Earlier this week, legislation that Assemblyman Paul Cook was carrying that would have prohibited registered sex offenders from driving those ice cream trucks that we all see in our neighborhoods was summarily killed in the Senate "Public Safety" Committee. The Committee’s Chairman, San Francisco’s Mark Leno, was quite unabashed in his opposition to the bill — reminding us all about the flap between he and former Assemblyman Todd Spitzer and the accusation that Leno is "pro-criminal" in his conduct on the committee. The defeat of this common-sense legislation certainly emphasizes how the biggest bleeding heart liberals (you know, the ones who see criminals as actually being "victims of a society that has let them down") are placed on the Public Safety Committee by leadership, ensuring a soft on crime sentiment in the key policy committee that looks at these important pieces of legislation.

Here are Assemblyman Cook’s thoughts on the demise of his legislation…

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I was reading Assemblywoman Noreen Evans column in today’s Sacramento Bee and laughing out loud. She continues to live in fantasy land suggesting that “living within our means” is meaningless. I recommend that John Burton make her the spokesperson for the California Democratic Party and encourage her to keep on saying it. GOP majority, here we come.

But in all seriousness, during these tough times, government must live within its means and work to get the most from every taxpayer dollar. Local governments are particularly challenged as they must balance their budgets. Most are cutting services and employees, but are they getting the most from every dollar?

A report released today by the good folks at the Associated Builders and Contractors California Cooperation Committee (which you can download by clicking the link under this blog post) suggests that California’s charter cities – those with the most flexibility to bypass state regulations – aren’t taking advantage of the ability to exempt themselves from prevailing… Read More

As a follow up to my breaking news post of yesterday, regarding Steve Danon filing paperwork to run for County Supervisor, current 3rd District officeholder and board vice-chair Pam Slater-Price’s office does have a comment. From John Weil, the supervisor’s chief of staff… Vice Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price is not leaving office. She has no plans to leave, has not discussed leaving and has never mentioned leaving. She has every intention of running in 2012.

I am aware that another candidate has pulled papers. He told me directly – and the supervisor today – that he will not run against her. He will run if the seat is open.… Read More

I read with interest that Congress has created an "independent, bi-partisan panel" to probe the federal government’s (read: former President George W. Bush’s) handling of the financial crisis last year. Before you get hopeful that such a review would actually result in a positive outcome for taxpayers, FR readers should not that one of the appointees (by Republicans) to this panel is none other than former California Congressman Bill Thomas of Bakersfield. This appointment, frankly, makes a mockery of the entire panel. When Bill Thomas was in Congress (for decades), he was known as one of the best friends that big government had in the Republican Congress.

As the long time Chairman of the House Administration and then House Ways and Means Committee, Thomas was known in the former role for consolidated power away from conservatives in the conference, and in the latter role for empowering the growth of the federal government. The most specific and egregious example of Thomas’ quixotic quest to fatten government spending was the pivotal role he played in a massive expansion of… Read More

Just call thisthe follow-up to the follow-up on the breaking FlashReport news about Steve Danon’s foray into the 3rd District County Supervisorial race.

I just got off the phone with Danon.

The significant question, of course, was not whether he’s taken steps to run (which he clearly has — see the post of yesterday), it’s whether he will stay in, even if incumbent Supervisor Pam Slater-Price runs for a sixth term in 2012. Given her office’s comment earlier today that Danon told them he would only run if Slater-Price does not, as well as the clear ‘and she IS running’ statement, this story might have been short-lived.

But — and I mean that — here’s what Danon had to say:

"They misunderstood. I’m 100 percent in. I’m hearing from a lot of folks, who have encouraged me to run, that 20 years on the Board of Supervisors is… Read More

The Small Business Action Committee has just engaged in a statewide media buy for a new television spot "Hold The Line" that highlights the precarious state of the California economy, and the need for California government to live within its means — balancing the state budget without raising more taxes. It’s appropriate that this ad is coming from the SBAC as small businesses around California are particularly vulnerable to our recession.

We reached out FR friend Joel Fox, the President of the SBAC, for comment. As always, Fox was quite direct: "We want the state to live within its means and are calling on legislators to pass a balanced budget with no new taxes. California has its highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, there’s no doubt that we cannot afford to pay any more in taxes."

You can see the spot below… … Read More

Last week I wrote about the shameful lack of debate on bills in the state legislature. With 3,000 bills introduced every year, lawmakers don’t have time to consider truly important issues (like a balanced budget) because they’re preoccupied with ridiculous issues like banning novelty lighters. Average citizens who come to the capitol to participate in their governmentare allotted seconds to express their input on laws that will impact their lives. Well, yesterday Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee got a taste of their own medicine when Chairman Ellen Corbett wouldn’t allow debate on a bill authored by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza. Check out the exchange between Corbett, Senator Dean Florez and Mendoza:… Read More

Steve Danon, the longtime San Diego politico and chief of staff to Congressman Brian Bilbray, has taken the first official step to run for the third district County Supervisorial seat, held the last 16-plus years by Pam Slater-Price.

Danon filed a Candidate Intention Form 501 with the Registrar of Voters on July 10, giving him the ability to raise campaign funds. A voice mail has also been established, with Steve’s friendly voice greeting callers (I may be among the first) with, "Thanks for calling Steve Danon for County Supervisor" and directing folks to www.stevedanon.com. The crisp-looking website includes links to his Facebook and Twitter pages.

Danon, a self-described moderate, has been a force in the area political scene and GOP circles for over two decades. He previously served as chief of staff to County Supervisor Ron Roberts, and ran for San Diego City Council in 2001, a barn-burner won by Donna Frye.

Although there has been "talk" of Danon running for Supervisor, this concrete early action — given Slater-Price’s current fifth term doesn’t end until 2012… Read More