As the budget dance continues with the legislative leaders trying to work through various issues, it would appear that there is one big question for this year’s budget… Will it be balanced? Will it spend no more than projected revenue? That ultimately is the core mission of Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines. We can have a discussion another day about what an ideal budget would look like, the kind we will never see as long as the partisan gerrymander of California ensures a liberal majority in both legislative houses. But the discussion for this year is deficit spending. There is no reason why budgeted expenditures for California government cannot fall within its income, will room to spare for a prudent reserve. Not only is this is a reasonable ‘non-negotiable’ line in the sand, but it is hard for me to figure out how this year, ANY legislator can vote for a budget that contains a budget deficit… Read More

Some passing thoughts on today’s news…

Today, our friends over at the Capitol Weekly have released a ‘scorecard’ on the state legislature. We’re still digesting it, but are open to any observations from FR readers before we release our ‘rating of the CW ratings’ — though my first observation… In a world where traditionally the higher you score on something, the better, it is notable that on a scale of 0 – 100, it is the 0 that makes you the right winger, and a 100 that makes you a socialist. Go figure… From the "Tales of the Bizarre" files — LA Times writer Don Frederick is reporting that Barry Manilow has written a big check to the candidate of libertarian-Republican Ron Paul’s candidacy for the Presidency. I guess watching Uncle Sam take such a big cut of those checks from the MGM in Vegas finally got the better of our favorite 70’s icon. I was very impressed with the … Read More

I have been hearing from a lot of Republicans on the Assembly side of the Capitol that there is a budget deal that has been crafted and approved — that it would contain some deficit spending, though closer to $500 million rather than the billions proposed by the Democrats.

That said, I think that folks are a bit premature. I just got off of the phone with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman who assures me that there is no deal as now, and that his caucus has not signed off on a budget.

So, there is still hope that before this process is over, we can get to a budget that is balanced. I certainly wouldn’t encourage any legislator to cast a vote for budget that is not.

I keep hearing that Speaker Nunez has important vacation plans that he doesn’t want to cancel. The best way to do that is to give us a budget that doesn’t spend more than projected state revenues!

Anyways, I would hope we would see solidarity among our conservatives in the legislature, and we won’t rush to put up GOP votes for a… Read More

The "Is he in or is he out" talk has swirled for weeks regarding Mark Larson’s potential run for an open Duncan Hunter seat next year, especially after he left KOGO radio in early June. Many conjectured the move was solely for a congressional run, but he was pretty clear he needed to make the change, regardless of any shot at public office.

In his blog yesterday, Mark reveals a new and exciting partnership with John Lynch, CEO of Broadcast Company of the Americas, to "build" a new radio station: San Diego 1700 AM (which Lynch already owns, so nodrawn out FCC approval needed). Larson will serve as program director and do the weekly 5-9 am show at the redesigned station, among his many other ongoing roles.

Considering the title of his blog post, "A FUNNY THING HAPPENED TO ME…ON THE WAY TO CAPITOL HILL: I got an offer I couldn’t refuse," it should be clear he’s not running, but then there’s this….

"John and I also agree in understanding the ‘call of community service’. He knows there may be a point in the… Read More

Here is green Arnold. I almost cried when he says there is no such thing as a Republican planet. LOL. Last Friday, Governor Schwarzenegger went on another ‘Green Thumb’ tour taking his enviromental activism on the road to Florida. I found this video taken by a greeny at the event, and thought I would let you all hear what he had to say… … Read More

I guess the subtitle on this one should be ‘Yeah I Know It’s A Self Serving Post’ but Fletcher is really burning it up finance-wise and shouldn’t not get posted because of his affiliation with me. I’m also not so good with changing font sizes on this thing so bare with me…

NATHAN FLETCHER RAISES $350,000

FOR STATE ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGN

Over $300,000 COH from Strong Grassroots Support

SAN DIEGO – State Assembly candidate Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) today released… Read More

Republicans in the Senate and Assembly should not be in any hurry to vote out a budget that contains deficit spending, that is for sure. But assuming that the Republican Leaders can negotiate a budget that contains no deficit spending at all, which would be a tremendous achievement to be sure, let us step back away from the trees and look a the forest.

For all of the hard work, we are really tinkering with a massive spending package that is bloated with programs and projects that feed the modern welfare State of California.

I don’t envy Dick Ackerman or Mike Villines because the budget they are negotiating over bears very little in common with the one that they would personally pen if they could adopt one on their own. We are taking a terrible budget and trying to make it as good as we can, right? Well, as I said below, there is no reason to support any budget that contains deficit spending.

Frankly, if the hurdle of eliminating the spending of money we don’t anticipate even having is crossed, then beware if you are a super close friend of the leaders. They will have done the best job they could to put "lipstick on a pig"… Read More

It all began with a palm-tree caper – now the trustees of MiraCosta College have bestowed a lavish “prize package” on the outgoing president that seems more fitting of a television game show.

According to the San Diego Union Tribune (June 21, 2007), the MiraCosta College President’s “departure ends a year of turmoil that began in May 2006, when she announced an investigation into the illegal sale of palm trees from the campus’s Horticulture Department. Three months earlier, the college had authorized its lawyers to hire a private investigator to look into a whistle-blower’s allegations. The investigation centered on allegations that a college administrator and her fiance had struck a deal to nurture and sell thousands of palm trees donated to the college. Estimates of the investigation’s cost have ranged from $200,000 to $1 million.” The results were “underwhelming… conviction of a former administrator for felony grand theft involving $306.”… Read More