Former Local Elected Wants Every Penny He Is and Isn’t Entitled To

Becoming an elected official is something I am very proud of, serving my community is a decision I made with the encouragement of my family because I believed I had something to give back first toChino Hillsand now the state.

This is why I find it particularly disgusting when a representative repays his community by attempting to squeeze every possible dollar he can get out of it.

I have requested the Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, of which I am a member, to begin an investigation into the California Employment Development Department’s payment of $11,250 to a former city councilman from Rosemead, CA, John Núñez, who filed the claim after he lost a re-election bid in March of this year.

Perhaps the California Employment Development Department (EDD) should be familiar with the Unemployment Insurance Code. The law is very clear on this issue; Section 634.5 renders elected officials ineligible for unemployment benefits. Despite this fairly strait forward bit of code the EDD approved the claim over the city’s objections.

My fear is this is… Read More

Beneath the propaganda and the well-crafted sound bites thatare Sen. Harry Reid’s health care bill is the mention of "tax" 183 times. One Hundred and Eighty Three times!

As documented by Americans for Tax Reform, here are some of the tax proposals the tax-and-spend liberals have proposed for you:

– An Individual Mandate Tax (Sec. 1501/$8 billion); – An Employer Mandate Tax (Sec. 1513/$28 billion), – An Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans (Sec. 9001/$149.1 billion); – An Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2 (Sec. 9002/Min$); –A Medicine Cabinet Tax (Sec. 9003/$5 billion); – An HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike (Sec. 9004/$1.3 billion); – An FSA Cap (Sec. 9005/$14.6 billion); –A Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting tax (Sec. 9006/$17.1 billion); – an Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals (Sec. 9007/Min$); –A Tax on Innovator Drug Companies (Sec. 9008/$22.2 billion); –A Tax of Medical Device Manufacturers (Sec. 9009/$19.3 billion); –A Tax on Health Insurers (Sec. 9010/$60.4 billion);… Read More

Check outthis video that points out the true impact of cap and trade on a California based oil producer – Valero. The costs to them in California alone will be $7 billion annually. Is there any possible way this scenario doesn’t translate into higher gas prices for California consumers? I don’t think so. … Read More

I’ve always wondered why political figures think their legislation solves problems. Usually, legislation doesn’t solve anything. If you look the list of issues today that are very serious, almost all of them have had many legislative "solutions" passed to address them.

Governmen can’t execute – plain and simple.

When I ran for Congress in 1994, California was in the throes of a water crisis. Today, 15 years later, California is in the throes of a water crisis. Legislation has made it worse.

Now, the latest gimmick is a bond – a bond that will be placed on the ballot in 2010 to "solve" the water crisis in the State. On problem – California voters have passed so many bonds in the past 10 years that our debt service to general fund revenues are out of control.

For 10 years, while doing political analysis on KMJ 580, and writing for the Fresno Bee, I’ve warned of this impending debt crisis. It’s here now.

Many of the bonds passed by voters in the past 8 years have not been sold – authorized – but not issued. So the debt service on those hasn’t… Read More

God bless the 11-year-old Palmdale girl who, as reported by the Antelope Valley Press, managed to flee a sex offender last week. She is to be commended for her bravery and quick actions. Had this precious child not escaped, she might have met a tragic fate. Luckily, Palmdale station sheriff deputies were able to nab Keith Holmes, the 78-year-old registered sex offender. Because of tougher sex offender laws, Holmes, who is accused of luring the child, will likely go away for life. Everyone knows that Jessica’s Law requires paroled sex offenders to wear GPS and live at least 2,000 feet from schools. But what some people forget is that Jessica’s Law gives prosecutors strengthened tools for keeping dangerous men like Holmes off the streets for longer periods – or for good. I also couldn’t help but notice Holmes’ advanced years. Hmmm, aren’t elderly people – even elderly prisoners like Charles Manson and registered sex offenders like Holmes – supposed to be peaceful and benevolent souls, and present absolutely no danger to society by virtue of their old age? Isn’t 62 the magic age where bad people become good and… Read More

Off to Sacramento for meetings — got to keep all of those FR contacts fresh. On the flight with me (okay, we carpooled) is CRP Treasurer Keith Carlson. Undoubtedly there are other politicos on the flight. But it's so early I can't focus beyond Keith here in my aisle.

Wheel's up!… Read More

[Cross-posted from RedCounty.com]

Cha-ching.

Steve Poizner, state Insurance Commissioner and software gazillionaire, announced — or rather his campaign announced — he will be writing his campaign a really big check: $15 million.

It’s good timing. I was chatting with some other politicos of Mike and Susan Schroeder’s Christmas party yesterday, and Poizner’s spending — or relative lack thereof — was one topic of conversation: namely, whether allowing rival Meg Whitman to leverage her fortune to dominate the airwaves was a deliberate strategy, or a reflection of personal parsimony on Poizner’s part.

I did see Poizner consultant Steve Franks there at the Schroeders, dropping big hints that "some big news" was going to pop. No word on whether any portion of the $15 million will go to a Cash for Bloggers program.

Barbs aside, I was beginning to wonder when Poizner would hit the airwaves (I’m assuming that’s where such a large sum of money will be… Read More

Merry Christmas? ‘Tis the season for carols, presents, and such…even in Washington D.C. As we move into the home stretch of 2009, there is a lot of unfinished business. The business is largely unfinishedbecause of the singular obsession onhaving the government take over 1/6 of the American economy and your health care. Senate rules do not allow them to break off for any other business during theweeks of health care debate except for appointments, confirmations, and conference committee reports.

But the calendar days continue to tick by and cannot be stopped or slowed down. Christmas will come in 11 days and the Speaker cannot repeal it. So, of all the various things that might be passed during thesenext11 days, what are Santa Obama and his merry elves, Nancy and Harry, likely to put in your stocking? Will your stocking be full of presents….or coal….or will it be empty? Here is a rundown of all the potentials:

Empty or Coal – Government run health… Read More