportunity to walk FR readers through this budget process, and how this simply isn’t the case. The reality is that the process of negotiating a budget acceptable to all parties simply fell apart. Let us start with the understanding that the California State Constitution provides that a state budget must receive the votes of two-thirds of the votes in both chambers of the State Legislature. Then let us look at the budget process as it took place (such that it did) during the Spring. First of all, and most unfortunate in this process, is that Governor Schwarzenegger introduced a budget that contained billions of dollars in deficit spending. From there, the ‘formal’ process of approving a budget through hearings and such was a partisan game, where as part of posturing on the eminent budget negotiations, every decision made was in favor of liberalism and spending. Make no bones about it, Republicans have and continue to have the same concerns about the size and… Read More

With a lot of the spin (especially in the liberal media) out there being that, "the Republicans are holding up a state budget," I thought I would take an opportunity to walk FR readers through this budget process, and how this simply isn’t the case. The reality is that the process of negotiating a budget acceptable to all parties simply fell apart. Let us start with the understanding that the California State Constitution provides that a state budget must receive the votes of two-thirds of the votes in both chambers of the State Legislature. Then let us look at the budget process as it took place (such that it did) during the Spring. First of all, and most unfortunate in this process, is that Governor Schwarzenegger introduced a budget that contained billions of dollars in deficit spending. From there, the ‘formal’ process of approving a budget through hearings and such was a partisan game, where as part of posturing on the eminent budget negotiations, every decision made was in favor of liberalism and spending. Make no bones about it, Republicans have and continue to have the same concerns about the size and… Read More

Following up on the oustanding post from Congressman John Campbell, FR’s official Beltway Correspondent, in the post below this one, here is a great exclusive submission from Congressman Kevin McCarthy, also on the latest outrageous behavior by Congressional Democrats… [Also, check out the video of the madness here].

Democracy Denied in the House By Congressman McCarthy Last night represented a sad day for America. After serving four years in… Read More

SENATE GOP RESOLVE AND SOLIDARITY The built-in deficit in the budget passed by the California Assembly is actually about $2.9 billion. This is significantly more than the numbers being thrown around by those advocating the passage of that document in the Senate. One of the problems is that with a budget that is so huge, there are so many areas that can be interpreted and analyzed in different ways. I can tell you that over the years, I have come to rely on the financial acumen of State Senator and FR friend Tom McClintock for some clarity and truth on fiscal matters. $2.9 billion is his number. He also reminds us that this year’s proposed budget represents a $21.7 BILLION dollar increase in state spending since the recall election that brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to Sacramento. So with this as some very sobering context, we have to applaud what are being referred to as the "Magnificent 14" for their solidarity. Republicans sticking… Read More

We just received this from Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman:

Last night Senate Republicans held firm once again to our conviction that the proposed budget fails to either balance or reduce the structural deficit. Nor does the budget include language to prevent frivolous lawsuits that delay building roads, schools and hospitals. We cannot continue to ignore the state’s precarious economic standing. A thirty-percent growth in the state budget over recent years and a projected more than $5 billion deficit for next year, has forced a day of reckoning. Faltering revenues and a slumping housing market has only perpetuated the crisis. California cannot continue to live on… Read More

That is the question all GOP donors and activists need to ask themselves after last nights budget vote. Don’t get me wrong. I like Abel personally. He is a nice guy. If he is the nominee CRA is bound to support the nominees of the party. But his district is a tough one and he will have a tough time in his re-election campaign. It will cost the GOP big bucks to keep him there. Registration has been slipping etc… So is he worth a cool million dollars? Because of the 2/3rds vote needed to approve a state budget, it is the one time that our GOP Senators can make a difference and make a stand. There are no judicial confirmations or leadership control issues at stake. These issues are often used by liberal Republican to persuade us to vote for their candidates. … Read More