With many of the world’s largest technology corporations located right here in California, the state should be number one on the elections performance index. Instead, California ranks 49th.

Pete Peterson wants California to be back on top.

Peterson said the office of Secretary of State has not had committed, creative leadership for many years, and has regressed, rather than improved, in voter engagement and business engagement. Adding to the current mess, current Secretary of State Debra Bowen revealed she has been suffering with depression for years, has frequently been absent from the office, and hasn’t been doing her job overseeing the state’s voting.

The two candidates who are vying for the job have interesting contrasts.

Career Politician v. Citizen Representative

The race for Secretary of State between Republican Peterson, and Democrat Sen. Alex Padilla, is about a giant political insider, Goliath, versus the outsider, David. But remember, David slays Goliath.

If Pete Peterson applied for the job of Secretary of State, he’d be hired. By the voters. “Most people… Read More

Only ten months ago, I wrote a story about the California Schools chief who at that time announced he wanted to extend Proposition 30’s “temporary” taxes. Only one year into Proposition 30’s five-year life, Democratic State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson called for an extension ofthe 2012 ballot initiative.

Set to expire in 2018, Prop. 30 was sold to voters as a temporary tax.

Today, Torlakson has many Democrats lined up with him, pushing for the tax extension, essentially lying to the public.

The 2013 Brown budget plan blamed “economic uncertainty” as the result of “global economic developments that tempered investment” and “Hurricane Sandy.”

“’We need to renew Prop. 30,’ Torlakson, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, said at a coffee meeting with local PTA leaders in a Sacramento home,” theSacramento Beereported in January.

Torlakson… Read More

Assemblyman Luis Alejo showed up again at the Monterey County Board of Supervisors today to tell them how to build theirinterlake tunnel project in exchange for Water Bond funding. It was an astonishing show as he accused the Monterey County Water Resources Agency of getting him“stood up” for the first time in his political career. He apparently called the general manager on Friday evening but failed to get a Monday morning meeting to tell staff to require a Project Labor Agreement. By the way, the estimated cost of this water project has gone from $22 million to $48 million in a few months. Two newspaper articles – just posted a few hours ago – that reveal how the Prop 1 Water Bond will work in actual practice: Debate Over Interlake Tunnel Project Rages On – Monterey Herald – October 29 At Tuesday’s meeting, Assemblymember Luis Alejo, who authored the project legislation, blasted the county water agency staff … Read More

“As the result of California Courts refusing to uphold the language of the High Speed Rail bonds, the opponents of any bond proposal, at either the state or local level, need only point to High-Speed Rail to remind voters that promises in a voter approved bond proposal are meaningless and unenforceable.” – Jon Coupal, October 26, 2014,HJTA California Commentary

If that isn’t plain enough – here’s a restatement: California’s politicians can ask voters to approve bonds, announcing the funds will be used for a specific purpose, then they can turn around and do anything they want with the money. And while there’s been a lot of coverage and debate over big statewide bond votes, the real money is in the countlesslocalbond issues that collectively now encumber California’s taxpayers with well over$250 billion in debt.

Over the past few weeks we’ve tried to point out that… Read More

I arrived home from a weekend away, lateSunday afternoon, to a robo-call phone message from the Sacramento County Republican Party Chairmantouting Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson’s “Strong Mayor,” Executive Mayor initiative. In the message, the Chairman told Republicans to vote “yes” on “Measure L.”

I was floored. Someone made a bargain with the devil.

Measure Lproposes the mayor as chief executive, responsible for the budget proposal, who chooses a city manager, and no longer will have a voting position on the city council.

Johnson, a Democrat, has modified the Executive Mayor plan four times since 2009, each rejected by citizens or voters. The idea of a strong mayor has some merit in some cities, but it is Johnson as the Strong Mayor that most people object to, as well as possible future liberal, elitist mayors. Johnson’s time as Mayor is not what he promised. He has instead spent his political capital on professional sports arenas and personal power, style over substance.

Johnson wants a “world class” arena because he is embarrassed by cowtown Sacramento, and wants… Read More

Republicans have a great opportunity this year to show California voters exactly who we are and what we’re fighting for. With Jerry Brown fighting poor and minority kids in court over failing schools, Democrats have been exposed as defenders of the powerful status quo – and opponents of civil rights.

Democrats say Republicans don’t care about the poor, that we don’t care about minorities, that we don’t care about women. They’re dead wrong. We are the party that cares about giving everyone an opportunity to succeed and we must lead the fight to open hearts and minds as to who we are and what we believe.

Our party was literally… Read More

Proposition 1, the $7 billion water bond, has broad support from both Democrats and Republicans. Unlike the previous version of the bond – which had an $11 billion cost – the updated version has less pork and a few more promises for actual water storage. While HJTA opposed the previous version (and indeed we signed the ballot argument against it) we have taken no position on Proposition 1. Our neutrality is compelled, at least in part, by the recognition that California does indeed have… Read More

Didn’t we just do one of these? Or two? It’s that time again!

A reminder of the so-called “rules”…

Read the questions closely. No tricks, just read the questions. Send your guesses to info@sdrostra.com ONLY.The Sab Diego Rostra TAs, interns and miscellaneous other rabble are assisting, so don’t send to my email. Do NOT post your answers here. Deadline to submit guesses: Election Day — Tuesday, November 4, 2014 — 7 p.m., PST. No exceptions. If you’re reading this on FlashReport and don’t follow San Diego politics, don’t complain.Just DON’T ANSWER. I have been asked in the past to note the candidates’ party affiliation, … Read More