The Castle Coalition, a project of the Institute for Justice recently released a report written by Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle on how cities can grow, even in their urban cores, without the use of eminent domain.

Pringle and Anaheim are the model for this sort of activity with their highly successful Platinum Triangle development centered around the city’s baseball stadium. But Anaheim has also had similar success in redeveloping its downtown, again without the use of any government taking or the threat of taking.

Anaheim does not have a corner on the market for urban infill. In fact in Irvine there is a similarly significant activity with private land owners recognizing the value they can reap from changing land uses and building up. Irvine too… Read More

THE BUDGET NEEDS AN $8 BILLION HAIRCUT Today, according to the California Constitution, is the technical deadline for passing a balanced state budget. The lack of a budget agreement is actual a good thing for California taxpayers, because it means that fiscally responsible Republican legislators are resolved to see some reigning in of California’s out-of-control ballooning state budget. We here at the FlashReport support the efforts of State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines to impose curbs in discretionary state spending. If anything, our biggest challenge is that state government spending is so out-of-whack that none of the proposals for cuts come even close to addressing the massive over-spending. If you read our featured column today from John Seiler, you would conclude that the starting point in budget negotiations should be finding an immediate $8 billion in spending cuts. ___________________________… Read More

THE BUDGET NEEDS AN $8 BILLION HAIRCUT Today, according to the California Constitution, is the technical deadline for passing a balanced state budget. The lack of a budget agreement is actual a good thing for California taxpayers, because it means that fiscally responsible Republican legislators are resolved to see some reigning in of California’s out-of-control ballooning state budget. We here at the FlashReport support the efforts of State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines to impose curbs in discretionary state spending. If anything, our biggest challenge is that state government spending is so out-of-whack that none of the proposals for cuts come even close to addressing the massive over-spending. If you read our featured column today from John Seiler, you would conclude that the starting point in budget negotiations should be finding an immediate $8 billion in spending cuts. ___________________________… Read More

With my kids out of school this week and my son turning five yesterday, I have to admit to being just a little bit behind on the news (up on it enough, however, to know that my Dodgers are 7 1/2 games in front of the Giants!). As I was playing catch up today, I was interested to read the glowing story on the new Mandarin immersion program as San Francisco Unified’s Star King Elementary.

The new program, which will expand to first grade next year, immersed 26 kindergarteners in the new language, while teaching them standard kindergarten curriculum at the same time.

School Principal Chris Rosenberg told the SF Chronicle, "It was a fantastic year. Did the kids learn Mandarin while mastering the grade-level standards? Yes. It was a big success, a great success."

I can’t help to wonder why educators are still dragging their feet on… Read More

Koeberer, Albiani and Guilbault. All three are nominees by Governor Schwarzenegger to the California Community College Board of of Governors. If FR sources are right, all three of these nominees will soon be former Board of Governors members. In order to be confirmed to these positions, you need a 2/3 vote of the State Senate. Perhaps all three should have thought about that before the took radical pro-criminal alien policy positions on the Board of Governors (once appointed by the Governor, they can serve up to a year without confirmation).

State Senator Bob Dutton, one of two GOPers on the Senate Rules Committee, found out about the radical views of these nominees and prepared an extensive briefing for his GOP colleagues. We obtained a copy of his written briefing, which is reprinted below.

From other reliable sources (not Senator Dutton, I might add), we learned that Senate Republicans are resolute about not confirming these nominees.

Note to the Governor: Please nominate new Board of Governors members who are not interested in increasing illegal immigration to California by increasing taxpayer funded benefits to them. … Read More

Koeberer, Albiani and Guilbault. All three are nominees by Governor Schwarzenegger to the California Community College Board of of Governors. If FR sources are right, all three of these nominees will soon be former Board of Governors members. In order to be confirmed to these positions, you need a 2/3 vote of the State Senate. Perhaps all three should have thought about that before the took radical pro-criminal alien policy positions on the Board of Governors (once appointed by the Governor, they can serve up to a year without confirmation).

State Senator Bob Dutton, one of two GOPers on the Senate Rules Committee, found out about the radical views of these nominees and prepared an extensive briefing for his GOP colleagues. We obtained a copy of his written briefing, which is reprinted below.

From other reliable sources (not Senator Dutton, I might add), we learned that Senate Republicans are resolute about not confirming these nominees.

**There is more – click the link**… Read More

Read about it here.… Read More

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.… Read More