Assemblywoman Diane Harkey just sent this over…

Unbeknownst to most Californians, yesterday was the Special Election run-off for Congressional District 32, a traditionally Democrat-controlled seat due to the infamous gerrymandered districts we have here on the left coast. Not surprisingly, Judy Chu, Democrat from the San Gabriel Valley and current Member of the Board of Equalization, District 4 – another seat traditionally held by Democrats – won by a margin nearly parallel to the RE v. DEM voter registration gap (against Republican Betty Chu). This leaves us with a vacancy on the State Board of Equalization upon Judy Chu’s resignation. The important question: Who will Governor Schwarzenegger appoint to replace her on the Board of Equalization?

Rumors have it that the Governor is “worried” about his legacy. So far, many of us have been impressed with his recent “about face” towards fighting on behalf of the taxpayers and promising to veto any budget that even hints of raising taxes or fees. Fighting for taxpayers on a responsible budget deal is a great place to start. However, it doesn’t end there. He has the opportunity to… Read More

Longtime FR friend Ward Connerly penned the following commentary to explain to FR readers why he endorsed Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for Governor…

Why I Support Steve Poizner By Ward Connerly I love California, but if I were not already a resident of this state, I would not be tempted to relocate here. Taxes are too high. We have been unable to control unbridled immigration – legal and illegal, the result of which is a… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger has unveiled a tough new 60 second television commercial in which he looks straight into the camera and makes it clear to Californians that the Governor is committed to rejecting any budget that includes tax increases, that does not curb waste fraud or abuse, or that "kicks the can" into the future. It’s a great commercial, and in sixty seconds provides and much stronger message to the public than the weak California Teachers Association ads that ran last week. You can see the Governor’s new commercial below.

I want to take the opportunity to thanks and commend Governor… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger has unveiled a tough new 60 second television commercial in which he looks straight into the camera and makes it clear to Californians that the Governor is committed to rejecting any budget that includes tax increases, that does not curb waste fraud or abuse, or that "kicks the can" into the future. It’s a great commercial, and in sixty seconds provides and much stronger message to the public than the weak California Teachers Association ads that ran last week. You can see the Governor’s new commercial below.

I want to take the opportunity to thanks and commend Governor… Read More

The California Republican Party today released a new web ad entitled "Get Serious." The web ad highlights the status of the state budget crisis and displays Democrat leaders Karen Bass, Darrell Steinberg, Noreen Evans, Lori Saldana, and Isadore Hall, in their own words demonstrating their out-of-touch and insincere approach to the state’s budget problem.

Democrat leaders in Sacramento have shown a startling lack of accountability and flippant attitude regarding the tough decisions lawmakers must make. Conversely, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Republican lawmakers have stood up for California by pressing for a comprehensive solution to the budget crisis, that does not increase the economic burden on our already struggling California families.

… Read More

As the latest budget stalemate continues, IOUs and BBB credit ratings are popular topics of conversation in California. In fact, while waiting for a table in the bar of my favorite local restaurant Friday night, nearly everyone I talked to asked what I know about those state issues and what I think is going to happen.

I said I don’t know. But one thing I do know is that in February, all of the Democrats and a few Republicans figured higher government revenues would result from the largest state tax increase in U.S. history. And four months later, Controller John Chiang announced that tax receipts were $1 billion lower than projected. Chiang was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, “[the legislature] must craft a new budget that recognizes California’s recovery has yet to begin.”

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer announced on CNBC on July 6 that California “should be able to pay its IOUs back in October.” Note the word “should,” coming from a guy who has a fiduciary duty to instill maximum confidence in California’s creditworthiness. One bond-rating service even lowered California’s bond rating to… Read More

Speaker Bass has to go!

California’s budget crisis cannot be solved until those responsible are removed from leadership. Last February the “big five’ leaders from both parties in both houses plus the Governor, rammed down billions in new taxes and put to vote more billions on the May 19th ballot. That didn’t work.

Everyone knows the new taxes didn’t resolve the budget gap and the voters in a 2-1 vote scuttled the new new tax increases.

So far of the original gang of 5, two have been removed. If the budget log-dam is to be broken we need new more flexible leaders.

Speaker Bass is ineffective to do the job. She has to go. Sadly, Bass has only one constituency she must answer to. Government unions are her only and sole concern. They elected her. They funded her. They control her. Since 2003 California government has grown with over 50,000 net new state employees, all union members. Don’t let anyone tell you there a hiring freeze either.

Bass doesn’t have the background for… Read More

Nothing surprises me anymore. Including the findings from a recent study that shows AB 32 (the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) will impose staggering costs on California families, workers and small businesses.

The study, conducted by Sanjay Varshney, dean at Sac State’s College of Business Administration, finds that when the plan is fully implemented, "California families will be facing increased annual costs of $3,857 …"

Let me repeat that: Your family and mine will shell out an additional Three Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Seven Dollars annually. How many families are in the position to bear the burden of such a substantial increase in living expenses? Not many. Furthermore, how many families are willing to spend money on a law like AB 32 that is founded on mythical claims?

The study also found that California’s job loss will top one million and the total gross state output by small businesses will decrease by 10 percent. In other words, AB 32 gives small… Read More