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There is nothing more insidious than when government uses taxpayer dollars to advocate for tax increases. When you see it happen, it makes your stomach turn — and it happens all too often. With a h/t to FR friend Scott Schmidt, we bring you the latest egregious example of the taxpayers who finance the deficit-challenged Los Angeles Unified School District being plied with persuasive "informational" commercials about Measure E — a massive property tax increase measure coming up for a vote that, if passed, would increase property taxes in that district to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars ($370 million, to be more precise, says LAUSD). We note that at the same time that LAUSD is asking taxpayers to pony up more cash, there are no attendant reforms or accountability measures being put forward by LAUSD politicians. Go figure.

There are two "information" tv ads out… Read More

UPDATE: GOP candidate Matt Kokkonen has now signed the ATR pledge and faxed it in. His campaign consultant assures me that when Kokkonen ran for Asembly a few years back he signed the pledge at that time as well. We are hopeful that "Katcho" Achadjian will also sign and fax in the pledge as well. This will allow Republicans to unifty againt the Democrats this fall on the tax issue. ORIGINAL POST : 7:18AMA few weeks ago, FlashReport contributor Matt Rexroad brought to our attention an editorial… Read More

From yesterday’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

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UPDATE: GOP candidate Matt Kokkonen has now signed the ATR pledge and faxed it in. His campaign consultant assures me that when Kokkonen ran for Asembly a few years back he signed the pledge at that time as well. We are hopeful that "Katcho" Achadjian will also sign and fax in the pledge as well. This will allow Republicans to unifty againt the Democrats this fall on the tax issue. ORIGINAL POST : 7:18AM A few weeks ago, FlashReport contributor Matt Rexroad brought to our attention an editorial… Read More

"Battle Tested" and "Conservative" Fiorina take on Senator Boxer on the issue of national security as the former HP Chairman starts to shift her campaign into a general election posture…

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To the average voter, it sounds so innocent.

Levy on tax on lobbyists to finance a “pilot project” that would pay the campaign expenses of candidates in the next two elections for Secretary of State.

But like many ballot initiatives that promise one thing and deliver something quite different, Prop 15 is not what its backers say it is.

Prop 15 doesn’t stop with two elections. It would repeal the ban on tax-supported campaigns statewide. With a simple majority vote, legislators could finance their own campaigns with taxpayer dollars. The same is true for city councils and boards of supervisors.

And it doesn’t stop with the lobbyist tax. Prop 15 invites legislators to use the General Fund or “other sources” to pay for campaign expenses. Those “other sources” include new taxes and fees – not to pay the salaries of police officers and teachers, but to pay for negative ads and junk mail.

Four years ago, 74 percent of voters said NO to Prop 89, a plan to tax businesses to finance political campaigns. In 2000, two-thirds of voters rejected another public campaign financing scheme, Proposition… Read More

Aquick rundown of the 59th Assembly District GOP Candidates fundraising

In first is former City Councilman Chris Lancaster. Lancaster who has run before has raised and contributed himself over 160K. He is clearly the money leader. He is also the leader in endorsements having secured Dick Mountjoy, and Bob Huff. He also has endorsements from both parts of this vast district Lancaster is also the candidate that seems to have broken through in Sacramento. He also has support of most the public safety unions that have endorsed. Lancaster has bought more slates than anyone else and mailed more as well, but has only 6K on hand. Consultant is Chris Jones.

In Second is Claremont Mayor and former legislative staffer Corey Calaycay. His totals are 93K raised and he has the most COH of 42K. Calaycay has some slates and has done some mail He has a lot of endorsements from the LA County side of the district and the endorsements of the San Bernardino Sun and Inland Valley Bulletin.

In third is Hesperia School Board member Anthony Riley. Riley raised over 67K and has almost 17K on hand. Riley has done mail with consultant Steve Presson. Riley endorsements are mostly… Read More