As California families struggle to make ends meet and unemployment in some counties tops 20 percent, you would think the Legislature would get out of the way of the free market and the entrepreneurs who provide job growth.

But you would bewrong. Instead, liberal Senators passed a bill yesterday in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee that will make batteries more expense. (By the way, I am a member of this board and voted “no” on the bill).

Senate Bill 1100 (Corbett) will create new fees on batteries, which will be handed down to the consumer to the tune of about $15 million per year. And since the fee in this bill has not been determined, the price could go higher.

This bill will alsoopen aPandora’s Box to further implementation on other maligned items like fluorescent light bulbs, medical sharps and paints.

In a TV report last night, ABC’s Nannette Miranda exposes the costs of this bill.… Read More

The Roundup, Fresno Bee political notebook and other publications detailed today stories of Jim Costa "going to war" with Leftist Democrat George Miller over the water crisis in Central California.

Here’s an excerpt from the Roundup today: "

Reps. Jim Costa and George Miller are getting ready for a Delta smelt smackdown. Christine Bedell reports, "Costa declared political "war" against a fellow member of the California congressional delegation Monday over the ongoing fight to both protect fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and keep delivering desperately needed water to the San Joaquin Valley. "Costa, D-Fresno, offered to do battle with Rep. George Miller, D-Richmond, after Miller was quoted as promising at a political rally last week to push for tougher restrictions on water diversions to valley farms and cities. Northern California fisherman in large part blame the water pumping for declining salmon populations and, by extension, their livelihoods."

Well, George Miller has been attacking valley ag and water interests since… Read More

Radio Wars — In the first spot below, conservative icon and Congressman Tom McClintock, calling Steve Poizner "the only conservative running for Governor" says we don’t need a third term of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Below that, Whitman blasts Steve Poizner, again…

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Someday, people will eventually figure out that all that campaign contribution limits do is make it harder for the public to figure out the flow of money to candidates and causes.

There is no better example than the list published on the Fair Political Practices Commission website today that lists, The Top Ten Beneficiaries of Independent Expenditures In Legislative Elections. Massive amounts of money are moving around from interests that would probably have just donated straight to the candidates, were in not for our lame system of free-speech restrictions.

There are two main losers of campaign contribution limits. The first is the public who now has to try and figure out the contorted money trail as the "flow of free speech" will find its way… The other are well meaning candidates who maybe have family and friends who would donate larger chunks of money to their campaigns, but because of the limits, they don’t. These candidates either don’t run, or are at a decided disadvantage to those candidates who know, or have friends who know how to work the… Read More

Budget time is coming again, and we are hearing more ominous reports about how bad the problem is. Some of my conservative friends in the Legislature are worrying again that a tax increase is in the cards for this budget, and they believe Schwarzenegger is going to propose one again in the May revise. To do so would be a disaster politically in a year that could be very good for Republicans, but more important, the economic damage that will occur from a tax increase in the midst of one of the worst recessions in recent memory is significant. If Schwarzenegger did propose such an increase, or if enough Legislative Republicans went along with the proposal, the misery index in California would rise dramatically. The harm to working Californians from such a proposal could be irreparable. I hope the Republicans in the Governor’s office, and in the Legislature are smart enough to see that, and to resist the temptation of a tax increase proposal. Yes, $20 billion in additional spending reductions would be difficult, to be sure. The alternative, however, would be devastating economically and politically.

But since this is a political year,… Read More

Over the past few weeks many of us have been involved in the process of writing ballot statements and submitting them to the Secretary of State and county election officials. After each cycle I always shake my head at this process.

Here are a couple things that need to changed.

The date that statewide ballot statements are due needs to be the same or later than the deadline to file for office. Some of you may not be aware that under Prop 34 candidates that accept expenditure limits are able to but a place in the statewide ballot pamphlet for $25 per word. It is a great opportunity to communicate with voters for campaigns that may not get much of an opportunity.

So the deadline for this is? February 17th. No problem right? Wrong. The deadline for filing to run for office is March 12th. So if you decided you want to run for Governor on February 18th this year then you did not have this option available to you.

That is not a real opportunity to compete for the position. This is especially true for down ticket races.

As I understand it, Senator Tony Strickland did not decide to… Read More

HJTA Invites Taxpayers to “March on Sacramento” To End Tyranny Against the Taxpayer New Radio spot hits the airwaves

Sacramento — The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association announced today it has issued an invitation to taxpayers across the state for a virtual “March on Sacramento” to end tyranny against the taxpayer.

The march invites taxpayers to sign the “Declaration of Taxpayer Rights.” The declaration states that Californians have a right to limited taxation, the right to vote on tax increases, and the right to economical, equitable and efficient use of the taxpayer dollars.

The declarations from around the state will be delivered to the Legislature and the Governor during the Tax Day Tea Party on the Capitol steps on April 15th.

To get involved in the effort to stop tyranny against the taxpayer, visit www.HJTA.org. You can listen to the new radio spot on the player… Read More

I’m playing a little catch-up… Earlier in the week Meg Whitman launched (yet) another television spot. This one, entitled "Doing" emphasizes the need to run state government more like a business..

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