Proving they are more beholden to their union backers than they are their own constituents, a majority of the San Diego City Council on Tuesday told their fellowcitizens they shouldn’t be allowed to save money when grocery shopping.

Some are calling the council’s proposed law a “Big Box Ordinance,” as it bans large retailers that devote more than 10 percent of their floor space to non-taxable sales, such as groceries (i.e., no Wal-Mart Super Centers).

Let’s call it what it is, a “Big Brother Ordinance." Regardless of any other San Diego reforms being championed by Mayor Jerry Sanders, Big Brother is alive and well at City Hall.

We can’t besure if this Big Brother is embodied more by the city council majority or by those unions that have forced the issue, driving the council to do its bidding while ignoring anything akin to free market economics. Instead of trying to decide which is Big Brother, let’s just call the council majority and the unions “Big Brothers in… Read More

One of California’s brightest public policy minds is retiring (perhaps temporarily) from public office after a sixteen-year career on the Garden Grove City Council.

Political professionals, myself included, often times under estimate the impact of individual elected officials. And it is easy to discount the majority of elected officials both local and in the legislature–they just don’t have the skills or knowledge or command of the issues that allows them to be great at the job of making policy.

Councilman Mark Leyes is the exception to that rule. He is in an economist by education, a political strategist by necessity and visionary by desire. And if you had ever been to Garden Grove in the late ’80s and then came back today, you would know why Tuesday night’s retirement party hosted by the city had included over a hundred admirers of Leyes and what he accomplished in his tenure on the council.

Having served on a local water board and policy guru at another water district prior to… Read More

In the coming days, newly minted Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines will be announcing key leadership team members, the most prominent of which will be his selection for Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus.

We have verified that Villines’ pick for this important post is conservative leader Bob Huff. Huff has quickly risen in prominence in GOP circles because of his understanding of politics, his commitment to core Republican principles, and his ammiable personality.

Congratulations (in advance) Assemblyman Huff – our expectations are appropriatly high! And a nod of respect to Leader Villines – a superb pick!

(Note: I’ve had this intel for a little while, choosing to hold it in confidence. I’m only posting it now because so many folks have told me, that it will be common knowledge by noon. I guess make that eleven now!)… Read More

I really couldn’t be more proud to live in Oakland than I am today. Not only do I have to look forward to seeing Jerry Brown hands the reins of power over to Ron Dellums, but we get a hand-holding ceremony around Lake Merritt to celebrate the new mayor to boot! The Chronicle’s Matier & Ross write today about Dellums’ and Schwarzenegger’s planned festivities. One can’t fault Schwarzenegger for throwing a big party this time around. He rightly held off when he was first elected, rolling up his sleeves and telling the voters that he understood he was sent to Sacramento to get work done that the recalled Gov. Gray Davis was unable to accomplish. But under normal situations, it is customary for governors to throw inaugural parties and there’s no doubt that… Read More

Apparently the Governor’s Cabinet Secretary (which is a fancy title for the Governor’s liaison to all of his Agency Secretaries) Fred Aguair is joining the growing list of folks who are leaving the Schwarzenegger Administration.

Fred Aguiar is a pretty conservative Republican (back in the day, he seemed more moderate, but the entire ideological paradigm that defines conservatism has been shifted — also, Aguiar is certainly moderate in his temperment) — and his presence will be missed in the Governor’s Office. Many of us who sit on the outside of the Governor’s inner-circle fancied that Aguiar represented a senior and respected Republican who had his own relationship with Governor Schwarzenegger, not having to go through Susan Kennedy (the Democrat Party Executive Director turned Arnold Chief-of-Staff) to have time with the boss. Then again, that probably wasn’t really the case.

Anyways, the point is this — like all other policy makers, the Governor’s counsel… Read More

Back on November 15th, the Governor announced ten appointments — but I got busy and never penned a post on them… 6 Republicans and 4 Democrats…

So here they are — one Republican to the Recreational Trails Committee, Laura Zabkar of Foresthill — and nine appointments to Regional Water Quality Control Boards: Jack Clarke (R), 64, of Apple Valley, to the Lahontan District; Francine Diamond (D), 63, of Pacific Palisades, to the Los Angeles District; Maurice Gallarda (R), 53, of Yorba Linda, to the Santa Ana District; Amy Horne (D), 52, of Truckee, to the Lahontan District; M.E. "Red" Martinez (D), 75, of Banning, to the Colorado River Basin District; William E. Peacock (D), 65, of Portola Valley, to the San Francisco Bay District; William Ruh (R), 47, of Montclair, to the Santa Ana District; Gary Shallcross (R), 59, of Monterey, to the Central Coast District; Seymour Van Gundy (R), 75, of Riverside, to the Santa Ana District.

Oh yes, I always like to emphasize that there are qualified individuals of all political parties to serve in positions of public trust. That having been said, how someone chooses to register gives you… Read More

From the Groan Department, this press release pretty much speaks for itself….

New workshop series provides farm workers with variety of life skills The Migrant Education Program (MEP), which is administered by the San Diego County Office of Education, will be presenting a series of free workshops, in Spanish, introducing skills on everyday living and educational opportunities in the community for farm workers. The first workshop in the two-part pilot series will be held Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Farm Bureau office, 1670 E. Valley Parkway, Escondido. The second workshop will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27, also at the Farm Bureau office. Depending on the response to this initial workshop series, additional workshops will be offered in 2007 and at different North San Diego County locations.

The complete workshop series teaches practical and relevant skills to fit the needs and interests of migrant farm workers in San Diego County. They include, among other things, advice on banking and money management, buying a car, renting an… Read More

Today the Governor made fifteen more appointments into State Government — 9 Republicans and 6 Democrats. To the Shasta County Fair Board: Eileen Bauer (R), Emmett Burroughs (R), Bill Gibson (R), Bradd McDannold (R), Pete Peters (R), Larry Russell (D), Patrick Wallner (D), Victor Woolery (R).

To the Advisory Committee on Juvinile Justice and Delinquency: Carol Biondi (R, Los Angeles), Sandra McBrayer (D, San Diego), Winston Peters (D, Los Angeles), Maria Rochart (R, Glendale).

Also: * John Dunker (R), of Rio Dell to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. * Matthew Magner (R), of Bakersfield, as special assistant inspector general of the Bureau of Independent Review in the Office of the Inspector General. * Samuel Wakim (R), of Yreka to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. (A special FR congrats to Sam Wakim, who is Chairman of his… Read More